A few weeks ago, reports surfaced that a local World-War II veteran had been abused at a local nursing home. According to a report by the New York Post, the 87-year-old veteran moved into the New York State Veterans Home at St. Albans about a year ago because of his declining health. His wife was too ill to care for him.
Evidently, back in September, the man was found lying in a pool of his own blood. He was taken to Queens Hospital, where he was treated for a large cut on his head. Just a few weeks ago, another resident found the man in need of medical attention again for serious cuts on his arm. The wounds looked suspiciously like defensive wounds. They required 23 stitches; he also had bruises on his head, and scrapes on his knuckles.
The man, who suffers from a fairly advanced form of Alzheimer’s disease, is unable to communicate to police or his family what exactly happened. However, when family members attempted to take him back into his room, the man protested, shouting “No! No! No!”
It is unclear what happened, however, given the circumstance it seems reasonable to assume that he man was involved in some kind of physical altercation with either a staff member or another resident.
Nursing Home Abuse
In New York, nursing home abuse and neglect is too common. Sadly, much of the abuse goes unreported unless it is serious enough to require hospital care. Nursing home neglect often goes unreported because residents don’t want to be seen as complaining. When they do report nursing home negligence, it is often overlooked by family members who are skeptical of their loved one’s interpretation of the events. However, all reports of nursing home abuse and neglect should be taken seriously.
Nursing homes all have an affirmative duty to provide a reasonable level of care to their residents. Of course, this prevents the nursing home employees from legally engaging in any kind of abuse, but it also requires that they provide a certain level of services to the residents. If the nursing home fails to live up to this duty, then they can be held liable for any injuries that occur as a result. To learn more, contact a dedicated Long Island injury attorney.
Is Your Loved One in a Long Island Nursing Home?
If you have a loved one in a questionable Long Island nursing home and you believe that they may be either getting neglected or abused, you should consult with an attorney as soon as possible. Each year there are thousands of nursing home residents that are neglected or abused in New York nursing homes. To see what you can do to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions, call the personal injury law firm Duffy & Duffy, PLLC, at (516) 394-4200 to set up a free initial consultation.
See Other Blog Posts:
Slip-and-Fall Plaintiff’s Suit Dismissed against Business Owners, Long Island Injury Lawyers Blog, December 11, 2014.
Expert Witness Testifies in Medical Malpractice Case, Long Island Injury Lawyers Blog, December 22, 2014.
