Nursing homes and other skilled nursing facilities don’t have a very good reputation. Most of these kinds of operations in North Carolina don’t deserve the taint of such negative connotations. The care that is delivered to the most vulnerable members of our communities is usually high and care facilities seek to do the best they can.
That is not always the case, however. Sometimes staff is underpaid and overworked. When those kinds of conditions exist, it’s very possible for workers to become slipshod in their care and the result of such negligence can be catastrophic or even fatal injury. When that happens, the right exists to seek compensation.
Some senior care providers may argue that the most common injuries residents suffer are the result of accidental slips and falls and that it just isn’t possible to prevent all of them from happening. But that fails to take into account the many ways that patients can be harmed.
Because of neglect or indifference, it is possible for residents to suffer assaults at the hands of other residents or even of staff. Patients can succumb to malnutrition and dehydration; and develop deadly infections or pressure sores. Problems can also develop if necessary medications are dispensed without proper oversight and control.
Lax attitudes or understanding about what constitutes an invasion of privacy under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act can even result in despicable behaviors such as those that were revealed recently in a joint report by ProPublica and The Washington Post.
When harm befalls someone you have entrusted to the care of others, it can trigger waves of conflicting emotions. Consulting with an experienced attorney is a good way to take action and assure that the rights of your loved one and you are protected.