It is a dreaded thing having to put a loved one into a nursing home. Whether it be for some type of rehabilitation or for long-term care – it is never an easy decision.
And awful things happen to loved ones while in nursing homes. Some of the most common are:
- Failure to turn a patient in bed, which causes bed sores
- Failure to feed properly, which causes malnutrition
- Failure to insure they get enough water not to become dehydrated
- Urinary tract infections
- Unnecessary falls
- Giving the wrong medication
Any of these issues may be cause to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, if you do have a loved one who has suffered at the hands of a nursing home, keep good notes, and contact an attorney. In the state of Alabama, if the patient dies, the claim dies with the patient.
This is not true in every state, but in Alabama, you need to act fast if you feel your loved one has been endangered in a nursing home.
If you have a loved one who has received the wrong medication, which led to their death, then you may have a wrongful death lawsuit.
Nursing home cases are difficult cases, which is why you will need an attorney who is experienced in these cases.
In some instances, you may have a situation where other injuries become apparent as time goes by, but you have already filed a claim. The good news here is that a claim can be amended from a personal injury to a wrongful death, or to add new defendants, or even if additional injuries show up.
You can amend the original complaint up to a year after it is filed.
If you have questions about the care a loved one is receiving in a nursing home, please consult our Online Legal Directory to find an attorney in your area.