Can I File A Claim For Poor Hygiene In A Nursing Home?
Poor hygiene in a nursing home has been one of the most common causes of nursing home abuse. But did you know that you can sue a nursing home if you come to find that a nursing home has neglected your loved one? When there is poor hygiene, a resident may be prone to other forms of illnesses. Also, poor hygiene may also lead to spread of deadly diseases to other home nursing residents. If you have a loved one at a nursing home and discover unsanitary conditions or your loved one has been put at risk due to poor hygiene, you may have a claim.
Poor Hygiene As A Form Of Nursing Home Abuse
When nursing home caregivers fail to maintain cleanliness within their facility, this may result in nursing home abuse. The staff may fail to properly clean areas such as toilets and bathtubs that can quickly breed germs. If you suspect your loved one is being subjected to unclean conditions, you can choose to consult Anchorage law firms. It’s not easy to come up with terms that your loved one has been neglected. Home nursing is one of the safest places people think of when they can no longer take care of their seniors. Unfortunately, one may not realize that a loved one has been neglected until they note signs of neglect. There are so many types of poor hygiene in a nursing home. Some of them include:
- Lack of proper sanitization on food preparation areas.
- Failure to clean shower or bathroom facilities which are a good ground for breeding germs.
- Failure to wash residents or clean their clothes.
The Problem Of Unsanitary Conditions
Before you take your loved one to a nursing home care, you should know how to find the right nursing home. This way, you may avoid unnecessary health issues for your family member. Many issues may bring rise to the problem of unsanitary conditions. Some of them include:
- Understaffing: When the nursing home doesn’t have enough workers, those present are often rushed to meet the demand. Thus, they may not have a lot of time to clean patients properly to take care of the environment.
- Lack of experience: When employees are hired without adequate training or experience, they may not provide proper cleanliness.
- High employment turnover: One reason could be that the staff is being underpaid. With a high employee turnover, this may lead to a low ratio of staff of residents. Hence, the care given may not be enough.
The nursing home staff must keep the nursing facility clean. When choosing a nursing home for your loved one, you should inspect the environment first. Every area the residents are allowed to go should be clean and free of hazards. Even little traces of unsanitary conditions in a nursing home should not be tolerated. What may seem small can escalate to a bigger problem that may have deadly consequences.
Filing A Claim
Poor hygiene in nursing home results from neglect. Meaning, the nursing home facility staff can be held liable for any health issue that may arise from unsanitary conditions. Before filing a claim, you may be required to prove that:
- The nursing staff failed to provide hygienic care for the resident. Further, you may prove that your loved one suffered physical or psychological harm.
- Your loved one developed an illness that resulted in another form of abuse. The staff stopped to provide hygienic care due to the disease. It’s possible if the resident lack self-worth or even gets into a state of depression.
Failure to provide proper hygiene to the resident is unacceptable. If your resident is subjected to unsanitary conditions, that may be affected psychological. Also, their mental health may decline, causing other medical issues. If you believe your family member is going through neglect, you can choose to speak to a nursing home manager to see whether you can solve the issue. However, if no agreement is reached or your manager seems arrogant, you may talk to a lawyer who knows about nursing home abuse and neglect law.
If you have considered the option of filing a nursing home neglect lawsuit, it would be a good idea to take the matter to an experienced nursing home lawyer who is passionate about protecting your loved one right. Your lawyer will determine whether your family member has suffered harm as a result of poor hygiene. After careful evaluation, he/she will start the process of financial recovery. He/she may help you file an administrative complaint and outline all the issues related to how your loved one has been neglected. Getting a fair settlement will depend on the evidence uncovered and how much the insurance company will be willing to settle. If negotiation seems fruitless, your lawyer will guide you to file a lawsuit and recoup damages.