Maryland Nursing home abuse law firm

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Nursing home abuse law firm Maryland

More people are living in nursing homes in the United States than ever before but unfortunately in Maryland and the surrounding areas there is also a greater need for people to have access to a good nursing home abuse law firm Maryland is fortunate to have in its midst.

People have to live in nursing homes and other similar facilities when they cannot take care of their basic, daily needs such as bathing, taking medications, preparing food and eating it, to name a few. In the United States there is a much higher percentage of older people in nursing homes than there are children, young and middle aged people in nursing homes. One reason for this is that people are living longer and healthier lives. With this we have a much larger population of significantly older people who are still alive than ever before. The human body, even when it is in good health can only last so long and slowly begins to decline with age. If a person’s body has slowed down and declined to the point where they do not have muscle control and strength and/or the mental capabilities to perform basic tasks, it is still important that they are properly taken care of in their frail state. Many older people though, would still prefer to stay in their own homes than to go to live in a nursing home. It is often a very difficult decision for families to make to move an elderly loved one into a nursing home when their concerns for their loved one’s health override their loved one’s desire to live independently. It can be beyond devastating that an elderly family member is being abused in the nursing home that is supposed to be taking care of them.

If you think or know that you need the help of a nursing home abuse law firm Washington DC nursing home abuse victims and their family’s can rely on, contact Cohen & Cohen We are available to give you a free consultation and a free case evaluation. The sooner you have a reliable law firm on your side, the sooner they may be able to start collecting evidence and building a strong case to protect your loved one and your family’s rights.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene monitors nursing homes in the state of Maryland. The Code of Maryland Regulations require all licensed nursing homes adhere to a set of rules and procedures. One of these regulations is intended to prevent residents from being abused and neglected. If a nursing home in the state of Maryland fails to have these policies and procedures in place, this alone can be cause enough for a lawsuit to be filed against the nursing home or facility.

Injuries that result from neglect and abuse in nursing homes is not a topic that people want to think about, especially when those injuries result in having to get a nursing home abuse attorney involved. Most people, at some point in their lives, face the incredibly difficult decision of whether or not to place an elderly family member in a nursing home. It is an incredibly emotional choice, both for the senior being placed in the nursing home and for the senior’s family. Although nursing homes are expensive, many decide it is the best option for an elderly family member to receive assistance with their daily tasks, housekeeping and health care, as well as access to a social environment, food services, and medical resources. Few think that their loved ones’ safety is going to be jeopardized when placed in the care of nursing home professionals, or that they will need a nursing home neglect lawyer to represent their elderly family member against the neglect and abuse they faced while residing in the nursing facility.

The National Center on Elder Abuse reported that 3.2 million people resided in nursing homes in 2008. That number has since grown as the baby boomer generation ages. To the shock and horror of people with an elderly family member residing in a nursing home, the report also shows that 1 in 3 people residing in a nursing home are abused or neglected. Neglect is the most common form of abuse at nursing homes. Neglect can be intentional or unintentional and results when the caretaker fails to make sure the resident’s needs are met. Nursing home neglect many times results in bed sores when bed-ridden residents are not regularly repositioned and properly cleaned. Bed sores are incredibly painful, and if they’re not caught and treated can result in life threatening skin infections. Neglect is sometimes the result of underpaid and undertrained employees who have little motivation and desire to properly care for their patients. In fact, the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that 91% of nursing homes lack adequate staff to properly care for patients. Nursing home abuse can also be physical, emotional, and sexual. The worst injuries are suffered by those residents who can no longer communicate their own needs.

The type of neglect and abuse that occurs in Maryland nursing homes would have serious consequences even for healthy individuals, and many nursing home patients are far from healthy to begin with. As part of the care they offer, nursing homes have a duty to treat their residents’ underlying health conditions. When the nursing home is no longer capable of providing adequate treatment on site, they have a duty to take the resident to a medical facility that can give them the treatment they require. All too often financial concerns influence patient care decisions, and the result is treatable conditions snowball into life-threatening illnesses.

At Cohen & Cohen, our nursing home neglect lawyers have years of experience handling nursing home neglect and elder abuse cases in Washington, DC. We have handled cases involving catastrophic injury, permanent injury, and even death that resulted from nursing home negligence. Most often, nursing homes provide excellent care. But on those occasions when they do not, our lawyers hold nursing homes accountable for the pain, humiliation, and injuries they may cause through their negligence. If you or your loved one has suffered from the negligence of a nursing home or other similar facility in Maryland, call the elder abuse attorneys at Cohen & Cohen today.

When a family member suspects that a nursing home resident is being abused or neglected in Maryland, he or she can contact the Office of Health Care Quality to notify them of their concerns. Many people have also found it helpful to enlist the help of a personal injury law firm that has experience with helping victims of nursing home abuse. For a highly rated nursing home abuse law firm Washington DC residents are lucky to have access to, contact Cohen & Cohen, today.