Imagine you've finally made the decision to place an elderly family member in a nursing home. It's an incredibly tough decision to make, but sometimes it's the right one for families to make. Then, you find out that the nursing home has been leaving your family member alone, neglecting their medical needs, and generally treating them like unaware hospital patients rather than a loved member of your family.

Unfortunately, this happens every day. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against nursing homes for abuse and neglect, but for some reason it continues to happen. The standards regarding background checks for employees are much too loose, the quality of care winds up declining and the helpless elderly are the ones who suffer.

You might not think of it as personal injury, but it truly is. It's a guilty party responsible for harming an individual -- in this case, and elderly loved one. It's really no different from a car accident, defective product, or even a dog bite for that matter. The core issue is that somebody is causing one you care about pain and suffering and getting away with it.

What people don't know is that they have many legal actions to take if they or a loved one has suffered this type of abuse. Our nursing home abuse lawyers here at Bisnar | Chase have worked tirelessly to end this type of negligent behavior and have been in Orange County for over 30 years.

If you need advice, or simply have questions about the next steps you should take, please give us a call at 1-800-561-4887 so we can go over your case point by point. We want to take the entire burden off of your shoulders and let you focus on getting back to your life. We’ll take care of the nursing home - just give us a chance.

Nursing Home Abuse is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

The California Department of Public Health has fined a Grass Valley facility after findings of nursing home neglect. According to a news report in The Sacramento Bee, state investigators found that Crystal Ridge Care Center failed to use a mechanical lift as directed in its own policy, which resulted in a fall and death of a resident. The nursing home has been fined $75,000 and received a Class "AA" citation, which is the most severe penalty for nursing home negligence under California law.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family members of this nursing home resident who was apparently a victim of incompetence and neglect on the part of facility staff. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) survey of nursing homes released in March 2010, California is one of few states in the country with 20 or more nursing homes that are "special focus" or have an extremely poor quality of care. Among the most common reasons for nursing home abuse or neglect include understaffing and lack of proper training for staff members.

GAO studies also found a connection between for-profit nursing homes and poorer quality of care. The more that a nursing home goes after profits, the more they tend to neglect their residents and patients. Some for-profit corporations that run nursing homes add to their profits by keeping staffing levels low in their facilities and hiring cheap, unqualified and untrained aides to take care of residents.

Putting Profit before People?

It is not entirely clear as to what factors contributed to the tragic death of the resident at Crystal Ridge. I trust investigators are establishing whether understaffing or lack of training led to that incident. I sincerely hope corrective measures are being taken at that facility so these types of tragedies can be avoided in the future.

If you are a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, or if your loved one has been harmed in a nursing home, please remember that you have rights. An experienced California personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled nursing home neglect and abuse cases, will be able to provide you with more information about pursuing your legal rights. Negligent nursing homes that deliberately cut staffing levels and put their patients in harm's way must be held accountable. It is never acceptable, in my book, to put profits over people.

California Nursing Home Slapped with Fine after Patient's Death is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

A San Joaquin County care facility has been fined $100,000 over allegations of nursing home neglect following the death of a patient. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the incident occurred in October 2008 at the Creekside Care Center in Stockton. Investigators with the California Department of Public Health determined that the wheelchair-bound elderly patient suffered a broken left thighbone and the care facility failed to properly treat her. She passed away days later from cardio-respiratory distress.

On July 29, 2011, the California Department of Public Health issued the nursing home an "AA" citation, which is the most severe penalty for nursing homes that commit a health or safety violation. Nursing home administrators have responded to the citation by saying that they will retrain their staff and audit all changes in residents' condition daily to prevent these types of incidents.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family of this elderly patient who died tragically and unnecessarily. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.

California Nursing Home Statistics

According to a 2007 report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 12 percent of the 1,285 California nursing homes in operation were cited for "actual harm or immediate jeopardy" to residents. This was a slight decrease from the previous year (2006) when 13.9 percent of all California nursing homes were cited for serious violations. However, nursing home abuse and neglect saw a substantial increase in 2006. About 8 percent of California nursing homes were cited for serious violations in 2005.

Nursing Homes Have a Responsibility

State health officials say this elderly resident died because staff members completely neglected her serious health condition. It is not clear if that occurred because the facility was kept deliberately understaffed, or because the facility hired untrained and inexperienced nursing staff to keep salaries low and profits high.

The family of a deceased victim in such cases can file a wrongful death claim against the nursing home seeking compensation for medical expenses, funeral costs and emotional distress. An experienced California personal injury lawyer will be able to better advise victims' families about their legal rights and options.

California Nursing Home Abuse

It is shocking how often nursing homes are found to have contributed to tragic forms of abuse and neglect which lead to a person's death. Do you feel that this nursing home should be held responsible for this victim's death? Yes No Unsure Current Results

California Nursing Home Fined in Patient's Death is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

Lynda Tammone of Oceanside is pushing for a new state law, which she hopes will be able to protect the elderly from nursing home neglect and abuse. According to a news report in the North County Times, Tammone is basically trying to change the way patient complaints are documented in California's nursing homes, so that patients and their loved ones have more power to list instances of what they consider poor care.

Tammone took a San Marcos nursing home to small claims court in April and won a $7,585 judgment, the maximum judgment allowed. Tammone accused the nursing home of negligent care and said that their substandard care provided to her husband resulted in his long-term illness. A subsequent investigation performed by the California Department of Public Health, which oversees the state's nursing homes, substantiated only three of Tammone's 27 claims against the care facility. She says better record keeping would have helped state inspectors expose the problems in that nursing home.

Putting Complaints on Medical File

Tammone is pushing for a law that would require nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to document complaints in a patient's medical file. Right now there is no provision for such complaints to be formally documented. With regard to the nursing home where her husband was admitted, Tammone complained about repeated instances of urine-soaked bedding, failure to administer anti-viral eye drops for several weeks, misapplication of medication and infrequent showering. But the health department was not able to document those because of lack of evidence.

Neglect and Abuse Issues in Nursing Homes

Understaffing in nursing homes in one of the main reasons for nursing home abuse and neglect. Many nursing homes fail to keep their facilities fully staffed. The patient to nurse ratio is kept to a bare minimum or in several cases is under the minimum. This of course leads to poor care and often, puts patients' lives in jeopardy. Unhygienic conditions, mishandling of medication and improper monitoring are all rampant in understaffed nursing homes. These are corporations that deliberately keep their facilities understaffed in order to increase profits.

Protecting Victims' Rights

Nursing home residents' rights must be protected. I commend Tammone for taking on this fight, and I truly hope she succeeds in getting this legislation passed. Documenting complaints in patients' medical files will leave a paper trail for state officials when they launch an investigation. It will make sure that various acts of neglect and abuse in our nursing homes do not fall through the cracks. Victims of nursing home negligence would be well-advised to contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who will ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.

Seriously injured in a California nursing home abuse case? Want to know if you have a case? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation for your injuries? Want justice? Want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else?

Call your best friends in the legal industry after a California nursing home negligence case. Call 866-990-8787. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call a BISNAR | CHASE California personal injury attorney for a free professional evaluation of your case by attorneys who have represented over 6,000 clients since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a friendly law firm in a comfortable environment.

San Diego Woman Pushes for State Law to Protect Nursing Home Residents is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

Nursing home abuse and neglect cases can be happening in your own backyard. A number of Americans put off the idea that nursing home neglect could be affecting their loved one as we speak. When you entrust your loved one to the care of a nursing home you expect that their last days will be spent in peace.

Watch Is Elder Abuse A Big Problem? in News Online | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

After abuse or neglect, your elderly loved one could be facing physical and/or mental pain. The results of these cases can be devastating to your parent. If abuse and neglect continues, it could ultimately become fatal. Abuse and neglect have continued for far too long in American. The occurrences are only increasing as more and more elderly require the care of a nursing home.

Nursing Home Statistics

It is not know exactly home many Americans are abused every year from abuse or neglect. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, estimates show that somewhere between one and 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have been mistreated by someone they rely on for care. It is alarming to hear how common elder abuse is. To help protect your elderly parent it is a good idea to perform unannounced visit to check up on them. Make these visits somewhat random so that the staff will not expect you on a particular day and time every week. This will help to keep them on their toes.

Los Angeles Elder Abuse Lawyers

After suffering form elder abuse or neglect it is important to find a skilled personal injury lawyer. A Los Angeles injury attorney can help you to receive fair compensation for your elder abuse or neglect case. The best law firms will offer free consultations and a no win no fee guarantee.

Nursing Home Abuse Reports Are on the Rises is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

Six employees at a Northern California elder care facility were arrested on suspicion of abusing nursing home residents. Prosecutors say the nursing home employees covered several elderly patients with cream to make them slippery as part of a prank on their co-workers, the Associated Press reports. The arrests were announced by California Attorney General Jerry Brown this week. Brown rightly calls the alleged abuse "despicable behavior."

Employees Fired Following Abuse

The patients involved in the incident at the Valley View Skilled Nursing Facility in Ukiah suffered from dementia. They were not even able to comprehend what was being done to them, officials say. All six employees involved have been fired and face one misdemeanor charge each of injury to elder or dependent adult, battery committed on an elder, conspiracy and battery committed while on hospital property.

My heart goes out to these elderly victims who have been subjected to this abuse, as well as their families. These were helpless, vulnerable seniors who were unable to care for themselves! If the employees are found guilty of the charges, I sincerely hope they will face stiff punishment. These victims and their families will be in my prayers.

Holding Wrongdoers Accountable

The actions of these nursing home employees are appalling. But it also makes you wonder how they get hired into a facility that calls itself a skilled care facility. What were these employees' qualifications? How much experience did they have before coming to work there? Did the nursing home run any background checks? Who was their supervisor? Did the supervisors in the facility have any knowledge of this "prank?"

Is this the first time such an incident has occurred at this particular nursing home? Something tells me this may not have been the first time these employees or their co-workers may have been involved in such shenanigans. I hope the investigation by the Attorney General's office takes an in-depth look at all these issues. If the nursing home has allowed such abuse to happen on a consistent basis, the nursing home should be held accountable for the treatment of its residents as well. Not being aware of what their employees do is not an excuse for nursing administrators. The fact that they allowed this horrible abuse to take place is, in itself, a violation of their customers' trust.

The families of these victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who will go after the wrongdoers as well the nursing home administrators who allowed the abuse to take place.

Do you have a loved one in a nursing home? What are some of your biggest concerns about how they are treated at the facility?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.

Nursing Home Abuse in Northern California Facility Leads to Arrests is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

A Los Angeles facility is facing a $100,000 fine for nursing home negligence in connection with an incident where a resident died because a feeding tube was incorrectly directed into his lungs. According to a CBS News report, the California Department of Public Health found that an 84-year-old man at the Hancock Park Rehabilitation Center had a feeding tube enter his body through his nose in May 2008. That tube was supposed to direct nutrition to his stomach. The man died 13 days later. The coroner listed cause of death as respiratory failure due to pneumonia. Health Department officials say the cause of death was "failure to properly place the feeding tube."

My heart goes out to the family of this elderly resident for their devastating loss and the emotional trauma they must have undergone as a result. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Deficient Nursing Homes

Based on this news report, it appears that the nursing home staff members who were attending to this resident had no idea what they were doing. Were these trained members of the staff? What type and amount of training did the attendant have? Was he or she made aware of the patient's medical condition, needs and doctor's instructions? Was this staff member being supervised at the time?

A 2003 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) states that at least one in five of all nursing homes in the United States are plagued by serious deficiencies that place residents in immediate jeopardy or cause them actual harm. The report also points out that the quality of care in these nursing homes drops significantly when residents receive less than three hours of the nurse’s and nurse’s aide’s time per day. That unfortunately happens in about 54 percent of nursing homes.

The Problem of Understaffing

The report also states that nursing home staff are terribly underpaid and overworked. A number of nursing home negligence and abuse cases are the direct result of understaffing and lack of proper training for nursing staff.

The nursing home in this case was handed the AA citation, the most severe fine that can be imposed by the state. The fines are usually slapped on those facilities that neglect their patients to such an extent that it put their life in danger. In such cases, nursing homes can be held civilly liable for wrongful death by family members of the deceased. An experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will be able explain to victims and their families, their legal rights and options in such cases.

Do you have a loved one in a nursing home? What are your biggest concerns for their safety?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.

Los Angeles Nursing Home Fined for Negligence is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

Incidents associated with nursing home negligence and abuse are increasing as more and more baby boomers head in that direction seeking nursing facilities. It is especially important for regulatory agencies to keep a close eye on what nursing homes are doing and how they are treating residents. Recently, health inspectors who visited a nursing home in Paradise, California, found that there were several violations there. According to a news report in the Chico Enterprise Record, Pine View Care Center was cited for such things as being harsh and rough with a patient, allowing patients to wander outside the facility and failing to deal promptly with a patient's infection.

The report states that Pine View was cited for problems twice as often as any other facility in Butte County last year. And most of the other nursing homes in the county also did receive several citations in 2009. Only three nursing homes had no citations at all.

Several Violations in California Nursing Home

However, the cited incidents at Pine View seem egregious. One of the incidents that Pine View received a citation for concerned a 94-year-old woman who had to be admitted to an acute care hospital after treatment of her bladder infection was delayed. The woman was in excruciating pain and became confused and lethargic. In another case, a paralyzed woman sat in her feces for five hours because she was afraid to call for help. Apparently, a staff member at the nursing home had told her that she shouldn't have to clean her up. In yet another shocking incident, a developmentally disabled 61-year-old woman was found outside the nursing home's back door lying facedown with her wheelchair on top of her.

Facilities Lack Trained Staff Members

Apparently, these are not even considered the "most serious" violations in the state of California. So, here's the question. Would you or should you entrust your loved one to the care of a nursing home where the above-mentioned incidents have occurred? I wouldn't. Any of these cases could have resulted in serious personal injuries or could have become potentially fatal to these frail residents. The nursing home is lucky that these incidents were not fatal. How many incidents do we come across where nursing home residents die because of poor personal hygiene, bed sores, infections and falls? It happens a lot and in most cases, the reason for it is the nursing home's lack of qualified, trained staff.

Why don't nursing homes have qualified trained staff? Because, a higher caliber of staff member comes with a bigger price tag and nursing homes that put profits before the people they serve, just don't want to spend that kind of money on people who can provide quality care to residents.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Residents Subjected to Negligence and Abuse in California Nursing Home is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

Nursing home abuse is one of the least reported crimes today. Often times, these incidents of abuse -- be it verbal, physical or sexual -- go unreported or underreported. Residents or families of residents, sometimes do not report it because they have no choice but to keep their loved one in the care facility and fear retaliation from management and staff.

Sexual Assault Charges

There are unfortunately cases where elderly, ill residents are sexually exploited and abused in care facilities. A recent 10 news article reports that a 53-year-old nursing assistant at the El Dorado Care Facility was recently arrested after an employee walked into the victim's room and caught the nursing assistant, Felix Panem, having sex with the female patient. The elderly patient was apparently incoherent and didn't possess all of her faculties. Panem has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one count each of elder abuse and first-degree burglary. Panem faces 10 years and four months in prison if convicted of all charges.

Elder Abuse, a Tragic Reality

My heart goes out to the family of this elderly patient, who was clearly unable to care for herself. She depended on this nursing assistant to care for her and he apparently took advantage of her vulnerability and helplessness. Despicable! If he is found to be guilty of the sexual assault, I sincerely hope and pray that he gets the punishment he deserves.

Sexual and physical abuse in nursing home and care facilities, unfortunately, is one of today’s harsh realities. According to a Government Accountability Office report in 2002, law enforcement officials are seldom called to nursing homes to immediately investigate allegations of physical or sexual abuse. About 50 percent of the notifications from nursing homes are submitted two or more days after the nursing homes learned of the alleged abuse. These delays obviously compromise the quality of evidence and hinder investigations. Some residents or their family members are even afraid to report abuse because they fear retaliation from the nursing home or its employees.

Care Facilities Should be Held Accountable

This is simply not right, in my opinion. Nursing homes should be responsible for the safety, security and well-being of their residents. They are accountable to patients and their family members for what happens to residents under their care. Nursing homes should be conducting thorough background checks of all staff members especially, nursing aides and assistants who interact with patients more so than others. These staff members should also be closely supervised. If a staff member harms a patient while he or she is under the care of the facility, the nursing home should be held liable.

The family members of this abused victim would be well-advised to contact a reputed San Diego personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled nursing home abuse cases. This care facility should be held accountable for what has happened to this helpless resident. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free, comprehensive and confidential consultation to injured victims and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Nursing Home Sex Abuse Leads to Arrest is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal

A jury in Ventura County awarded $7.75 million to the family of a nursing home abuse victim, who filed an elder abuse lawsuit against the Fillmore Convalescent Center. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the trial featured a videotape, which showed the woman being abused by the nursing home employees. Apparently the secret camera caught employee Monica Garcia slapping the 71-year-old victim, Maria Arellano, pulling her around by her hair, bending her neck, fingers and wrist, and treating her violently in a shower chair. Garcia did face criminal charges and pleaded no contest to simple battery. Her attorney has said that Garcia is "deeply sorry" for her actions and will never work in a nursing home environment again.

Serious Case of Nursing Home Abuse

When family members complained after noticing, during a visit, that Arellano was bruised, the nursing care provider took no action and did not investigate it. So, it was the family that set up a hidden video camera on a side table in her room. The jury awarded Arellano and her family $2.75 in actual damages and $5 million in punitive damages.

I'm glad that this Southern California jury carefully considered the evidence that was before them and arrived at the right decision -- to punish the nursing home for their poor hiring choices and lack of proper supervision of their employees. Recent reports and studies have also shown that a majority of nursing home abuse and elder abuse cases in nursing facilities and convalescent homes go unreported because victims and their families fear retaliation from the facility and staff members.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

In many cases, families have nowhere else to take their loved ones. In fact, Arellano still remains at Fillmore Convalescent despite the lawsuit. The facility itself scored a five-star rating this month, the best and highest rating, from the Nursing Home Compare system run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This only goes to show that no rating system is perfect and there is no system that documents everything that happens in a nursing home and makes that information available to consumers.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of nursing home abuse or negligence, please contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer who will hold these wrongdoers accountable for their actions. In this case, I'm glad that the jury awarded punitive damages because that should hopefully, deter nursing home operators from taking their residents for granted, and encourage them to try harder and ensure patient safety and well-being -- something that should have been a top priority for them, in the first place.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Victim Awarded $7.75 Million in Nursing Home Abuse Case is a post from: Personal Injury Attorney News Portal