Alabama Nursing Home Neglect Attorney – Nursing Home Neglect Cases On The Rise
Throughout 2011, reports have been coming to light around the nation about negligent nursing homes falsifying patient records. Nursing homes often suffer from under-staffing and the workload on those left is huge. Staff may try to “fudge” on work they were supposed to do, but just couldn’t squeeze in during their shift; like turning a patient, taking care of basic needs like bathing or causing medication errors. They write up the record for that patient like those things were done, even though they weren’t. Workers who are hurried and stressed out also make more mistakes and in an attempt to cover them up, falsify records. Falsifying a medical record at a nursing home is negligence and it often results in patients suffering needlessly.
A patient’s medical records are important in determining what kind of care a patient needs, weather the treatment plan is working , if there is a need to change treatment plans, what medications are needed, adjusting medication doses, etc. A nursing home injury attorney can help you if you think a family member has suffered because of falsified records at a nursing home.
Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers In AL See Serious Cases Of Neglect
One lawsuit was recently settled in the case of Johnnie Esco, a 77 year old woman, who was admitted to a nursing home in Placerville, California to receive physical therapy to help her recover her strength after a bout with pneumonia. She died 2 weeks after being admitted due to lack of basic custodial care and nursing services. She died in much pain from an infection due to a severe bowel impaction which had dilated her rectum 4 inches. Her records (obviously falsified) indicated that she had been having regular bowl movements. Johnnie’s husband sought the help of a nursing home abuse attorney to win the lawsuit against the facility for wrongful death and elder abuse.
In a Michigan nursing home, staff discovered maggots in and around the catheter of a patient. The Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service reported that the “registered nurse manager was instructed by corporate staff to document the discovery as debridement (dead tissue) rather than maggots.
While extreme cases like these happen, there are many instances of falsified records which are not as extreme, yet nevertheless result in serious injury and death and cause pain, and suffering to the patients. Falsified records may also lengthen recovery time and require more medical care.
Contact AL Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer Goldstein & Hayes Serving GA And The Southeast
If you have a family member you suspect is not receiving proper care in a nursing facility, has had their records falsified or changed, or has suffered because of medical negligence from a doctor or other medical professional, you should seek advice from an Alabama nursing home neglect attorney, like Goldstein & Hayes. They know how to investigate these types of cases, hold responsible parties liable, and make sure your loved ones rights are protected.