It is heartbreaking to discover your loved one is not being treated with the dignity and respect he or she deserves while in the care of a nursing home. At the Harvey & Foote Law Firm, we have handled many cases in which New Mexico nursing home residents were harmed by the negligent or abusive actions of caregivers.
Nursing home abuse is unfortunately common. Incidents can range from neglect to malicious abuse. While you may understand that abusive caregivers can cause serious injuries to their patients, it is also important to realize that stressed out, overworked caregivers may inadvertently cause harm by simply not giving residents the basic care and attention they need. In some cases, simple neglect can result in death.
KOAT Action News reported that several nursing homes in New Mexico were sued for conditions that resulted in the harm of some residents and, in at least one case, a patient’s death. In that case, the nursing home staff were informed that an elderly woman was at high risk for falling, but it appeared that nobody had helped her get out of bed or even knew that she had fallen, and she passed away from serious injuries later that day. In another case, a woman accused her husband’s nursing home of neglect when she found him lying in filthy conditions, and he was found to have severe anemia, an infected foot and internal bleeding. You may find it interesting to learn that a former charge nurse claimed that residents at her facility did not regularly get changed, bathed or helped to the toilet.
You may have a rightful claim if your loved one suffered an injury or died while in the care of a negligent nursing home, as our page on wrongful death explains.