Main Causes Of Wrongful Death In Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are expected to care for a person’s loved ones when they need ongoing, regular care families cannot provide. Sadly, nursing homes do not always provide the care residents need and elderly individuals become hurt as a result. In the worst of cases, nursing home residents do not survive this harm and they suffer from wrongful death.

In these cases, the estate of the deceased can file a wrongful death claim to recover damages for their losses, as well as the losses of their loved one. To do this, strong evidence is required and that means family members must first determine the cause of the wrongful death. Below, our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer explains the main causes of wrongful death in Florida nursing homes.

Neglect

Neglect is sadly the main cause of wrongful deaths in nursing homes. Neglect can include failing to bathe residents, not providing adequate amounts of food, water, or medication, or failing to assist residents when they need to use the washroom. Any time nursing home staff members, or the facility, does not provide the high standard of care, it is considered neglect and that can always result in a wrongful death.

Insufficient Staffing Levels

Nursing homes in Florida are required to provide a minimum of 3.6 hours of care to every resident within the facility each and every day. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes provide this care and understaffing is one of the most common causes of wrongful death in Florida.

Inadequate Training of Staff

Even when nursing homes provide the right amount of staff for a sufficient period of time, the facility may not properly train those staff members. Untrained staff members may not know how to properly care for the residents, which can lead to serious harm. For example, a staff member who has not been properly trained may not know that residents who spend a lot of time in bed or in wheelchairs need regular repositioning to prevent bed sores from forming.

Physical Abuse

When people think of nursing home abuse, it is often physical abuse they first think of. Staff members physically abuse residents for a number of reasons. They may push or hit an elder to get them to comply with their requests, or they may simply become frustrated from exhaustion and take their aggression out on the elderly individuals in their care. No form of nursing home abuse or neglect is ever excusable, regardless of the reason for it. When nursing home residents are the victim of physical abuse, it can all too easily result in a wrongful death.

Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Tampa Can Help with Your Wrongful Death Case

No one should ever lose a loved one due to negligence or abuse. If your loved one was the victim of a wrongful death due to negligent care, our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer at Kohn Law can help you recover for your losses. Call us today at 813-428-8504 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation.