What Happened
It all started when the woman noticed bruises on her grandmother’s head and hands. When she asked about the bruises the staff told her it was just from banging her hand on the bed railing. Not satisfied with the answers the woman persisted to inquire about the bruises and said the staff would say it would be looked into with careless expressions. She became so frustrated with the staff of the home she decided to take matters into her own hands by installing a hidden camera in the base of a potted plant and recorded over 600 hours of tape. When she viewed the footage she was horrified at what she saw. The first video she watched she states the nurse’s aide twisted her grandmother’s arm back, lifted her off the bed and then slammed her back into it. Other videos showed the aide pushing the elderly woman into the metal railing of the bed, and hitting the woman repeatedly in the side.
The nurse’s aide has been arrested and charged with three counts of willful violation of the public health law and three counts of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person. According to the granddaughter she will file a civil suit against the home and that three additional employees were fired because of the investigation into this case.
The Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers’ Perspective
This is a heart wrenching and horrendous string of events to happen to a helpless elderly woman. Such actions are not uncommon as thousands of elderly people are abused each year in nursing homes and other facilities responsible for their care. The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates at least one in 20 nursing home patients has been the victim of nursing home negligence and or injury, and notes the number may be higher. Nursing homes have become infamous for neglecting their residents' needs and depriving them of food, water, clothing and bedding. This means residents are likely to be weak and unable to protect themselves if nursing home staff or others try to harm them. When a nursing home breaches our trust and does not meet the necessary standards of care, serious injury and wrongful death can be result. Nursing homes are unlikely to admit to acts of neglect or abuse. This makes it very important to talk to your loved one about anything that may be going on. It is also imperative to be able to identify and signs of neglect or abuse, in case your loved one is too emotionally battered to speak up for themselves.
When a family member or loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse, you need an experienced Virginia (VA) nursing home abuse attorney who can protect your loved one's rights, and seek legal and medical compensation from those responsible. If you see signs of nursing home abuse or neglect, take immediate action, our nursing home abuse attorneys have over 100 years of combined legal experience and are not afraid to aggressively pursue compensation and accountability.
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