South Side of Chicago Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer

Attorney for Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse in Harvey, Dolton, and Riverdale

When your family member resides in a nursing home or assisted living facility, staff members should provide them with appropriate care, ensuring that their needs are met at all times. This includes providing proper nutrition, addressing medical issues, and ensuring that they get enough physical exercise and social interaction. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are understaffed, or they do not provide employees with the proper training, and as a result, residents can suffer serious injuries because of neglect. In some cases, patients may even suffer abuse at the hands of staff members or other residents. These forms of nursing home negligence can cause long-lasting harm, and they may even lead to a person's wrongful death.

If your loved one has experienced nursing home abuse or neglect, you will want to work with an attorney to hold the nursing home responsible for their injuries. Kadzai Law Group, LLC provides dedicated representation to families in these situations. Attorney David Kadzai has over 10 years of experience in the field of personal injury law, and he can help you understand the steps you should take to address these issues and achieve justice for your family.

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse on Chicago's South Side

Every year, the Illinois Department of Public Health addresses hundreds of violations of the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. The South Side of Chicago is no stranger to these types of cases, and nursing homes in Harvey, Dolton, and surrounding areas have been cited for failure to protect the health and safety of their residents. Some of the issues that may affect patients in Cook County nursing homes include:

• Fall injuries - Residents with mobility issues may require assistance when getting into or out of bed or moving throughout a nursing home. Failure to properly monitor these patients can lead them to fall and suffer injuries such as broken bones, dislocated joints, or traumatic brain injuries. Residents may also suffer falls if there are hazards in a nursing home, such as slippery floors, torn carpets, or improper lighting.
• Bedsores and pressure ulcers - When patients are bedridden or spend most of their time sitting down, they may suffer painful sores on parts of their body that experience constant pressure, such as the heels, buttocks, back, or shoulders. If staff members fail to ensure that patients adjust their position regularly, or if bedsores are not properly treated, these wounds can become infected and result in even more serious injuries.
• Dehydration and malnutrition - If staff members do not ensure that residents receive the proper nutrition or drink enough water, this can cause them to experience significant weight loss and fatigue, and it may lead to mental and emotional concerns such as depression, confusion, and memory loss.
• Medication errors - Patients may be administered the wrong medicines, which can lead to dangerous side effects or allergic reactions. If staff members do not make sure residents are taking medications properly, medical conditions may go untreated, leading to health risks and complications.
• Infections and sepsis - Failure to keep a nursing home clean and prevent the spread of infectious diseases can be very dangerous to elderly residents. Any wounds experienced by a patient should be properly cleaned and dressed to prevent infections. Failure to do so could lead to sepsis, in which an infection spreads throughout the bloodstream.
• Physical, verbal, and sexual abuse - Sadly, nursing home residents are often intentionally harmed by staff members or other residents. Patients with Alzheimer's or dementia are especially susceptible to abuse, since they may struggle to communicate what has happened to them. Abuse may include physically striking a patient, yelling at them or mocking them, or taking sexual advantage of them.

Contact a Dixmoor Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney

In many cases, what may seem like small lapses in the care provided by a nursing home can have a significant effect on a resident's health, especially when combined with other factors. A failure to properly treat an issue such as a minor bedsore could lead to an infection that affects a person's overall health and mobility, leading to more serious injuries or even resulting in death. In these cases, it is important to work with an experienced attorney who can examine all of the evidence and identify the forms of negligence that caused harm to a patient.

To learn how Attorney David Kadzai can help hold a negligent nursing home responsible for your loved one's injuries, contact our office at 312-229-0050. Your initial consultation is free, and we will not charge any fees unless we collect compensation in your case. We serve clients throughout Cook County and the south side of Chicago, including Hyde Park, Harvey, Dolton, Riverdale, Dixmoor, Calumet Heights, Robbins, Hyde Park, Calumet City, Burnham, Merrionette Park, Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Burbank, Bedford Park, and Jackson Park.