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Lawsuit filed for nursing home negligence and wrongful death

On Behalf of | Sep 13, 2018 | Nursing Home Negligence |

When loved ones enter a skilled care facility in Maryland or elsewhere in the nation, their family members expect a certain standard of care from the staff. Reasonable expectations would include proper medical care, cleanliness of the facility, professionalism of the staff and appropriate treatment of the patient. Unfortunately, not every facility meets these basic standards. Recently, a woman in another state filed a nursing home negligence and wrongful death lawsuit against a medical center for the actions of the facility in caring for her father.

The woman initially observed her father in pain from severe bedsores when the nursing staff was turning him. The bedsores, or pressure sores, result from patients not being turned frequently enough when they are bedridden. The sores can become septic, or severely infected, if not treated properly. The lawsuit states that the woman was not made aware of how serious her father’s bedsores actually were. He had to be taken to the hospital numerous times for surgeries and intravenous antibiotics for sepsis care before his death.

While comprehensive national data is not available on the number of fatalities from sepsis cases, reports do note that sepsis is the main reason offered for transfers from nursing homes to hospitals. Health care professionals say these types of sores that lead to sepsis can be avoided with proper procedures. They recommend turning bedridden patients every two hours to prevent infections that are costly, in both financial and personal terms.

While hundreds of lawsuits are filed against nursing homes for negligent care each year, many are settled out of court and details are not readily available. However, in 2017, family members in Kentucky were awarded $1.1 million from a nursing home for its poor treatment of their relative. Also last year, a Utah woman was awarded $1.8 million after her husband died from complications from bedsores.

If loved ones have died as a result of nursing home negligence, surviving family members may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility. A Maryland personal injury attorney can help survivors understand their options and how best to proceed with litigation. A favorable outcome in a lawsuit can provide compensation to family members to help with funeral costs and other expenses, as well as a possible award for their pain, grief and suffering.

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