Infections in Suffolk County Nursing Homes

Sending a loved one to a nursing home is tough enough. Finding out that they are not getting proper treatment can be devastating. Since people in nursing homes usually cannot defend their rights, their families must do it for them.

Infections in nursing homes are not a rarity. They often occur due to the staff's negligence. To recover damages and make sure it does not happen again, you can file a claim against all parties involved. Learning about infections in Suffolk County nursing homes can help you take legal action as soon as possible. Our nursing home abuse attorneys are ready to help you take legal action.

Common Infections in Nursing Homes

Allowing the spread of infections in Suffolk County nursing homes is a type of nursing home negligence. It hurts the health of nursing home residents and puts them at risk of developing more serious medical conditions. Common infections that occur due to the staff's negligence are:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs): UTIs often result from poor hygiene practices, such as inadequate catheter care or failure to assist residents with toileting.
• Pressure ulcer infections: Bedsores can become infected when staff members neglect to reposition residents regularly.
• Respiratory infections: Pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses may develop due to unsanitary conditions or poor ventilation.
• Skin and soft tissue infections: Poor wound care or unclean environments can lead to skin infections.
• Gastrointestinal infections: Contaminated food or unsanitary dining conditions can spread norovirus or salmonella.
• Flu, COVID-19, and other viral infections: Failure to vaccinate residents or enforce infection control protocols can result in the spread of viruses.
• Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): MRSA infections often occur in nursing homes due to unclean surfaces, poor hand hygiene, or improper handling of wounds.

While some of these infections can happen periodically, negligent actions of nursing home staff increase the possibility of their occurrence significantly.

Proving Nursing Home Neglect

To recover damages in a Suffolk County nursing home infection case, the resident's family has to prove negligence. To do that, they need a competent attorney. A legal team that specializes in nursing home abuse and neglect can:

Link Medical Records to Poor Hygiene Practices

Unless tampered with, medical records can demonstrate the presence of infections, such as UTIs or pressure ulcer infections. An attorney can subpoena these records and correlate them with evidence of poor hygiene, such as inadequate catheter care, dirty bedding, or unclean living conditions.

Document Environmental and Procedural Failures

A nursing home abuse attorney can help document unsanitary conditions in the facility, like dirty restrooms, lack of proper handwashing protocols, or contaminated food. They can recover facility inspection reports and gather staff testimonies, which reveal systemic failures.

Obtain Expert Testimonies

The legal team can hire medical experts to evaluate whether the infection was preventable with proper care. These experts may testify that proper hygiene, timely medical attention, or infection control protocols could have prevented the illness.

Consult an Attorney about Infections in Suffolk County Nursing Homes

If your loved one is suffering from infections in a Suffolk County nursing home, they could be a victim of nursing home neglect. To prove negligence and recover damages, you can consider working with an experienced nursing home abuse attorney.

At Duffy & Duffy, we are passionate about defending the rights of people who cannot defend themselves. If you believe your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, please schedule a consultation today.