Aggressive Attorneys Representing Residents and Families in Cook County and the Surrounding Areas
Nursing homes have an obligation to provide for the needs of residents in their care. However, the number of reports of nursing home abuse and neglect is staggering. By some estimates, as many as 25 percent of residents suffer from abuse, and 90 percent experience neglect. Nursing home residents who are subject to abuse or neglect have a much lower quality of life, and they also have an increased chance of suffering severe or fatal injuries. At Fotopoulos Law Office, our Orland Park nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer helps residents and their families pursue meaningful compensation through personal injury and wrongful death claims against nursing homes.
Nursing Home Statistics Illustrate the Scope of the Problem
Nursing home abuse and neglect is a serious problem. How serious? Below are some of the most startling statistics:
Resident-on-Resident Abuse Is Very Common
While most people associate nursing home abuse with a staff member assaulting a resident, nearly a quarter of all abuse cases involve resident-on-resident abuse. One resident may assault another, and in many cases, the assaulting resident will suffer from some type of mental health issue. Nursing homes have a duty to protect residents from assaults or abuse by other residents, and they can be held financially liable if they fail to do so.
Most Nursing Homes Experienced Understaffing Issues
To provide the necessary level of care to residents, a nursing home must have enough staff members. Nursing home residents often require a significant amount of personal attention to ensure that they receive the proper medical care, nutrition, and hydration and to address other needs. However, in recent years, the nursing home industry has experienced severe staffing shortages. By some estimates, as many as 90 percent of nursing homes are understaffed. Nursing homes that fail to maintain sufficient staffing levels to ensure that they can provide the necessary care for residents may be liable for injuries that occur due to neglect, lack of supervision, lack of medical care, or other related issues.
The Most Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse
While many cases of nursing home abuse involve physical assaults, nursing home residents may experience a variety of other types of abuse as well. According to the United States Department of Justice, the most common forms of nursing home abuse include:
- Physical abuse – 29 percent of all complaints
- Resident-on-resident abuse – 22 percent of complaints
- Psychological abuse – 21 percent of complaints
- Gross neglect – 14 percent of complaints
- Financial abuse – 7 percent of complaints
- Sexual abuse – 7 percent of complaints
Nursing Home Abuse Is Underreported
One of the biggest challenges in determining the true rate of nursing home abuse and neglect stems from the fact that, in most cases, these instances go unreported. Nursing home abuse is a crime; however, according to recent estimates, 55 percent of cases involving abuse targeting a nursing home resident are not reported to the police.
Abuse Significantly Increases the Chance of Premature Death
As a whole, nursing home residents are a very vulnerable population. Thus, a minor injury that a healthy adult would most likely be able to recover from can cause an older person to enter a downward spiral. According to the Office for Victims of Crime, residents who are subject to abuse are three times more likely to die prematurely.
The bottom line is that nursing home abuse and neglect is a very real problem, and only nursing homes can put a stop to it. A family with a loved one who has been abused or neglected in an Illinois nursing home can pursue a personal injury or wrongful death claim against the negligent facility, holding it accountable for the harm their loved one suffered.
Contact Our Joliet Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse Lawyer
If you believe that your loved one has experienced nursing home abuse or neglect, reach out to Fotopoulos Law Office for immediate assistance. Our attorney has more than two decades of legal experience, and he can help families hold negligent and abusive nursing homes responsible for injuries suffered by residents. We offer free consultations, and we will answer your questions and provide a clear overview of the steps you can take to address nursing home abuse or neglect. If you decide to bring a case, we will not bill you for any of our services unless we recover compensation on your behalf. To schedule a free consultation, reach out to our firm by calling 708-942-8400.
