South Carolina Personal Injury Law Blog
Placing a loved one in a nursing home, long-term care facility, or assisted living center is an extremely difficult, emotionally fraught decision – perhaps one of the toughest choices many of us will ever be called upon to make.
Often, the primary reason for deciding to place a family member in a care facility is the assumption that he or she will be provided with the constant care and medical attention that would not be possible in a home setting.
Unfortunately, nursing homes do not always live up to this expectation, and patients can suffer serious injuries or even a wrongful death due to neglect, abuse, or mistreatment in a long-term care facility.
Vietnam Veteran Drowns Under Own Wheelchair Outside Nursing Home
A recent news article highlights the worst-case scenario of what can happen when a nursing home does not attend to a patient in the manner a family expects. According to the article, a 66-year-old man died after being pinned under his wheelchair outside a Richland County nursing home. The accident reportedly happened after the man was left alone outside during the heights of Hurricane Matthew…so that he could smoke.
When nursing home personnel returned later, the man was face-down in a puddle of water. Not surprisingly, the nursing home attempted to deflect blame by insisting that the man – who suffered numerous health issues, including paralysis on his left side – “refused to come inside.” Authorities are currently investigating the man’s death.
Even if criminal charges are filed as a result of the man’s death, this will do little to compensate the victim’s family for his death. Criminal cases typically end with a jail sentence or a fine if the defendant is found guilty. It is usually necessary to pursue a claim for money damages separately via a civil lawsuit.
Assisted Living Facility Patient Found in Pond
It would be nice to assume that the drowning death of the nursing home resident discussed above was an isolated incident. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When nursing home personnel do not properly supervise frail and vulnerable residents, tragedy often results.
According to a news report earlier this year, a nursing home resident went missing from an assisted living facility in the West Ashley area of Charleston and was later discovered in a pond behind the facility. The woman, who was 90 years old, had been fatally attacked by an alligator. According to the report, it was “not clear” how the patient left the facility by herself.
Get Advice from a Knowledgeable South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
If you have a loved one who has suffered an injury or death in an assisted living center or nursing home, you should talk to a knowledgeable South Carolina nursing home abuse attorney about any concerns you have about your loved one’s care. Call the Law Offices of Patrick E. Knie today at (864) 582-5118 in Spartanburg or Greenville and request a free evaluation of your loved one’s injury or wrongful death case.
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