Placing a loved one in a Maryland nursing home is not an easy decision. However, it is a choice that thousands of Maryland families must make each year. While most nursing homes truly care about the health and wellbeing of residents, that simply isn’t always the case.
According to a recent news report, a state health department report reveals that one nursing home engaged in repeated physical and verbal abuse of residents. Evidently, the nursing home is believed to have abused at least five residents. One instance cited in the report is based on the facility’s failure to provide medication to an elderly resident. Another incident documents the facility’s failure to follow up on allegations of neglect and abuse, allowing the employee suspected of wrongdoing to remain on the job.
Nursing homes not only have a duty to ensure residents are free from abuse, but also to continuously investigate all claims of wrongdoing. For example, if a staff member is alleged to have neglected or assaulted a resident, nursing home management must investigate the matter. Similarly, if one resident acts aggressively towards other residents, management must take affirmative steps to protect other residents.
What Are the Risks of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?
When a Maryland nursing home fails to live up to their duties, residents are put at risk. Sadly, too often, due to preexisting health issues, even a small injury can set a chain of events in motion that leads to a resident’s permanent injury. When this occurs, both the nursing home staff member who caused the injury, as well as the facility’s management team, may be liable to the injured resident and their family.
One issue that frequently comes up in Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect cases is the facility’s attempt to cover up any wrongdoing. Nursing homes understand the risk of a lawsuit, and will often do anything possible to avoid liability—including taking illegal measures that may make it more difficult to establish a claim against them. For example, nursing homes may destroy or hide records or instruct employees not to discuss certain events. However, a skilled personal injury attorney will be familiar with these common cover-ups and know how to best expose them.
A nursing home neglect and abuse attorney can also help you or your loved one identify the full extent of the damages your loved one suffered at the hands of nursing home staff.
Contact the Dedicated Maryland Nursing Home Lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen Today
If you suspect that a loved one is being mistreated by the staff at a Maryland nursing home, contact the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen for immediate assistance. We proudly represent individuals and families in all types of claims against negligent and abusive nursing homes across the state and have done so for decades. With our help, you can hold nursing home staff and management accountable for the wrongs they’ve committed. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation, call 800-654-1949 today.
Calling is free, and we will not bill you for our services unless we can recover compensation for you and your family.