While a civil lawsuit is one remedy for families who have been victimized by nursing home abuse, some cases are so egregious that abusers can be held criminally liable. According to a recent report of nursing home abuse, a 99-year-old man was abused by hired home health aides. Children of the elderly man claim that eventually, the abuse led to the patient’s death. The family caught the horrific abuse on surveillance videos and will be using the tapes as evidence in a civil lawsuit.
Family members of the victim say home health aides hired to provide around the clock care for the elderly man were negligent and abusive. According to the lawsuit, they left the man unattended and unable to fend for himself after he suffered a fall that left him with fractures and serious head injuries. Our Fort Lauderdale nursing home attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of victims and their families. In the event of nursing home negligence or abuse, we will take a strategic approach to collect just compensation and file necessary claims against offenders.
According to the lawsuit, the elderly man died from injuries related to his fall after the nursing home aides failed to help him or provide care. After the accident, the man never recovered enough to return to his home. The incidents were captured on video and reviewed. Family installed the cameras after the man requested to stay in his home with around the clock care with hired help. After his wife died in 2012, he suffered from physical ailments but was in stable condition. Five children who lived in the area visited their father regularly to ensure that he was getting proper care. They also accessed live feeds of the cameras from their computers and cell phones to ensure that their father was okay.
The lawsuit indicates that home health aides were aware of the cameras, but showed disregard for the man instead of care. In one clip, the aid showed indifference after the man fell from his wheelchair and called for help. The home heath aid refused to pick him up off of the floor. An attorney on behalf of the plaintiff said the incidents indicated one of the worst cases of neglect and abuse ever caught on tape.
The lawsuit accuses health aides and health aide companies of negligent, reckless and misconduct that is akin to criminal behavior. Even though the elderly man could still bath himself, brush his teeth, and eat, the nursing aides were only required to make sure that he was safe and help him walk. The defendants in this case failed to provide a response as a result of the pending litigation but also said that the company would not tolerate staff members who failed to provide appropriate care to the vulnerable aging population. Sadly, the patient who was abused ultimately died from his injuries.
Freeman Injury Law — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
A Silent Killer: Untreated Bedsores Can Be Lethal, June 5, 2014, Broward County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
Alzheimer Patients Especially Vulnerable to Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect, April 15, 2014, Hollywood Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog