Watch for bedsores/pressure wounds, dehydration or weight loss, bruises or unexplained injuries, recurrent infections (including sepsis), unpaid bills or sudden financial changes, and overall decline without explanation. If something feels off, it often is – document concerns and contact counsel promptly.

Responsibility can extend to the facility owner/operator, management company, on-site medical providers, outside pharmacies, transportation vendors, and staffing agencies. We investigate each link in the chain of care to identify every accountable party.

Preventable failures such as missed fall precautions; inadequate turning/repositioning leading to pressure injuries; poor nutrition/hydration; medication errors; delayed diagnosis/treatment of infections (including sepsis); insufficient supervision leading to elopement/wandering; and unsafe transport practices.

Immediately. Early action helps preserve records, interview witnesses, and secure critical evidence. Legal deadlines vary by state and claim type and can be as short as two years, so acting quickly protects your rights.

“Unavoidable” injuries are often preventable with proper staffing, assessments, and protocols (e.g., fall prevention, pressure-injury prevention, prompt infection care). We compare what should have been done with what actually happened to show negligence.

Depending on the case, damages may include medical bills, future care needs, pain and suffering, and in wrongful death – funeral costs and support for surviving family members.

A well-run nursing facility will have instituted preventative protocols, which are tied into periodic assessments of special resident conditions and risks. These protocols may cover the following:

Staff training and education: All staff should be aware of high-risk residents, signs of increased injury risks and preventative strategies.

Adequate staffing: Key to injury prevention is adequate monitoring, which is hard to accomplish when a facility is understaffed.

Fall-proofing the facility: Changes within the nursing home can make it easier for residents to get around safely. Such changes include the generous installation of grab bars, raised toilet seats, lowered beds and handrails in the hallways.

Exercise programs: These help to improve residents’ strength and mobility.

Working with residents on anti-injury strategies: Residents without cognitive impairments may benefit from help in planning for scenarios where injuries are more likely.

Room checks: The more frequently staff check in with high-risk residents, the less likely they will be to attempt to use the bathroom or do difficult tasks on their own.