At Cardinal LifeCare Consulting, our licensed legal nursing professionals offer their expertise to attorneys working on elder care lawsuits of all kinds. Our experts are qualified to testify on whether specific instances constitute nursing home abuse or neglect, according to duty of care laws and relevant research. Based on their assessment of a case, our specialists can point to clear evidence to support or refute a claim. Additionally, they can present this evidence as expert witnesses during trial or settlement negotiations. To learn more about our case-supplementing services, call us at 724-487-0519 – and read on for examples of what might be considered abuse/negligence in a nursing facility.
Types of Abuse in Nursing Homes
Enduring mistreatment can have devastating physical and emotional impacts on a nursing home resident. Serious injury, illness, trauma or even death may result if a senior patient fails to receive proper care. At the very least, being abused or neglected in a nursing care setting can take a psychological toll on a patient during an already emotionally difficult stage of life.
Common types of abuse in nursing homes include:
- Physical abuse, such as pushing, shoving or kicking; and
- Emotional/verbal abuse, such as yelling at, insulting or isolating a nursing home resident.
It’s important to note that nursing home neglect is distinct from abuse; but, both intentional and unintentional acts can cause serious harm to patients and thus may be grounds for an elder care lawsuit. Here are a few examples which may fall under the category of nursing home neglect:
- Failure to clear hazards promptly to keep the premises safe for residents;
- Failure to provide adequate supervision;
- Failure to attend to residents’ hygiene needs;
- Failure to meet residents’ daily nutritional and hydration needs;
- Ignoring residents’ requests;
- Medication errors or failure to administer medication on schedule; and
- Failure to provide prompt and proper medical treatment.
Depending on the exact circumstances, these acts may be categorized as abuse, or they may be deemed negligence. A nursing consultant/expert witness can review the details surrounding a claim and determine which, if either, occurred. Once this has been established, they can then help the client’s legal team build a strong, evidence-based case.
Cardinal LifeCare Brings Clarity On Clinical Matters
Sadly, nursing home abuse and negligence are all too common, often stemming from short staffing, poor hiring practices and other oversights. For lawyers working on any sort of elder care lawsuit, the experts at Cardinal LifeCare provide objective, reliable legal nurse consulting services ranging from expert witness testimony to life care planning. To inquire about how our nationwide network may assist with a particular case, reach out to us at 724-487-0519.
