Baltimore Malpractice Lawyers: Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect a Concern for Patients and Families

Posted on January 16, 2015

While many nursing homes provide excellent care for the elderly, injuries resulting from nursing home neglect or abuse have become a growing concern for families. In many cases, the circumstances leading to the abuse or neglect constitute medical malpractice, and may even result in criminal charges for those accused.

Some Maryland nursing homes are understaffed or have poorly trained or underpaid employees. This can result in negligent care that endangers the lives of patients. Nursing home negligence includes failure to give medication safely and properly, failure to reposition patients, leading to bedsores, incorrect medical diagnosis, incorrect treatment and failure to communicate with family members about condition changes.

In addition to being neglected, nursing home patients may suffer abuse. Abuse in nursing homes includes physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse. Because elderly people tend to be somewhat vulnerable, disingenuous nursing home staff members have an easier time taking advantage of them.

If a nursing home resident is injured as a result of staff negligence or abuse, it may be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, proving malpractice requires evidence of a doctor-patient relationship, the existence of negligence, and injuries resulting from the negligence. A skilled attorney can help victims gather the information needed to file a claim and pursue compensation.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, consult the knowledgeable Maryland malpractice lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton, P.A. to learn more about your options.