Private Investigation Finds Veterans Harmed At Department of Veteran Affairs Nursing Homes In 25 States.

Much has been done in recent years to combat verbal and physical abuse and expose those who engage in such activities. These efforts have focused on both our nation’s schools, where the dangers of bullying have become more apparent, and in adult settings such as the workplace or in marital scenarios. What generally gets neglected is the extent to which the elderly share in suffering from these abuses, particularly in nursing homes. Nursing home abuse has been found to be widespread. In such a situation, it may be wise to contact an expert nursing home abuse lawyer at 617-787-3700.

From April through December 2018, private investigators looked into the quality of care that veterans are receiving at nursing homes run by the Department of Veteran Affairs. They found that 52 out of the 99 nursing homes they studied had deficiencies that caused “actual harm” to veterans in those homes. These 52 homes span across 25 states, and the harm suffered by these veterans, generally bedsores, are easily prevented and treated.

However, the VA nursing homes frequently fail to take the proper steps in such situations. This study proved troubling for many, as veterans are a group that deserve the highest quality of care. While the Department of Veteran Affairs claim that the patients they receive are more “complicated” than other nursing homes, they also pledged to improve their care system throughout the country.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you may be entitled to significant monetary relief. Act now and contact an expert nursing home abuse attorney here at the Law Offices of Gilbert R. Hoy, Jr. and Affiliates. Call our Boston injury attorneys today at 617-787-3700 or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com for your free and private consultation. Your needs are our top priority!

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Peabody, MA Nursing Home Failed To Report Abuse, According To Reports.

Nursing home abuse is, at this point, a well-documented and persistent problem in nursing home facilities. Nursing homes may use a variety of methods to try and solve this problem, such as better hiring practices and monitoring of staff. When preventative measures fail, however, it is equally important that nursing homes have a system in place by which the victims of abuse can report the crime and feel safe doing so. In such a situation, it would be wise to contact an expert nursing home abuse attorney at 617-787-3700.

According to an investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Health, supervisors at a nursing home located in Peabody, MA failed to report, or even to investigate, several instances of abuse between patients, including sexual abuse. State inspectors only uncovered the abuse after responding to a complaint in November 2018. It was during this investigation that the Department discovered that despite complaints of abuse, the nursing home staff failed to take appropriate action. The Department of Public Health immediately halted admissions to the nursing home until they were able to come back into compliance with regulations, which they eventually did after the resignation of the nursing home’s administrator and director.

One example of the negligent behavior by the nursing home supervisors include downplaying the severity of an incident. The supervisors allegedly changed language in one of the reports to suggest that instead of being “grabbed,” one of the residents had merely been “hugged.” The nursing home has since “re-educated” itself on the proper protocol for these situations, according to the Department of Health.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of nursing home abuse, you may be entitled to significant monetary relief. Act now and contact an expert nursing home abuse attorney here at the Law Offices of Gilbert R. Hoy, Jr. and Affiliates to discuss your potential claim. Call our injury attorney specialists today at 617-787-3700 or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com for your free and private consultation. Your needs are our top priority!

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Proposed Regulations Would Levy Larger Fines For Nursing Home Abuse

In general, there are two main ways to deter undesirable activity. One way is to increase the monitoring of such an activity, such that people will be discouraged from participating given the knowledge that there is a greater likelihood of getting caught. The other way is to increase the punishment if one is caught. Neither method is perfectly effective, as the ongoing existence of all sorts of undesirable behavior demonstrates. However, it is certainly better than doing nothing at all, and is of particular relevance in the tort system, where undesirable behavior is the subject of many claims.

A recently proposed regulation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would impose hefty fines on nursing home staff who fail to report reasonable suspicion of abuse-related crimes. The regulation is supported by the American Healthcare Association, although its leaders note that the fines will do nothing to proactively prevent nursing home abuse. Moreover, some are worried that these regulations will create a “chilling effect” in the nursing home profession, as it “singles out nursing home staff” and “will prevent skilled and passionate individuals from working in nursing homes.”

Whatever the validity of that line of reasoning, the fact remains that nursing home abuse is a widespread issue, and the proposed measures taken by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services are at least attempting to curb the issue, even if the measures have their drawbacks.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of nursing home abuse, you may be entitled to significant monetary relief. Act now and contact an expert nursing home abuse attorney here at the Law Offices of Gilbert R. Hoy, Jr. and Affiliates to discuss your potential claim. Call our injury attorney specialists today at 617-787-3700 or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com for your free and private consultation. Your needs are our top priority!

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