Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers in West Hartford, CT
In the United States, there are 15,300 nursing homes and 1.3 million residents who depend on the care they receive there. That care, however, doesn’t always meet necessary standards, with neglect posing serious concerns. Neglect in nursing homes can have catastrophic consequences, leading to physical and emotional distress in residents.
If you or a loved one has suffered nursing home neglect, you can depend on an experienced attorney to fight for your rights. Contact Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge to speak with a nursing home neglect lawyer in West Hartford, Connecticut, today.
Table of Contents
- Understanding Elder Neglect in Nursing Homes
- The Consequences of Nursing Home Neglect
- Types of Nursing Home Neglect in Connecticut
- Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
- How a Nursing Home Lawyer Can Help
- Contingency Fees
- Nursing Home Neglect FAQs
- Trust Experienced Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys in West Hartford, CT
Understanding Elder Neglect in Nursing Homes
Nursing home neglect is the failure of a caregiver to fulfill their obligations to a resident in a care facility. It can refer to caretakers not providing food, medical care, shelter, or protection to residents. It could also refer to caretakers providing these services but inadequately or insufficiently.
Neglect is often an unconscious act, which typically differentiates it from abuse and often requires the help of an attorney to properly identify it. It can result in severe emotional trauma, medical emergencies, and even fatalities.
One in six people over 60 experience some form of abuse or neglect in community settings every year. Unfortunately, those numbers are bound to spike for a number of reasons.
One reason is the rapidly growing population of older individuals who will require care, and this is exacerbated by ongoing staffing shortages that plague all aspects of the healthcare industry, including nursing homes. Because of these shortages, nursing homes often hire people without performing extensive background checks. But even employees who are suitable for these jobs may not be sufficiently trained, often due to the pressure to staff a care center as quickly as possible.
These systemic issues work together to create the perfect storm: an environment where nursing home neglect is an inevitability.
John Kennedy Jr.
Founding Partner
John J. Kennedy, Jr., is the founding partner of Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. In 1988, John formed Kennedy & Johnson, along with David Johnson. John is an accomplished trial attorney, spending most of his more than 42 years practicing in Connecticut, representing injured clients before juries.
The Consequences of Nursing Home Neglect
When neglect takes the form of unsanitary conditions, it can result in serious health problems like bedsores and infections that could lead to sepsis. If caretakers are negligent and fail to give necessary medications, residents could suffer from deadly side effects.
Besides these immediate health concerns, neglect can have significant psychological consequences — depression and anxiety are common in residents who’ve suffered neglect, with some even suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Residents can also experience decreased self-esteem and self-worth because being neglected erodes a person’s sense of self and directly impacts their overall well-being.
Because of the complexities involved in proving and getting compensation for elderly neglect, it’s crucial that you turn to a nursing home neglect attorney or nursing home abuse attorney. At Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge, we can help.
Types of Nursing Home Neglect in Connecticut
Nursing home neglect can be categorized into three main types: neglect of basic needs, medical neglect, and emotional neglect.
Neglect of Basic Needs
This is when facilities and caretakers fail to provide residents with the most basic of needs, including water, food, and a safe environment. It can also include not changing a resident’s clothing or bed sheets often enough and not assisting incontinent residents in taking showers or offering them fresh clothing.
Medical Neglect
Medical neglect can include various dangerous behaviors, including failing to provide medical treatment, failing to frequently reposition bedridden or wheelchair-bound patients to prevent bedsores, and failing to follow proper protocols when treating patients with pre-existing medical conditions.
It also includes failing to report signs of infection, illness, or excessive weight loss to medical professionals. When medical staff are not made aware of these troubling signs, residents do not get the medical attention they need and can quickly develop serious conditions due to their weakened immune systems.
Finally, a common example of medical neglect is medication errors, whether it’s forgetting to give a resident their medication or giving them the wrong medication. These errors have significant potential for drastic, immediate effects that put a resident’s life at risk.
Emotional Neglect
Emotional neglect is one of the most common forms of elder abuse in nursing homes. It can occur when staff members prevent residents from interacting with each other, family members, or friends. If staff members leave a resident alone in their room for most of the day, this can also be considered emotional neglect.
Residents who have mental/physical disabilities or memory-related problems tend to be the ones who suffer from emotional neglect the most. If facilities do not take care to meet the emotional needs of these residents, they can quickly suffer serious negative consequences.
Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
If you see a loved one’s behavior or personality begin to change, or if you notice tension between your loved one and particular caregivers, it can point toward nursing home neglect.
Some signs to watch for include the following:
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Changes in personality
- Unsanitary living conditions
- Dirty clothes
- Bedsores
Some signs of neglect can sometimes be much more subtle, including things such as:
- Unsafe living conditions
- Loss of weight
- Signs of dehydration
- Depression or anxiety
Dehydration and malnutrition can be very serious. Chronic dehydration can cause seizures, brain swelling, and even death.
If your loved one takes specific medication to manage visible symptoms, you may notice neglect when these symptoms reappear, hinting that they are not receiving their proper medication.
How a Nursing Home Lawyer Can Help
If you suspect caregivers in a nursing home are neglecting your loved one, the best thing you can do is turn to a nursing home neglect attorney or nursing home abuse attorney at Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge in or West Hartford office..
We will assess your claim to see how we can best help you get the justice your loved one deserves. It is crucial to do this first and foremost, as it allows us to have a good sense of how to begin strategizing.
A nursing home neglect lawyer from our team in West Hartford will then start gathering evidence. It’s important that you take pictures of any signs of neglect you see so that we have these records available when we file the claim. We’ll also speak with witnesses and get any available medical records.
One of the most difficult aspects of filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit or neglect lawsuit is negotiating with the other parties. It’s something you never want to do on your own, as the nursing home’s insurer will likely try to encourage you to accept a low offer..
With a lawyer in your corner, you have the best chance of receiving fair compensation for what your loved one or you went through. If we’re not able to get appropriate compensation via settling, we can take your case to court.
Contingency Fees
At Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C., we handle all Nursing Home Neglect cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not get paid unless and until you receive a settlement or a jury award.
Schedule a free, confidential consultation with a skilled Connecticut nursing home neglect lawyer today. Contact us online or call our New Haven law firm directly at 203-865-8430.
Nursing Home Neglect FAQs
Who Are the Most Vulnerable to Nursing Home Neglect?
Those who have cognitive and physical difficulties, like dementia and mobility issues, are most in danger of nursing home neglect. Individuals who are medicated and women who have disabilities are also put at a higher risk.
With that said, anyone in a nursing home can be a victim of neglect, which is why it’s so crucial to watch for signs no matter the resident.
Why Does Neglect Occur in Nursing Homes?
A number of factors can influence the likelihood of neglect. One of these is staffing shortages. As more people leave the nursing industry, those who remain are overburdened, which could result in neglect.
Because of the staffing shortages, nursing homes are more likely to hire people who aren’t as qualified or experienced as they should be. They may also not perform proper and thorough background checks to make certain they’re hiring the right people.
Who’s Legally Responsible for Nursing Home Neglect?
The answer can vary depending on the exact circumstances, but in many cases, you can hold the perpetrators of the neglect responsible, as well as the facility itself. When you turn to a nursing home abuse lawyer in West Hartford, CT, they’ll be able to help you understand who’s responsible.
Trust Experienced Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys in West Hartford, CT
If you or someone you love has experienced nursing home abuse and neglect, you have the right to reach out to a nursing home neglect lawyer or nursing home abuse lawyer for help. At Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge, we offer the chance to get the compensation your loved one or you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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15 N. Main Street #100 Suite 217
West Hartford, CT 06107
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