A nursing home in Atlanta is being investigated for potential nursing home neglect and mistreatment of a female patient. The suspected negligence or abuse was discovered after the elderly patient was admitted to the emergency room of a nearby hospital where doctors treated her for a 3-inch wound on the side of her head. Upon closer examination, the elderly woman appeared to have other wounds with questionable causes.
Trust in Nursing Care Facilities
The patient, a 77-year old woman, had been in the nursing home for 4 years after a fall left her unable to move and to communicate. Her family says that they visit her weekly and didn’t suspect any abuse or neglect until the emergency treatment.
Doctors in the emergency room also found bleeding in the patient’s brain, overall poor hygiene, severely ingrown nails, and an open wound on the patient’s hand where the bandage appeared to have been unchanged for days. The same doctors then asked the nursing facility about what had happened but the facility simply said that they were unsure of the circumstances surrounding the injuries, and that it was still under investigation.
In an interview, the patient’s grandson said that he is convinced that the patient’s injuries and overall condition indicate nursing home negligence.
Nursing Home Negligence in Oregon
The state of Oregon has an estimated population of 3,928,068 persons, 15.5% of whom are at the ages of 65 and older. The number of elderly individuals is growing, requiring greater levels in assisted living, thereby increasing the possibility of elderly abuse and neglect.
According to Adult Protective Services in Oregon, in 2013, it received 28,449 reports of suspected abuse involving elderly and people with physical disability. More than half of the complaints had sufficient grounds for investigation. Most of the complaints involved nursing homes, adult foster homes, and assisted living and residential care facilities.
Claiming Compensation for Nursing Home Neglect
Negligence of the elderly in nursing homes is often difficult to detect, and requires a lot of resources to investigate and prosecute. Many victims in these facilities are unable to report their abuse due to their health conditions, or are reluctant to cooperate in investigations out of fear for their ongoing care.
Negligence in the care of elderly patients can have serious health consequences which may be irreversible due to their advanced age. If your loved one shows signs of lack of care such as unexplained injuries and poor hygiene, they may be entitled to compensation.
In Portland, Oregon, the attorneys at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss have over 100 years of combined experience in personal injury cases, including nursing home neglect. We also have offices located in Medford, Grants Pass, Roseburg, Eugene and Bend, and handle cases involving injuries as a result of car accidents, slip and fall, pedestrian accidents, dog bites and dog attack, and wrongful death.
We welcome your call today at (541) 617-0555 to discuss your family member’s nursing home neglect situation with one of our experienced elder abuse attorneys.