Nursing Home Negligence

Arbitration Continues to Be a Hotly Contested Issue in Maryland Nursing Home Cases

June 12, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Over the past few months, we have frequently covered cases and news stories discussing the issue of mandatory arbitration clauses that are contained in Maryland nursing home contracts. In Maryland and around the country, arbitration clauses continue to be one of the most contentious issues in many cases that are filed against nursing homes based on either the neglect or abuse of a resident. If enforceable, an arbitration clause can prevent a nursing home resident or their loved ones from pursuing a claim against the facility in court.

In a recent case issued by a state appellate court, a nursing home arbitration agreement was held not to be applicable against a resident’s son, although the resident’s son was the person who signed the form. According to the court’s opinion, the resident was admitted to the defendant nursing home in 2015. At the time, he was suffering from sepsis and chronic renal failure. The man’s son (the plaintiff) accompanied him to the nursing home and facilitated his admission.

The day after his father was admitted into the nursing home, the plaintiff was presented with a stack of documents to sign. Among these documents was one that, by signing, the plaintiff purported to consent to arbitration if the mediation process was not successful in resolving the case. All documents were signed.

Charitable Immunity in Maryland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Cases

April 17, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While most Maryland nursing homes and skilled care facilities are for-profit businesses, some Maryland nursing homes operate as non-profit organizations. The question occasionally arises whether a nursing home’s status as a non-profit organization can affect a resident’s ability to recover for any injuries that were due to the neglect of the facility’s staff members. The answer, as is often the case in legal questions, is “it depends.”

Maryland law offers immunity to both volunteers as well as to charitable organizations. Depending on the specific circumstances of a case, either or both of these immunities may apply. Maryland law defines a charitable organization as one that is tax-exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Under the Maryland Volunteer Service Act, those who volunteer at charitable organizations cannot be held liable for amounts in excess of any personal insurance they carry for any injuries caused by the acts or omissions of “an officer, director, employee, trustee, or another volunteer.” When a volunteer’s actions result in injury to another, the volunteer will be afforded the same protection unless their actions constitute “gross negligence, reckless, willful, or wanton misconduct, or intentionally tortious conduct.” Importantly, the Volunteer Service Act does not grant complete immunity to qualifying volunteers and allows for a Maryland nursing home resident to pursue a claim for compensation. However, the resident will only be able to recover up to the limits of the individual’s insurance coverage.

Maryland Arbitration Agreements Must Be Understood to Be Enforceable

April 11, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The validity and enforceability of arbitration agreements have recently become very important issues in Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect cases. Typically, these agreements are contained in the pre-admission paperwork that a resident or their loved one is asked to sign before the resident is admitted. Needless to say, this is a very stressful and emotional time, and prospective residents and their family members may not always have a full appreciation for the rights they give up by signing an arbitration agreement.

As a general rule, courts will enforce an arbitration agreement as long as it is valid and executed correctly. One crucial question that courts will ask when determining the validity of an arbitration agreement is whether both parties knew what they agreed to when they entered into the agreement. A recent article discusses a case in which an arbitration agreement did not bind a nursing home resident because the contract was signed by her son, who did not speak English.

Evidently, back in 2017, an 86-year-old woman was admitted to the defendant nursing home after a left-knee replacement surgery. Because of her age and frailty, the woman was identified as a high-risk patient. During her stay at the defendant nursing home, she claimed that a nurse at the facility “recklessly pushed” her wheelchair into a bathroom door, causing her to break her patella.

Residents of Washington, D.C. Veterans’ Administration Nursing Homes May Be in Jeopardy

April 5, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

One would like to think that aging service members are provided with the care and compassion they deserve as they begin to require more and more assistance with their daily routine. However, Veterans’ Administration (VA) nursing homes have been continually under scrutiny for the poor quality of care they provide residents. A recent report illustrates just a few of the horrors that VA nursing home residents across the country are experiencing.

According to a report by USA Today, in VA nursing homes across the country, veterans are suffering actual harm due to a variety of deficiencies. Evidently, private inspectors determined that residents in 52 of the 99 surveyed homes suffered some type of actual harm based on the inadequate level of care being provided by staff. A Washington, D.C. VA nursing home was among those in which residents suffered actual harm. Several other VA nursing homes were found to have put residents in “immediate jeopardy.”

One of the most common problems inspectors found was that residents in many of the VA nursing homes suffered from preventable bedsores. Bedsores develop when a person who is confined to a bed remains idle for too long. Bedsores can be prevented by frequently rotating a resident, or providing a resident with ample cushion under their body. Inspectors noted that one resident developed five bedsores in just six months. However, when inspectors went to visit this resident, they determined that no staff member had moved the man, or provided him with additional cushions to alleviate the condition.

Inadequate Supervision and Neglect in Maryland Nursing Homes

March 5, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While many of the Maryland nursing home cases we handle involve egregious instances of physical and sexual abuse committed against residents, the harms that befall neglected nursing home residents are often just as serious. Maryland nursing home residents are placed in skilled nursing facilities because they are unable to take care of their own basic needs. Thus, residents rely on nursing home staff for assistance with eating, bathing, using the bathroom, taking medication, and other daily tasks. When nursing home staff members fail to provide the individualized care and attention that a resident needs and deserves, a resident’s health will naturally suffer as a result.

By accepting a resident into its care, a Maryland nursing home assumes both a contractual and legal duty to provide a certain level of care to the resident. If the resident’s condition worsens or is otherwise injured due to a facility’s failure to provide necessary services, the resident or a family member may be able to pursue a claim for compensation against the facility.

Family Considers Lawsuit Following Resident’s Death

Last month, an 86-year-old veteran died while he was in the care of a nursing home. According to a local news report, nurses discovered an infection in the resident’s groin on February 16, 2019. At the time, the nurse taking the report indicated that she could smell that the man had an infection upon entering his room.

Medical Errors in Maryland Nursing Homes

February 15, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Nursing homes take on an enormous responsibility when they accept a resident into their care. Of course, a Maryland nursing home is required to provide residents with a safe living environment, keeping residents free from the potential abuse of staff members and other residents. However, there is also an affirmative duty taken on by nursing homes to provide a certain level of care. When a nursing home fails to live up to this standard, the facility may be liable through a Maryland nursing home negligence lawsuit.

There are many different types of nursing home negligence. Nursing home residents are often unable to provide for their own basic needs, and rely on others to help them with routine daily tasks such as bathing, eating, and taking medication. In some cases, patients suffer bedsores after a neglectful nurse fails to check up on them as frequently as necessary. One area of care that is infrequently discussed is the level of medical care that a nursing home is required to provide.

Of course, nursing homes are not expected to function at the level of a hospital. However, nursing homes should employ properly credentialed staff who are educated on how to care for an at-risk population. Thus, certain failures are inexcusable. According to a local news report, a Veterans’ Administration (VA) nursing home was fined for providing the wrong medication to a resident. Evidently, the home was cited for providing the wrong medication as well as for administering medication in a manner that did not follow the physician’s instructions.

Low Pay May Be a Contributing Factor to the High Rate of Maryland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

January 8, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Over the past several years, there has been a significant increase in the number of reported instances of Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect. In part, this is due to increased awareness of the problem, as social media has allowed for news of these disturbing events to disseminate more easily. However, experts still believe that the majority of nursing home abuse and neglect goes unreported.

Experts believe that there are several causes of nursing home abuse and neglect. Not surprisingly, most of the causes relate to the environment created by nursing home management rather than specific issues with individual nurses or employees. However, some nurses are better suited for the job. Often, this is due to the level of training or experience the nurse has obtained.

Studies have shown that low staffing levels are correlated with increased instances of abuse and neglect. Thus, it is generally agreed that the more stressful the work environment, the more likely employees are to “snap.” According to a recent article, Maryland and Virginia nurses are offered some of the lowest rates to provide in-home care to residents. Apparently, in-home nurses in Virginia and Maryland make only $20 to $35 per hour. This is about 30% lower than nearby states. As a result, qualified nurses are leaving Maryland and Virginia to pursue employment in states where they can earn a better living. Thus, residents are having a difficult time securing in-home nurses, especially during off-peak hours and on weekends.

Criminal Charges Are Not Necessary to Pursue a Claim Against a Maryland Nursing Home for Abuse or Neglect

December 28, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In many situations where a Maryland nursing home employee is alleged to have neglected or abused a resident, the state will bring formal criminal charges against the resident. Other times, the state may not file charges if they believe there is enough evidence to prove that the staff member committed the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

In a criminal proceeding, the victim may be required to testify in order to establish the elements of the criminal offense. However, even if the defendant is convicted, there is little that the court can do to provide any relief to the victims of the defendant’s assault.

Separate and apart from any criminal case, a victim of Maryland nursing home abuse can pursue a civil claim for compensation. If successful, a nursing home resident may be able to obtain award amounts for their past and future medical expenses as well as for any emotional damages that were sustained as a result of the abuse. In addition, unlike in a criminal case, the nursing home overseeing the abusive employee can often be named as a defendant, increasing the resident’s chances of being able to fully recover for any award that is issued.

Veterans Reportedly “Routinely Receiving Substandard Care” in VA Nursing Home

November 29, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Although most people would prefer not to have their loved ones move into a Maryland nursing home, there is often little choice in the matter. As a result, nursing homes have become commonplace in Maryland and across the country. When a family trusts a nursing home to care for an aging loved one they assume, at a minimum, that their loved ones will receive the appropriate care.

The Standard of Care in Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are required to provide a certain level of care to residents. This is called the “standard of care.” The applicable standard of care varies based on the particular jurisdiction, and is often based upon local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Generally, although a nursing home cannot guarantee the safety of its residents, a nursing home must exercise reasonable care so that residents do not suffer physical injury and unnecessary mental distress. The applicable standard depends on the resident’s condition, which has to be evaluated by the nursing home, and addressed in properly caring for the resident. That means that if a resident has special needs, the nursing home should provide appropriate treatment and supervision to meet the standard of care for that particular resident.

Veteran’s Administration Nursing Home Among the Nation’s Worst

An internal report from the Department of Veterans Affairs found that a Veterans Affairs nursing home in Brockton, Massachusetts had “blatant disregard” for veteran safety, according to one news source. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began its investigation of the facility after a nurse brought her concerns to the VA’s attention. Residents at the VA nursing home in Brockton were almost three times more likely to develop bedsores than residents at private nursing homes, and were generally more likely to experience serious pain.

Medical Malpractice Claims in Maryland Nursing Homes

October 5, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Because nursing homes generally offer medical care to residents, Maryland medical malpractice claims may arise in the nursing home setting. In a recent medical malpractice case, a family brought a medical malpractice claim after their elderly mother fell. The eighty-nine-year-old patient fell after she got out of her hospital bed, suffering a serious head injury. She had surgery but never fully recovered from the head injury. After her death a few years later, her daughters filed a medical negligence claim against the hospital. The case went to trial, and the court found in favor of the hospital, but the daughters appealed.

On appeal, the plaintiffs argued that the trial court was wrong in finding that the hospital’s failures to comply with the standard of care did not cause the patient’s injuries. At trial, the plaintiffs’ expert, a doctor at Johns Hopkins Health System, testified that the hospital breached the standard of care concerning fall-risk assessments by failing to use a bed alarm and by failing to make hourly comfort rounds. In contrast, the hospital’s expert testified that the hospital met the standard of care and that such measures would not have prevented the patient’s fall.

The appeals court agreed with the hospital, finding that the plaintiffs failed to prove the element of causation. The court explained that the plaintiffs failed to show that the lack of a bed alarm proximately caused the patient’s fall. The plaintiffs were required to show that there was a causal connection between the patient’s injuries and the hospital’s actions. The two experts presented conflicting testimony regarding the effectiveness of bed alarms, and the court noted that the plaintiffs’ expert testified that she did not know whether a bed alarm would have made any difference in this case. Therefore, the court found that the evidence was “too tenuous” to support a finding that the use of a bed alarm or of increased comfort round would have prevented the fall.