How Do You Prove Nursing Home Malpractice in New Jersey?

If you suspect nursing home abuse, neglect or malpractice in the state of New Jersey, finding a qualified and knowledgeable nursing home malpractice attorney can be a good first step toward resolving these issues and holding these facilities accountable for their actions or their failure to live up to their responsibilities. Taking the proper steps to resolve these issues quickly and effectively can provide greater peace of mind for you and your family when dealing with nursing home malpractice in our area.

What Responsibilities Do Nursing Homes Have to Residents?

According to New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 30:13-3, nursing homes have some significant duties to their residents, including the following responsibilities:

• • Assisting residents by providing reasonable care as agreed upon with the resident
  • Maintaining a safe and manageable number of residents to avoid overcrowding and neglect
  • Offering spiritual support upon request
  • Tracking all deposits and withdrawals as well as keeping an accurate inventory of personal property belonging to residents
  • Helping new residents to fill out beneficiary designation forms for funds in the personal needs allowance account of the resident
  • Allowing access to legal and medical services during reasonable hours
  • Providing or arranging for appropriate medical care to those who reside in the facility
  • Complying with all applicable local, state and federal regulations in caring for residents at the facility

When nursing facilities fail to meet these minimum standards, it may be possible to hold them accountable by suing them for malpractice under New Jersey law.

Types of Nursing Home Malpractice

Because nursing facilities have a duty of care to their patients, failure to provide that care can result in malpractice on the part of these facilities. Some of the most common forms of nursing home malpractice or abuse include the following:

• • Failure to identify serious medical symptoms or to provide treatment for these issues
  • Over-medication of residents or failure to provide necessary medicine
  • Neglect of residents that results in injury, embarrassment or other problems
  • Theft of money, medications or other items from residents
  • Emotional and verbal abuse of patients
  • Restrictions on access to visitors
  • Failure to move chair-bound or bedridden patients in a manner designed to prevent bedsores from developing
  • Physical abuse of residents, including sexual abuse
  • Isolation or failure to engage with residents

These issues can lead to serious emotional and psychological problems as well as physical repercussions for patients in nursing home facilities. Working with a qualified and experienced New Jersey nursing home malpractice lawyer is a good first step in holding nursing homes responsible for their abuse and neglect of those who live in these communities.

Proving Nursing Home Malpractice in New Jersey

Because nursing homes already have an established duty of care to their residents, it is usually only necessary to demonstrate that the facility or its personnel violated the accepted standard of care and that the resident sustained a mental or physical injury as a result of this violation. Working with a qualified New Jersey nursing home abuse attorney is a solid step in the right direction for dealing with these cases effectively.

At the Di Lauri & Hewitt Law Group, we can provide you and your family with the support you need to hold nursing facilities accountable for neglect, abuse or malpractice. Give us a call today at 973-354-5783 to schedule a consultation. Our team will be happy to work with you to seek justice for your loved one in the legal arena.