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Nursing Home Injury Attorney
Los Angeles Nursing Home Attorney
Nursing home abuse is one of the nation's largest growing problems. An estimated one in three nursing homes are reported for nursing home abuse, a number thought grossly underestimated. This statistic is frightening, especially considering the fact that the instances of nursing home abuse that are reported are so severe. Reports of death, broken bones, beatings, and complete neglect have repeatedly occurred in these situations.
The nursing home injury attorneys at Danialpour & Associates handle cases where neglect has led to broken bones, pressure (decubitus) ulcers, dehydration, and other preventable injury. In many cases, these types of injuries are simply the result of age; however, they are often caused by carelessness or negligence on the part of the nursing home staff.
For every case of elder abuse and neglect reported to authorities, experts estimate that there may be as many as 5 cases not reported. Research suggests elders who have been abused tend to die earlier than those who are not abused, even in the absence of chronic conditions or life threatening disease.
People put their elderly parent or grandparent in a nursing home so that they can be safely taken care of, so that someone can properly look after them in their old age. No one expects that these nursing home residents should get anything less than the proper care and respect that they deserve, but with the horrifying rise in nursing care abuse, this is not always the case.
Even more alarming is the prediction that the problem will only worsen in the near future. More than 91% of nursing homes lack adequate staff to properly care for patients. The Health and Human Services Department report found patients in understaffed nursing homes were more likely to suffer from a variety of problems, such as bed sores, malnutrition, weight loss, dehydration, pneumonia, and serious blood born infections. It's a serious concern that will only increase with time, given that the population of people aged 85 or older is expected to double to 8.9 million by the year 2030.
The following are types of nursing home injury that may be attributed to neglect:
Fractures and Broken Bones:
Unfortunately, fractures from falls are commonplace at nursing homes. In some cases, falls may simply be a consequence of advanced age; but there are a variety of medical and vision problems that would make falling more likely for an elderly resident and necessitate increased supervision from nursing home staff. These problems might include anything from dizziness caused by prescription medications to the effects of Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.
Bedsores:
Also known as pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers, bedsores are discolorations of the skin that, if left untreated, often develop into serious wounds. Bedsores can be an early indication of improper care - when nursing home staff fails to notice or treat bedsores this may be considered negligent inaction, or neglect, which could have been prevented by proper care.
Bed injuries:
When elderly nursing home residents are confined to a bed, injuries often occur due to lack of proper supervision. If a mattress is not properly secured to a bed frame or side rails do not expand to fit a bed, an elderly resident weakened by age or illness may become trapped or may fall out of the bed. This would be considered nursing home neglect.
Dehydration/Malnutrition:
Neglect is generally the cause of dehydration and malnutrition in nursing homes. Dehydration can cause rapid deterioration in otherwise healthy nursing home residents and may also cause confusion and dizziness, which can lead to falls. Elderly residents who are unable to obtain their own food and water are susceptible to dehydration and malnutrition.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries from a nursing home abuse, contact Danialpour & Associates at (310) 444-0055. We offer a FREE consultation to determine if you have a case or not. If you are unable to visit our office, we will make our legal service available to you through a home visit upon your request.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is designed solely for general purposes. The information on this page and associated pages are not intended to be legal advice, nor does it create an attorney client relationship. Consult with an attorney before making any legal decision as your individual circumstances may vary. | 
