Thousands of Ohio families trust nursing homes to care for elderly family members, and most nursing homes provide safe, compassionate daily care for their residents. However, understaffing is a commonly cited concern in this industry, and low staff numbers not only lead to potentially negative patient outcomes; it is also important to know how nursing homes are held liable for understaffing in Ohio.
How Nursing Homes Are Held Liable for Understaffing in Ohio
Every nursing home has a legal duty of care to their residents to provide a safe, clean, and compassionate living space and to provide the daily medical care and supervision residents require. Understaffing may be a temporary problem for some facilities, but it is a persistent issue with others that can potentially lead to various serious issues:
- Inadequate staffing can lead to a lack of supervision, and this could leave some nursing home residents vulnerable to abuse. The National Council on Aging estimates that about 10% of Americans over the age of 60 have experienced elder abuse at least once, and only about one in every 24 cases is reported to the authorities.
- Families who pay nursing homes receive promises concerning the level of care their family member will receive. Typically, Ohio nursing homes are expected to provide a specific amount of daily direct care to each resident, and failure to meet these requirements may constitute a breach of contract with the resident as well as a breach of the facility’s legal duty of care.
- Understaffing increases the risk of accidents. For example, if a resident does not get the help they need to use the bathroom, they may attempt to get there themselves and suffer a hard fall.
- Bedridden residents must be repositioned regularly to prevent the formation of bedsores or pressure ulcers. Understaffing could result in some residents not receiving this personal attention. If they develop a bedsore, this is a serious medical condition that can potentially be life-threatening.
- Residents’ basic needs may not be met due to understaffing. This could result in harm from dehydration, malnutrition, or medication errors.
These are only a few ways that nursing homes could face liability because of understaffing. If you discover that your elderly family member has suffered any such harm at their nursing home and believe that understaffing is the cause, it is vital to hire a nursing home neglect lawyer as soon as possible.
Why You Should Hire a Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer
The effects of nursing home neglect can be devastating. If you discover that the nursing home you have trusted to care for an elderly family member has been negligent due to understaffing, this is not an excuse for the harm they have done, and you have the right to pursue accountability and compensation. You will need a skilled Ohio nursing home neglect attorney on your side to succeed with this type of case.
The nursing home could be understaffed due to a high turnover rate, which may indicate systemic problems with the facility’s management. Whatever the case may be, your attorney can investigate the matter and determine who is liable for the victim’s damages. You may have grounds for a claim against a nursing home, and the facility could also face fines and other penalties from the state of Ohio’s oversight agencies.
The team at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber has years of proven experience with these cases in Ohio. Since 1946, our firm has helped injured clients pursue accountability for various injuries, and we have successfully recovered more than $1 billion for our clients in a wide range of cases. If you have questions about nursing home neglect in Ohio, contact us today to schedule your consultation with our team and learn how we can help.
