Two workers at a nursing home in Galax, Virginia, have been dismissed due to allegations of abuse of residents. The workers are being investigated by the police and criminal charges are expected. There are many nursing homes throughout the Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and the overall Tidewater area that provide fine care to their residents. However, over the course of 25 years of practicing medical malpractice law, I have seen many instances of abuse and neglect of nursing home residents. Sometimes, there is simply inadequate staffing to provide the necessary level of care for the nursing home residents. Sometimes, the nursing home employees simply fail to provide appropriate care, thus resulting in injury or death to the resident of the home. At Pierce & Thornton, we have handled nursing home cases involving pressure sores, falls, medication errors, abuse and neglect and many other cases involving injuries to and death of residents at nursing homes.
When a nursing home resident is abused or neglected, in addition to criminal charges being brought against the employee of the nursing home, a civil lawsuit may be brought against the individual and the nursing home itself seeking to recover money damages for the injuries to the resident. If the resident dies, the family members may assert a wrongful death lawsuit against the employee and the nursing home to recover monetary and emotional losses.
If you have questions regarding injuries to a nursing home resident, call one of our attorneys at Pierce & Thornton for a free consultation.