Nursing Home Negligence

Arizona Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers

When family members make the difficult decision to move a parent or other loved one to a nursing home or assisted living facility, they rely on the nursing home staff to provide professional and loving care. Too often, that trust is misplaced and the resident suffers from neglect or abuse.

In a recent year, 1 out of 5 nursing homes were cited for actual harm or immediate danger to residents.* Pressure sores (bedsores), sometimes open to the bone, are a primary indicator of nursing home neglect, and can be fatal.

If you suspect that someone you know has been injured as a result of nursing home negligence, contact a lawyer with experience in nursing home neglect and abuse as soon as possible. The attorney will explain what steps to take to protect the patient, and how to proceed with a claim for damages. At Alex & Gaxiola, our lawyers begin the investigation that builds a strong case immediately after our firm is hired to represent a nursing home resident.

The root cause of nursing home negligence can usually be traced to the management's focus on profits at the expense of patient safety. Nursing home staff are often poorly paid, poorly trained, and poorly supervised. Not every injury is the result of negligence, and many aids and nurses are capable and professional. However, our attorneys suggest you insist on good explanations if you observe the following or other signs of nursing home neglect or abuse:

• Bedsores (decubitus ulcers), resulting from a failure to keep a patient clean, to turn a bedridden patient on a schedule, or to provide an airbed
• Bruises or fractures from falls, injuries that often happen during transfers from wheelchairs, beds, or commodes
• Wandering or elopement of patients who, despite diagnoses of Alzheimer's or dementia, are poorly supervised
• A patient who is fearful or nervous when a staff member approaches as the result of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
• Patients physically restrained or over-sedated
• Medication errors or poorly kept patient records