There is growing concern across the country of nursing home neglect and abuse. The elderly are some of the most vulnerable groups in our society, and can be taken advantage of or neglected far more regularly than one might think. Nursing home neglect can lead to medical issues that would otherwise have been avoidable.

More and more families of elders are choosing to file lawsuits after they discover that their loved one has been the victim of neglect or abuse. Filing an elder neglect lawsuit can be complicated, but consulting a nursing home abuse lawyer can help you fight back on behalf of your loved one.

Nursing Home Chain Face Wrongful Death Suit

After one of its elderly residents died, a major California nursing home chain was hit with a wrongful death lawsuit for nursing home neglect. This is not the first death of an elderly resident that Brius Healthcare Services has been implicated in, nor the first such lawsuit it has faced.

Two of the nursing home chain’s residents died from pressure ulcers in 2016. One of these residents, Randy R., died at 64 after developing a serious pressure ulcer that was left untreated, and become extremely severe. Ralph S., another resident at another Brius-owned facility, also died from an untreated pressure ulcer. The bed sore allegedly developed just a few weeks after his admittance to the facility, and according to records, Ralph was rarely bathed or otherwise taken care of. The families of these patients filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Brius Healhcare.

This most recent wrongful death lawsuit against Brius was filed after the death of Ida Lou B., who died just five days after admittance to a Brius-owned facility to recover from leg surgery. According to the lawsuit, the family requested multiple times that she be given a breathing tube, but the facility ignored these requests. During a visit on Sept. 12, 2016, the family found that Ida Lou had suffered major mental deterioration and was having extreme trouble breathing. She died later that night.

Brius Healthcare was hit with at least three wrongful death lawsuits and one nursing home neglect lawsuit in 2016 alone.

Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse

Millions of Americans over the age of 60 are neglected or otherwise abused. The exact numbers aren’t known, given that a huge amount of elder abuse cases never get reported to the authorities. Nursing home neglect is becoming an increasingly prominent problem in the United States.

Nursing home neglect and abuse can come in a variety of forms. There are some signs that the family of elders should be on the look out for to ensure their loved one’s safety. One of the most prominent signs of nursing home neglect is declining health or physical suffering. This is because elder neglect can often lead to physical injuries or medical issues when they are not properly and consistently cared for.

Injuries caused by negligence in a nursing home can often include these problems:

• Bed sores
• Pressure sores
• Fractures from falling
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Chronic infections
• Frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Consulting a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

If you believe someone you love has been harmed by nursing home negligence or abuse, you may be able to seek help from a nursing home abuse lawyer. It can be difficult to figure out what to do in response to nursing home neglect. A nursing home abuse lawyer can help you navigate these issues.