Nursing home residents typically require specialized medical care that is customized to their medical needs. Nursing homes are expected to provide the managed medical care that these residents need. When they fail to do so, the health consequences for the nursing home resident can be severe.
If you believe that your loved one is the victim of medical mismanagement, it is important to act quickly. By failing to provide adequate care, the nursing facility could have placed your loved one’s life at risk.
Reach out to a Bowie nursing home medical mismanagement attorney as soon as possible to learn more.
Get in touch with a nursing home medical mismanagement lawyer serving Bowie, (410) 547-0202 for a free case evaluation.
Compensation for Medical Mismanagement
Financial compensation could be available to the victims of medical mismanagement in a nursing home. The specific damages a nursing home resident recovers will depend on the outcome of the error.Some of the damages that might be available include:
Past and Future Medical Costs
Medical mismanagement can require additional medical care beyond what the nursing home resident already required. Treating a condition that has worsened due to mismanagement can be costly, but financial compensation could be available. These monetary damages could pay for both past and future expenses related to medical mismanagement.
Pain and Suffering
Your loved one’s pain and suffering could also result in a monetary award if it is related to a medical mistake. This pain might fade over time, or itcould be chronicdue to medical issues like nerve damage. The extent of this pain will determine the value of a pain and suffering claim.
Relocation Expenses
Most people that face medical mismanagement in a nursing home no longer feel safe living at that facility. Relocating to a different nursing home might be the best option for your loved one, but it could also be costly. A successful civil lawsuit could provide monetary compensation that covers the cost of relocating to a new nursing home.
What Are Common Types of Medical Mismanagement?
Medical mismanagement is a broad term that relates to a number of different issues. It covers any failure by the nursing home to provide the medical care that a resident requires. Mismanagement can happen due to mistakes by the treating physician, or it can occur thanks to mistakes made by nursing home staff.
Prescription Medication Errors
Most nursing home residents require daily medication. Administering this medication for numerous elderly patients is a complicated process, and any mistake could have significant complications. These errors could involve the failure to provide medication, giving the wrong dosage, mixing up the prescriptions of two different residents, or the failure to check for dangerous drug interactions before prescribing medication.
Missed or Delayed Diagnosis
It is important for nursing home staff to accurately diagnose medical issues in a timely manner. When diagnosis errors occur, they can disrupt an entire treatment plan and put a resident’s life at risk. These issues could involve missing a diagnosis entirely or delaying an accurate diagnosis beyond a reasonable amount of time.
Use of Medical Restraints
There are times when the use of medical restraints is necessary in a nursing home setting. Unfortunately, some nursing homes rely on restraints when they are unreasonable or unnecessary. This includes both physical as well as chemical restraints (i.e., restraining the resident by using a drug, such as a sedative).
Failure To Treat
Similar to a delayed diagnosis, the lack of treatment could have dramatic health consequences for your loved one. The failure to treat your loved one could result from the carelessness of a medical provider or mistakes made by the nursing home staff.
Time Limits on Filing a Lawsuit
As is the case with all lawsuits filed in Bowie, there are legal deadlines that must be complied with regarding a nursing home medical mismanagement case. If your loved one waits too long to file a lawsuit, they could miss out on their opportunity to seek justice. This is true even when the facts of the case are in their favor.
The deadline that applies to these cases is referred to as the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is governed by §5-109 of Md. Code. In most cases, the statute gives the victims of medical mismanagement three years to file a lawsuit if they suffered injuries or illnesses. However, there are times when this deadline could be extended.
If a nursing home resident is not immediately aware of the harm they have suffered due to medical mismanagement, they could have more time to file a lawsuit. In those cases, they have up to five years to move forward with legal action.
Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a with a nursing home medical mismanagement lawyer serving Bowie.
Take Advantage of a Free Consultation
Dealing with the consequences of medical mismanagement can be both challenging and confusing. If you and your loved ones have questions about possible legal action, an initial consultation with an attorney could provide you with the answers you need.
Our firm understands that your questions are important. Without having all of the information, it can be impossible to make the right decisions regarding a potential lawsuit. For that reason, the initial consultation with our firm is always free.
During your consultation, you have the chance to ask about the viability of your loved one’s case. Our firm can also provide answers to basic questions about the legal system and what to expect from the process. The opportunity to speak with an attorney at no cost is rare, so it is important to ensure all of your questions are answered during this meeting.
Your Loved One Deserves Responsive Legal Counsel
Your loved one should not have to bear the burden of medical mismanagement on their own. If they are living with health consequences as the result of medical mismanagement, a civil lawsuit could be the best option. A successful lawsuit could provide fair compensation and a sense of justice for a nursing home resident.
If you are considering legal action, now is the time to speak to a Bowie nursing home medical mismanagement attorney. The team at Brown & Barron understands the serious nature of these errors, and we look forward to advocating for the nursing home resident in your life.
Reach out right away for a free consultation.