Nursing Home Abuse And Neglect Is Medical Malpractice

Recently, many news outlets have been publishing undercover reports of nursing home abuse, neglect, and malpractice. This is certainly a serious problems, particularly when those instances of abuse are sexual assaults. But what is even worse is the NEGLECT. Nursing homes are to provide some forms of medical care and attention to the residents. This is because the residents are in need of serious medical attention and usually around the clock care. This is an EXPENSIVE form of treatment.

So when a nursing home neglects residents, is it medical malpractice?

Yes—absolutely!

One of the worst forms of neglect is just leaving the residents in their beds and not exercising them, walking them, or even allowing them to leave their beds. This can result in pressure sores and ulcers. This can result in a serious infection, which can explode into sepsis making it life-threatening. Pressure sores are incredibly painful too, resulting in excruciating pain and suffering. This is New York medical malpractice.

Another form of neglect is failing to administer medication or drugs. If a resident is required to get a medication 3 times a day but only gets it once a day, or not at all, this is also medical malpractice. A resident has been prescribed or even ordered by a physician to take a medication, and the nursing home failing to give it is a clear violation of that prescription and order and is clearly medical malpractice.

Nursing home abuse can also take the form of emotional or verbal abuse. This can be just as serious as physical abuse or medical abuse, and also results in liability. This may not always be medical malpractice per se, but it can actually be a component in the abuse. Many times there is medical malpractice due to neglect AND verbal or emotional abuse. This is something that may be involved in the medical malpractice case even if not the main point.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com. You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.