Holding Facilities Accountable for Preventable Harm and Wrongful Death

Nursing homes are entrusted with the daily care of people who cannot safely care for themselves. When that trust is broken through neglect, the harm is often severe and sometimes irreversible.

General nursing home neglect is not always dramatic or immediately obvious. It is often the steady erosion of basic care. Missed turning. Missed meals. Missed medications. Delayed responses to changes in condition. Over time, these failures compound and place residents in life-threatening danger.

At McEldrew Purtell, we investigate whether catastrophic injuries and deaths were the result of preventable neglect rather than unavoidable decline.

What Is Nursing Home Neglect?

Neglect occurs when a facility fails to provide the care and services necessary to maintain a resident’s physical and emotional well-being. Federal and state regulations require nursing homes to provide adequate supervision, assistance with activities of daily living, proper nutrition and hydration, medical monitoring, and a safe environment.

When facilities fail to meet these obligations, residents may suffer:

• Severe dehydration or malnutrition
• Untreated infections and sepsis
• Pressure injuries
• Falls with fractures or head trauma
• Medication mismanagement
• Poor hygiene and skin breakdown
• Emotional withdrawal or psychological harm

Neglect is often systemic. Chronic understaffing, poor training, and breakdowns in communication create conditions where vulnerable residents are left unattended or improperly monitored.

When Neglect Leads to Wrongful Death

Wrongful death claims arise when a resident’s death is caused by negligent care that fell below accepted standards.

Nursing homes must assess risks, create care plans, and implement interventions to prevent foreseeable harm. When they fail to do so and a resident dies as a result, legal accountability may follow.

Common scenarios include:

• Failure to recognize and treat sepsis
• Failure to monitor high-risk residents for falls
• Failure to provide adequate nutrition or hydration
• Failure to respond to changes in vital signs or mental status
• Failure to obtain timely medical evaluation

These cases are not about aging. They are about whether a facility ignored warning signs, failed to follow its own policies, or prioritized cost control over resident safety.

Accountability Matters

Nursing home neglect cases are about more than compensation. They are about ensuring that facilities uphold the standards required to protect vulnerable residents.

When neglect leads to catastrophic injury or loss of life, families deserve answers. They deserve transparency. And they deserve accountability.

If you suspect that a loved one’s injury or death was caused by general nursing home neglect, McEldrew Purtell can help you understand your options and pursue a claim grounded in facts, medicine, and the law. Contact McEldrew Purtell to discuss your concerns and explore your legal options.