Filing a Lawsuit Against a Staunton Nursing Home? Our Virginia Attorneys Can Help
Injuries, bed sores and fractures are inexcusable. Call our Staunton nursing home negligence lawyer today for a free case consultation: 757-530-4255. Let our Virginia nursing home abuse law firm help your family in these most troubling of times.
Staunton, VA Seniors Deserve Protection from Abuse or Neglectful Long Term Care Facilities
Central Virginia is a haven for retirees and those seeking to live out their golden years in tranquility. Thanks to its pleasant weather for most of the year and its easy access to beaches and natural landscapes, Staunton, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg remain top choices for America’s seniors. Staunton in particular has experienced a boom in construction of senior living communities due to an uptick of the median area in the area.
Families of those living in Staunton facilities must remain vigilant, as some of the area’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities are rated below average. Health care surrogates should remain on the lookout for abuse related injuries like bedsores, falls, broken bones, black eyes, bruising and a sharp decline in health.
If your family member has been neglected or abused at a nursing home in Staunton, Virginia, Senior Justice Law Firm can help. Call us at 757-530-4255.
Nursing Homes in Staunton
In recent years, Staunton has seen unprecedented growth in its senior population, prompting an increase in the construction of senior living communities in Augusta County. Older folks are coming to the Staunton area to retire, and living out their days in the area. The location’s fair weather and natural beauty draw those both locally and from out of town, and it is no wonder why. The small but friendly environment has plenty of things to do for those getting on in age. The temperate weather makes for comfortable living year-round, and its beautiful landscapes and easy access to enjoyable activities draw older folks from across the country who would like a cozy place to spend their later years.
The historical significance of this area of Virginia shines through in its attractions. Visitors to Staunton love visiting the American Shakespeare Center, the Frontier Culture Museum and Woodrow Wilson’s Presidential Library. Beyond the scenery and history, Staunton offers a down home neighborly feel for long term residents.
However, the same cannot be said for the local facilities that promise skilled nursing and assisted living services.
What Abuse Means in Nursing Homes
Staunton nursing homes ‘abuse’ or ‘neglect’ residents when they withhold care, services, supervision or assistance to those in need.
The most common nursing home injuries that we sue facilities for include:
- Bedsores
- Falls
- Malnutrition/dehydration
- Sexual abuse
- Physical abuse
Your family member may live in a facility with a high overall rating, kind and friendly staff, and fewer beds than average. This does not guarantee that your loved one is safe from abuse and neglect. It is important to keep an eye out for:
Bedsores – If you notice bedsores (which appear like ulcers on the skin), you will be hard-pressed to find more concrete evidence of abuse or negligence in a nursing home. Bed sores never occur outside of neglect. Instead, they arise as part of the body’s reaction when pressure is placed on a concentrated area (like the elbow or tailbone) for an extended period of time. Bed sores are simple to prevent by shifting one’s body weight from time to time; this is typically the responsibility of the nursing home staff.
Bed sores are extremely painful and can be fatal if left to progress. They can deepen until they reach the bone, and these open wounds are vulnerable to a host of medical issues such as infections, MRSA, and sepsis.
Falls– Unexplained injuries as a result of falls are some of the most common occurrences in nursing homes. While some falls are genuine accidents that could never have been prevented, a nursing home is responsible for mitigating fall risk by removing slippery or wet surfaces, reducing trip hazards, and ensuring that residents have access to the tools they need to stay safe (such as beds they cannot roll out of, walkers, and wheelchairs).
Falls can cause broken bones, brain bleeds (called subdural hematomas), and a number of other serious injuries. While a young person may be able to recover from a broken bone in short order, an older body may struggle to recover at all.
Malnutrition/dehydration – From choking to things “going down the wrong pipe” (aspiration pneumonia), mealtimes can present one of the greatest dangers to residents at a nursing home. Ideally, staff remain with residents while they eat to ensure that nothing goes wrong, but chronic understaffing has made this less of a standard over time, leading to residents eating on their own as staff move from room to room to hand out meals.
Older folks who are experiencing a decrease in their mobility may also find that simply lifting a fork, picking up food, or handling a cup is too challenging, and they cannot manage on their own. Without assistance, these residents may not eat at all, leading to malnutrition, dehydration, and potentially even starvation if staff do not step in to help.
Physical and sexual abuse– Both physical and sexual abuse may occur at nursing homes, either at the hands of staff (whether vetted with a background check or not) or other residents who live at the facility. Other residents may be allowed to wander and may not properly engage with their neighbors if they are suffering from memory or cognition issues. Staff, who tend to be overworked and underpaid, may lash out physically at residents who are uncooperative or forgetful. While none of these scenarios is ever acceptable, they may occur, and it is up to the nursing home to prevent them before they become an issue.
NURSING HOMES IN STAUNTON:
There are 34 nursing homes within a 50 mile radius of the Staunton area in Virginia, and unfortunately, only a handful are able to score anything higher than average on their government mandated inspections. A number of facilities have seen severe fines as a result of confirmed abuse or neglect cases on their premises.
Some of these Virginia nursing homes with lower than average overall ratings, as of May 2022 include:
- MONROE HEALTH & REHAB CENTER
- 1150 NORTHWEST DRIVE
- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22901
- ENVOY OF STAUNTON, LLC
- 512 HOUSTON STREET
- STAUNTON, VA 24401
- SKYVIEW SPRINGS REHAB AND NURSING CENTER
- 30 MONTVUE DRIVE
- LURAY, VA 22835
- AUGUSTA NURSING & REHAB CENTER
- 83 CROSSROADS LANE
- FISHERSVILLE, VA 22939
- KINGS DAUGHTERS COMMUNITY HEALTH & REHAB
- 1410 NORTH AUGUSTA STREET
- STAUNTON, VA 24401
- ACCORDIUS HEALTH AT HARRISONBURG LLC
- 94 SOUTH AVENUE
- HARRISONBURG, VA 22801
- HARRISONBURG HEALTH & REHAB CNTR
- 1225 RESERVOIR STREET
- HARRISONBURG, VA 22801
- CONSULATE HEALTH CARE OF WOODSTOCK
- 803 SOUTH MAIN ST
- WOODSTOCK, VA 22664
- CHARLOTTESVILLE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER
- 505 WEST RIO ROAD
- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22901
Staunton Nursing Home News
Other Staunton VA nursing homes have received placement in remedial programs to improve their performance. The primary cause behind low performing facilities remains staffing, both in Staunton and across the nation. For-profit owners of nursing homes push for the maximum number of beds that can fit in the facility and try to fill all of them for optimal earnings. This means that staff are often tasked with the care of too many residents.
Virginia remains one of the most active areas of the country when it comes to nursing home abuse lawsuits. The area surrounding Staunton has been facing especially stringent action; local news source WTKR reports that nearly 22% of the state’s total amount of fines come from local nursing homes in the nearby area. A single location in Harrisonburg, just 20 miles away from Staunton, incurred nearly $200,000 in fines as a result of inadequate treatment.
The news source reports that while minor errors like failing to post staff information comprised some smaller portions of the fines, the majority were made up of much more serious offenses, including “176 counts for failing to either ‘1) hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents, or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents.’”
Gretchen Francis, ombudsman for the Capital Area Agency on Aging, noted, “Staffing levels are deficient. Most for-private facilities do not have enough staff in comparison to the number of residents on the floor. Will residents have to wait for assistance and be in their bed while they’re soiled, or try to wait for assistance and need help going to the bathroom and fall?”
Staunton Nursing Home Abuse Free Consultation
As you prepare to file a lawsuit against a nursing home that abused or neglected your loved one, you may be feeling overwhelmed. Senior Justice Law Firm would be happy to help you navigate this challenging process.
We work only in elder abuse law, and our years of experience provide the knowledge and tools to represent you during this difficult time. We would be happy to sit down with you free of charge during a consultation to discuss your situation and offer a plan for your next steps.
Reach out to us through our chat feature or call us at 757-530-4255. If you prefer, you can also submit your information below.
Disclaimer
*Each case is different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome or indicate an expected outcome on your particular case. The above prior lawsuit information is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to substitute for legal advice from an attorney. This individual case information above is publicly filed information gathered from the publicly filed complaint. This information and these cases are not the work of this law firm. The inspection results are provided from public government agency surveys. The state Department of Health conducts a survey of all nursing home facilities at least once every 15 months. The deficiencies listed on this page may have been corrected after the date of the inspection and date of publishing this material. Citations, ratings, statistics, and deficiencies are current as of the date of this post and will change later on. The inspection findings published are not complete. You may find the most up to date information at medicare.gov. This material is not endorsed by the facility noted or by any governmental agency. Speak with an attorney immediately if you believe you have a viable case against a nursing home, assisted living facility, or medical facility.
