Wayne County Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers

Nursing homes and their staff members have a legal duty to provide residents with a certain level of care. When a nursing home resident suffers preventable injuries, the resident or their family members are entitled to pursue a nursing home negligence lawsuit against the staff members and facility.

At the Wayne County personal injury law firm of Sommers Schwartz, P.C., our dedicated nursing home lawyers hold negligent and abusive nursing home workers and management teams accountable for the preventable injuries our clients suffered.

Nursing home residents are a very vulnerable population. Residents are often of advanced age, and many suffer from serious medical conditions requiring constant care and oversight. A nursing home’s job is to provide the care that a resident needs. However, the statistics indicate that, on average, nursing homes are often failing in that job.

The Scope of the Problem

The federal government estimates that as many as 70 percent of people turning 65 will need long-term care at some point. At the same time, as many as 90 percent of nursing home residents report neglect. And according to some studies, as many as a third of all nursing homes have been cited in recent years for violations of federal standards of patient care. However, experts acknowledge it is difficult to accurately assess the true scope of the problem because many instances of nursing home neglect go unreported.

What Is Nursing Home Negligence?

When a nursing home accepts a resident’s care, it takes on a duty owed to the resident. While the exact nature of a nursing home’s responsibility to a resident depends on the situation and the extent of the resident’s need, there are certain things that nursing homes are responsible for providing, including:

• Administering any medications a resident needs.
• Assisting residents with their daily hygiene.
• Feeding residents a nutritious diet.
• Helping residents safely move throughout the facility.
• Protecting residents from physical assault.
• Providing residents with any medical care they require.
• Rotating residents to avoid bedsores or pressure ulcers.
• Transporting residents to doctor appointments and, when necessary, to the hospital.
• Notifying the resident’s physician when the resident is experiencing a change or new onset of symptoms.

If a nursing home fails to fulfill its duties, it may be liable to a resident or a resident’s family through a Wayne County nursing home negligence lawsuit.

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home neglect is not always easy to identify. For one, many residents cannot communicate what is happening to them due to physical or mental health issues. Additionally, residents are not always in frequent communication with their loved ones or may hesitate to speak up if experiencing neglect for fear of retribution of being seen as a nuisance. Thus, families with a loved one in a Wayne County nursing home should be vigilant when looking out for the signs of nursing home neglect, which include:

• Bedsores or pressure ulcers.
• Frequent falls.
• Frequent trips to the hospital or urgent care clinic.
• Inadequate staffing.
• Nursing home staff refusing or delaying visits.
• Overmedicated patients.
• Signs of dehydration.
• Signs of malnutrition, such as rapid weight loss.
• Signs of sexual abuse, such as venereal disease or STDs.
• Sudden changes in a resident’s behavior or personality.
• Unexplained injuries.
• Unsanitary conditions.
• Visibly frustrated staff members.

When a nursing home resident mentions allegations of neglect, family members must take these claims seriously. Although it’s hard for many to imagine their loved ones falling victim to nursing home neglect, the reality is that most residents experience neglect at some point during a nursing home stay.

Causes of Nursing Home Neglect

Most nursing home employees accept a position at a nursing home with the best of intentions. However, the realities of a demanding job and poor management decisions can make a nursing home worker’s job extremely challenging. For example, nearly 90 percent of nursing homes have experienced understaffing issues in recent years. This started at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted for years since then.

When nursing homes are understaffed, those remaining employees must pick up the slack as best they can. However, when nursing home employees are spread too thin, it means less time with each patient and an increased chance of making an oversight that could result in a patient’s serious injury or death.

Additionally, these burdens can turn a challenging job into an overwhelming one. Nursing home staff members may lose their patience more quickly and develop a cold attitude toward residents, increasing the chances of engaging in neglect or abusive behavior.

Sommers Schwartz, P.C. Serves Residents Across Wayne County

At Sommers Schwartz, P.C., we represent nursing home residents and their families throughout Wayne County, including those residing at the following facilities:

• Maple Manor of Wayne
• The Orchards Michigan – Wayne
• Woods Care
• Life Center, Inc.
• Heart to Home
• Four Chaplains Nursing Care Center
• West Trail Nursing Center, Inc.
• Carter Adult Care Facilities
• Woodhaven Retirement Community
• Hamilton Nursing Home
• Love Living Nursing Home
• ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation

Are You Concerned Your Loved One Is Experiencing Nursing Home Neglect?

If you have a loved one in a Wayne County nursing home and worry about how the facility is treating them, contact the nursing home negligence lawyers at Sommers Schwartz, P.C. today. Our Wayne County nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers have over 45 years of experience advocating for residents and their families. With our help, you can hold the negligent nursing home accountable for your loved one’s injuries while pursuing meaningful compensation for yourself and your family. To learn more and schedule a free consultation with a Michigan nursing home negligence lawyer, call Sommers Schwartz, P.C. today at 800-783-0989.