Newport News, VA Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
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Senior Justice Law Firm represents families impacted by elder abuse and neglect throughout Virginia. Bed sores, broken bones, patient falls and wrongful death are inexcusable.
Call or Live Chat with Senior Justice Law Firm today for a completely free Newport News nursing home abuse attorney case consultation.
Senior Justice Law Firm
2601 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23517
(757) 530-4255
Newport News Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Signs of Abuse or Neglect in Newport News Nursing Homes
- Bed sores or pressure ulcers
- Falls and broken bones
- Significant weight loss greater than 10% of the resident’s total weight
- Untreated infection
- Sexual assault or physical abuse
- Wrongful death
If your parent or loved one suffered any of the above injuries inside a Virginia facility, speak with our Newport News nursing home abuse law firm immediately to learn more about your legal rights.
Free Virginia nursing home neglect case consultation: (757) 530-4255
Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers Representing Victims in Newport News
It can be tough to decide where you would like to retire. For many people, their decision ends up as “somewhere in Virginia” due to the beautiful beaches, fair weather, and prime location near hotspots like Washington, D.C. This means that Virginia, and especially the area surrounding Newport News, is home to a wide array of nursing homes and other elder care facilities for those getting up there in years.
With all the nursing homes in the area, one would think that Virginia as a whole would be skilled at providing quality care to older folks. Unfortunately, the nursing homes in Newport News lack many of the qualities that make for a good elder care facility, and that could put your loved one at risk of abuse, neglect, or even death as a result.
If you suspect that your family member was abused or neglected in a Newport News nursing home, reach out to Senior Justice Law Firm at (757) 530-4255.
We are Newport News nursing home abuse attorneys who work on nursing home abuse cases only. We want to help you receive the justice and compensation you deserve and punish abusive nursing homes so that they change their practices.
Newport News Ranks Poorly in Nursing Home Care
The area surrounding Newport News is one of its most appealing features, drawing retirement-age folks from around the country. From the Virginia Living Museum and Mariners’ Museum and Park to scratch your outdoor itch to the SPCA Petting Zoo or a quick trip to nearby Washington, D.C., the area is lively for those looking for things to do. And for retirees wanting to stick closer to home, Newport News is full of elder care facilities.
Unfortunately, the nursing homes in Newport News and the surrounding area trend toward poor ratings in their state-mandated inspections; areas of staff to patient ratio, proper nutrition, and mitigating fall risk are among the most commonly cited concerns.
There are 13 nursing homes within the 10 mile area that surrounds the city center of Newport News. Some are rated as just average, but among them are also a number of nursing homes that managed only the minimum acceptable score of 1 out of 5. Even if your loved one is living in a facility with a “higher than average” score, this does not mean that they are immune to neglect and abuse. Negligence and even intentional harm can happen anywhere.
You may already suspect that your loved one has been abused or neglected at a nursing home or long-term care facility. If this is the case, it is important to reach out to an experienced abuse lawyer serving Newport News. We can help you create a plan of action for filing a lawsuit against the nursing home. This will serve not only to recover damages for your family but also to force the nursing home to change its practices for the benefit of everyone who lives there.
Spotting an Abusive or Negligent Nursing Home
It is important to understand the business culture of nursing homes when considering how abuse and neglect are allowed to occur. The majority of organizations that own nursing homes are for-profit entities; as the title may suggest, they are primarily concerned with profits. This means that filling beds at a facility—and ensuring that as many beds are set up in a facility as possible—are the top concerns. This leads to far more nursing home residents than staff, and staff become overworked and unable to provide the quality care that residents need.
This is the crux of what causes negligence and abuse. Most of the time, overworked staff simply do not provide the care that residents deserve because they must quickly move their attention from one person to the next. This qualifies as negligence. However, occasionally, a staff member may intentionally bring harm to a person. Regardless of how the abuse or neglect happened, the nursing home is still liable and should be held accountable.
Some signs of nursing home abuse are easily attributable to understandable accidents or medical conditions. However, other symptoms are easier to locate. They include the following nursing home injuries.
Newport News Bed Sores
Bedsores– Among the most classic of nursing home neglect injuries are bedsores. The reason these are so cut and dry when it comes to abuse cases is because there is no medical explanation for the development of bed sores besides neglect; they simply do not occur outside of that context. They appear as ulcer-like lesions on the skin that form when someone lies down without moving for long periods of time. This constant pressure on areas like the shoulders, elbows, and tailbone can create ulcers and can be prevented easily if staff simply assist a patient in shifting their body weight every few hours.
The populations that tend to reside in nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to illness, and bed sores can quickly become catastrophic. They may deepen until they reach the bone, leaving patients susceptible not only to extreme pain but also infection, MRSA, and even sepsis and death.
Newport News Nursing Home Falls
Falls– Nearly as common as bedsores are falls, a common indicator of insufficient care. Nursing homes have a responsibility to assess each resident for fall risk, or how likely they are to fall. Some falls can certainly be accidental and nothing can be done to prevent them, but falls that occur as a result of poor risk management leave the nursing home liable. Trip hazards or even failing to provide a bed that cannot be rolled out of are common examples.
You may notice that your loved one has unexplained injuries or is allowed to wander freely, even if you think that is dangerous. Your family member may also experience broken bones and brain bleeds (called subdural hematomas), which are all indicators that a nursing home is not doing its due diligence to manage fall risk.
Rapid Weight Loss
Malnutrition/dehydration– One of the greatest risks that understaffing poses to residents in nursing homes nationwide is related to food and water intake. When staff do not have the time to sit and watch residents eat or keep a close eye on them, that opens up the risk of them choking on their food or water or food “going down the wrong pipe” (aspiration pneumonia), both of which can be deadly. On top of this, if residents have trouble eating or drinking due to mobility issues—which are naturally common in a population of this age—they may struggle to consume enough food and water in general. Malnutrition and dehydration as a result can severely impact one’s standard of living or even be fatal.
Physical Abuse and Rape in Newport News Nursing Homes
Physical and sexual abuse– You may believe that the staff at a nursing home are there to help your loved one live the best quality life possible—and the vast majority of staff also believe this. However, physical or sexual abuse may still occur, even despite background checks. When nurses are chronically overworked, they may let their tempers flare with a resident who is uncooperative, confused, or slow to move. While this is never acceptable, it is not unheard of.
Similarly, other residents may also pose problems. A resident who is confused, disoriented, or struggles with cognition may make unwanted approaches toward your loved one in a physically aggressive or sexual way. It is the responsibility of the nursing home to stop this behavior.
Newport News Lawsuit for Nursing Home Malpractice
If you are considering filing a lawsuit against a nursing home in Newport News for the abuse, neglect, or even death of your loved one, you may feel overwhelmed or unsure what to do next. It may seem as though there is no point in pursuing monetary damages, because they will never be sufficient to compensate your family for the suffering and abuse that your loved one endured.
However, it is important to remember that nursing homes are by and large for-profit enterprises; hitting them directly in the pocketbook is the best way to effect change. By filing a suit, you can create better conditions for residents going forward.
A lawsuit against a nursing home may be composed of multiple parts, but the most common are:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Distress, both mental and emotional
- Medical bills
- Loss of earnings
- Funeral costs (if a wrongful death has occurred)
Newport News Nursing Homes
| There are 13 nursing homes in Newport News, and many do not fulfill baseline criteria for a good quality of life for residents. Some of these facilities include (but are not limited to):
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Newport News Nursing Home News
An investigation conducted by the Daily Press reported that nursing homes in Newport News “have fewer nurses and aides and more violations of health standards than the national averages, putting patients at increased risk of injury or untreated illness.”
This local investigation shows the systemic issues with long term care facilities in the Hampton Roads area of Southeastern Virginia.
Residents at facilities in the area were, according to the report, “more likely than those elsewhere in the country to lose their ability to move around and to manage daily tasks such as eating, dressing and going to the toilet.”
This issue is largely tied to staffing concerns, not intentional neglect. Still, the fact remains that nursing homes in Newport News are struggling to receive the care that they need and deserve. The state is considering mandated staff-to-patient ratios, but nursing homes are not on board; April Payne of the nursing home association state that such a “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work to improve situations, since all nursing homes have unique needs.
Newport News Nursing Home Neglect Suits, Free Consultation
If you are considering filing a lawsuit against a Newport News facility for abuse or neglect, reach out to a firm that cares. We would be happy to discuss your situation with you free of charge so that we can equip you with a strategy going forward.
We focus on nursing home abuse cases as our primary field of practice, and that means that we have the experience and resources that you will need to make a compelling case against a nursing home. We stand by our role in serving justice to negligent nursing homes and can assist you, whether you would like to settle out of court or hold a facility accountable the courthouse.
Get in touch by using our chat feature or submitting your information below. You can also contact us via phone at (757) 530-4255.