Experienced NJ Lawyer Protects Elderly Residents against Injuries Caused by Nursing Home Staff Issues

Federal and state laws require nursing homes receiving federal funds to develop a plan of care and employ enough staff to provide all of the care within the plan. However, due to understaffing and other staffing issues, many nursing homes fall short of their legal obligations. Nursing homes should never be allowed to cut corners when it comes to employing qualified staff to care for your elderly loved one.

The experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Sugarman Law know what is needed to enforce the law and hold a nursing home accountable when your loved one suffers an injury because of a bad employee. Barry Sugarman has won numerous settlements and verdicts for his clients, including a $1,000,000 settlement for a person injured and killed as a result of nursing home negligence and abuse. Mr. Sugarman will be happy to speak with you about your case and determine if you have a viable claim for injuries caused by nursing home staffing issues. Since the firm has conveniently located offices in Marlton and Somerville, a member of Sugarman Law’s skilled nursing litigation team is always available to go over the specifics of your case.

What are the Consequences of Staffing Issues in NJ Nursing Homes?

Abuse and neglect are often direct results of nursing home staffing issues, which can include:

• Understaffing: A majority of NJ nursing homes are insufficiently staffed and unable to provide necessary caretaking to elderly patients.
• Failure to perform background checks on employees: Laws and regulation impost strict requirements on nursing homes to conduct employee background checks prior to allowing a person to care for elderly residents. Background checks need to be thorough so that important information and “red flags” about a worker’s past are not missed.
• Undertraining: Although many nursing homes employ nurse’s aides to provide round-the-clock care to residents, far too many of these employees are overworked and undertrained.
• Inadequate supervision: Many nurse’s aides in NJ nursing home inadequately supervised by qualified nurses. In fact, far too many nursing homes in New Jersey try to cut costs by replacing nurses with nursing aides.
• Lack of supplies and equipment: Nursing homes are required by federal law to have functional equipment and adequate supplies to accommodate the needs to residents.

It is critical nursing homes be properly staffed at all times. Elderly residents often need assistance with daily activities such as eating, bathing, and walking around. Additionally, many elderly residents need to be administered medications on a regimented schedule. In some circumstances, aggressive patients need to be identified and monitored by nursing home staff. When a nursing home fails in its responsibility to properly care for residents, catastrophic injuries, including wrongful death, can result. Minor injuries can also be exacerbated when nursing home staff is unable to provide round-the-clock treatment and care for residents. For example, a resident who falls and hits their head may have their injury go unnoticed for hours.

Some of the more serious consequences of understaffing include:

• Residents may not be fed properly.
• Residents might not receive sufficient fluids.
• Residents can suffer from over-medication or under-medication.
• Residents can develop bedsores.
• Immobile residents may be left in bed all day to lay in their own feces and urine.

If your loved one is not receiving proper care, it may be a result of nursing home staffing issues. There are certain things that a caregiver can do to ensure their loved one is in an adequately staffed nursing home. You should always be on the lookout for the signs of nursing home negligence and abuse when you visit your loved one.

• Do the nursing home residents seem exhausted all the time?
• Do they appear depressed? Are they crying out for help or moaning?
• Are residents are often left alone in wheelchairs?
• Do their clothes or linens appear unclean?
• Is the nursing home facility is in disrepair?

If you identify the signs of staffing issues in your loved one’s nursing home, you should take immediate actions and contact a knowledgeable nursing home negligence attorney.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Nursing Home Negligence Attorney about Nursing Home Injuries Caused by Staffing Issues

Nursing home administrators have a legal duty to identify problems with residents and/or staff in their facilities throughout New Jersey. If your loved one suffered neglect or abuse as a result of nursing home staffing issues, you may be able to hold liable both the nursing home and the caregiver.

Sugarman Law is a highly respected law firm with skilled litigators who are dedicated to protecting the rights of elderly residents in New Jersey nursing homes. You can rely on Sugarman Law as a trusted nursing home resource because its legal team is comprised of attorneys who have years of experience handling nursing home negligence and abuse cases throughout New Jersey, including Somerset County and Burlington County. Call Barry Sugarman today to discuss your situation, or fill out the online contact form to arrange for a free consultation.

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