Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers File Claims When Medication Errors Harm Residents
Even though many nursing homes or residents do not report acts of abuse, they occur with alarming frequency. The truly egregious acts make headlines, and we learn about the atrocious, sometimes criminal behavior of individuals who are supposed to be caring for our loved ones.
What many people don’t realize, however, is that acts of abuse and negligence occur in nursing homes every single day, and while these acts don’t make it onto the front page, they result in dangerous sometimes fatal injuries for thousands of people a year. Physical abuse, emotional neglect, sexual assault, and psychological abuse are prevalent in many nursing homes across the country. Some of the most common forms of abuse and neglect in nursing homes involve the prescription and administration of medication.
When we place a loved one in a nursing home, it is with good intentions. We expect, and the laws demand, that the people we trust to care for our debilitated family members will do so under professional standards. Unfortunately, as our lawyers see regularly, nursing homes often fall short of legal and professional requirements.
If a nursing home is abusing or neglecting someone you know, and that person has suffered injuries, ask yourself, “How can a nursing home abuse lawyer help?” The lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, can help first by making sure your loved one is safe. Then, we can begin processing what has occurred and formulate a plan to ensure it does not happen again, and that your loved one’s legal rights are being protected. The nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP can file a claim on your behalf and pursue compensation the law allows. You may be entitled to collect money for physical, emotional, and financial injuries from the abuse and neglect.
What Are Common Medication Errors That Occur In Nursing Homes?
With so many nursing home residents taking multiple medications, mistakes are common. Big and small mistakes can seriously harm patients, especially those who already have complicated health conditions.
Some of the typical ways nursing homes make errors related to medicine include:
- Administering too much medication
- Administering too little medication
- Skipping doses
- Giving the wrong medication
- Using the incorrect technique to give the medication
- Administering the wrong form of medication
- Creating a false record of the administration of drugs
- Providing medicine at the wrong times
- Administering medication that has expired.
- Giving medication to the incorrect patient/mixing up medications
- Failing to monitor a patient after giving medication
- Administering without paying attention to drug interaction warnings or directions to take with food
- Using medicine to sedate or control residents
What Are Some Injuries Medication Errors Cause?
Some of the acts on the list above may sound like harmless errors, but medication mistakes can cause serious side effects and reactions for nursing home residents. Some may cause injuries that can become fatal. What are the common injuries that result from medication errors?
- Dehydration
- Fatigue
- Extreme lethargy
- Stomach or intestinal bleeding
- Diarrhea
- Coma
- Confusion
- Death
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Depression
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Anxiety
- Bruising
- Overdose
What Causes Medication Errors and Who Might Be Legally Responsible for Injuries?
If you want to hold a nursing home legally responsible for the injuries that result from medication errors, there must be negligence. To prove negligence, you must show that someone acted or failed to act in accordance with reasonable standards. The negligent party in a case involving nursing home abuse or neglect is usually the staff member or the nursing home owner or operator.
Consider the following ways a nursing home can be liable for negligence when a staff member makes a medication error that injures a nursing home resident:
- The nursing home negligently hires a dangerous employee
- The nursing home does not train the employees adequately
- The nursing home does not have proper procedures in place for dispensing or administering medications
- The nursing home is understaffed
- The nursing home knows about or should have known of a problem with a particular employee and does not act to prevent harm
- The nursing home does not provide adequate medical assistance to the patient after the error and injury occur
This list represents just some ways nursing homes can be liable for negligence or abuse.
Has the Statute of Limitations Expired?
The most important thing to concern yourself with if you suspect a medication error is hurting someone is their safety and wellbeing. After that, consider if a lawsuit might be in your family’s best interest. There is a statute that limits the time you have to file a claim against the nursing home and collect damages for the injuries, pain, and suffering to your loved ones. We cannot be sure of how much time is left until we hear the facts of your case.
Contact Lawyers Who Handle Medication Error Cases Against Nursing Homes
At Alonso Krangle, LLP, our lawyers have experience handling nursing home abuse and neglect cases including ones that involve medication errors. When you have a loved one suffering because of someone’s negligence, you want to have representation from lawyers who have compassion, skill, and the tenacity to takes to stand up to nursing homes operators and owners.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP today for a free evaluation of your nursing home abuse and neglect case. You can reach our lawyers handling medication error cases at 516-350-5555.