December 11, 2013 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Signs of Milwaukee Nursing Home Abuse

Be sure you know the warning signs of elder abuse

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.

There aren’t many numbers on Milwaukee nursing home abuse, but that is to be expected: The statistics on nursing home abuse are hard to come by. It’s difficult to say how prevalent the problem might be, because those who are on the receiving end of the neglect and abuse are often unable to express themselves or even understand what is happening to them. Thus, it requires careful attention from Wisconsin families to make sure that the loved one they have placed in a nursing home is not the victim of abuse or neglect.

Some of the signs of potential elder abuse are relatively straightforward: bruises, burns or pressure marks could be indications of wrongdoing. Another form of nursing home abuse is emotional abuse. If people have markedly different attitudes toward things they used to enjoy, or are sleeping much more than normal, family members might want to check into the well-being of their loved one.

Another kind of abuse that is a possibility is sexual abuse. Indicators of this type of abuse might include unexplained bruises around the breasts or genital areas. These sorts of injuries may be embarrassing for the elderly to discuss, even with family members, but they cannot be ignored. The behavior that leads to these sorts of injuries is completely unacceptable in a care facility — or any other setting.

At a minimum, family members who suspect nursing home abuse on the part of caregivers can complain to administrators at the facility. This may not solve the problem, however; families may wish to consider speaking with an experienced nursing home abuse attorney if their concerns are not resolved in a timely manner.

Source: National Center on Elder Abuse, “Frequently Asked Questions,” retrieved Dec. 11, 2013

If you were injured due to nursing home abuse, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

March 26, 2013 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Nursing Home Negligence Information for Milwaukee Families

Discerning sufferings from age and sufferings from abuse in nursing homes

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Tuesday, March 26, 2013.

Understanding when an elderly loved one is simply exhibiting signs of an aging mind and body, and when they are exhibiting signs of abuse in a nursing home can be difficult. However, there are some warning signs to remain on high alert for that could indicate a loved one is being abused rather than simply reflecting their age.

Of course, physical markings, bruises and cuts should raise alarm. Bruising and small cuts are not unusual on elderly individuals, but an individual should be particularly concerned if their loved one has these signs on areas that are not highly visible like the upper back or thighs. Another serious problem in nursing homes is dehydration or malnutrition. If the resident is losing weight or experiences a significant loss of muscle strength, this could be a sign of staff failing to get the residents enough to eat and drink.

Ultimately, in such scenarios a loved one will really have to rely on their intuition, and assessment of the situation and their elderly loved one. If a family member senses that something is off, ask questions of the staff.

An associate dean of research that studies long-term care at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Nursing says, “I have never seen a place with strong, involved leadership that had bad care.” This means that the staff should be familiar with policies and improvements. Accordingly, nursing home staff should be present and available, press them for answers in instances of concern. If the staff doesn’t know and doesn’t want to help, this could be an indication of a serious problem.

If an individual ever has suspicions that their loved one is being neglected or abused at a nursing home in Wisconsin and asking questions does not yield answers, more may need to be done. When answers are not forth coming, it could be critical to speak with an experiencedMilwaukee personal injury attorney to protect an individual’s elderly loved one.

Source: U.S. News and World Report, “9 Warning Signs of Bad Care,” Kurtis Hiatt, Feb. 26, 2013

March 5, 2013 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Shocking Elder Abuse Case Near Milwaukee

Elderly patient left to die in pain due to medication error

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Tuesday, March 5, 2013.

It is always difficult to place a loved one in the care of a nursing home in Wisconsin or anywhere else. At times when an individual becomes too infirm to care for themselves, families trust that a nursing home will tend to their loved one, keeping them well and safe from harm. Unfortunately, elderly individuals are often subjected to substandard care, neglect and even abuse due to budget cuts, understaffing and the hiring of individuals that are ill equipped for the position.

A nursing home operating out of state is currently undergoing the process of decertification following the uncovering of what would be considered nightmarish conditions for any individual in a nursing home. The nursing home is being shut down after an egregious lapse in care that led to scores of problems, including residents being left in their own waste for hours, dozens of falls, neglect and multiple medication errors that led to deaths.

One staff member reports that he failed to feed a resident because he ran out of time before the end of his shift. An investigation uncovered numerous instances of improper transcriptions and medication errors. One resident that was in an immense amount of pain was not administered the proper pain medication even when family was pleading with staff.

That resident died in an extreme and unnecessary amount of agony. It is heart breaking to hear of cases like this. When a defenseless and elderly loved one is similarly made to suffer like this in Wisconsin, a devastated family often feels angry and seeks answers. In such instances, there can be legal recourse because every patient deserves the highest standard of care.

A grieving family can file a claim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Wisconsin. The process for financially recovering follow a lapse in care from a nursing home is governed by varying laws, which can be confusing. Accordingly, it is best to speak with an experienced Milwaukee personal injury attorney.

Source: The Tennessean, “Madison nursing home gave patient wrong doses time and again,” Walter F. Roche Jr., Feb. 26, 2013

December 5, 2012 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Horrific Case of Nursing Home Neglect Too Close to Wisconsin

Nursing home resident in Illinois found with maggot infestation in ear

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Wednesday, December 5, 2012.

In an absolutely horrific case that took place outside of Wisconsin, doctors removed 57 maggots from the ear of a 92-year-old woman that is unable to care for herself and resided at a nursing home. Reportedly, the woman was supposed to receive ear drops for treatment of what the nursing staff thought was wax build up, but the attorney the family hired questions how if the woman was receiving the prescribed treatment no one noticed the maggot infestation for days.

The elderly woman suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and had to undergo surgery to remove the maggots from her ear. The entire ordeal has been very emotionally taxing for both her, her husband and their family. The woman’s 88-year-old husband said of this egregious occurrence, “I was horrified, shocked. I thought it was terrible. I’m paying all this money for that kind of care — no way.”

Every resident deserves the highest standard of care, regardless of age. It is critical that the most vulnerable of patients within our society, like this woman, are protected from harm, neglect and mistreatment. When nursing home staff fails to do this, thereby breaking the trust a family places in their care, the nursing home can be held accountable.

The family of this woman is suing the nursing home where this woman was residing for emotional distress and negligence. Further, the woman has since been moved to another facility where the family hopes she will be looked after and cared for properly — basic expectations that the previous care facility failed to satisfy.

Source: CBS News, “92-year-old has 57 maggots removed from ear, family sues nursing home,” Ryan Jaslow, Nov. 30, 2012

Our firm has experience handling cases like this in Wisconsin. For more information, please visit our Milwaukee nursing home abuse page. Or, for a free consultation, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

October 3, 2012 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Protecting Nursing Home Residents of Milwaukee

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Wednesday, October 3, 2012.

Nursing home residents of Milwaukee deserve to be cared for this respect and dignity. The old adage goes that we should respect our elders. Unfortunately, in practice it seems that in today’s society our elders, among the most vulnerable members of society, are often an overlooked and sometimes mistreated group. When the difficult decision is made to place an elderly and loved family member into a nursing home, families should not be plagued by doubt and worry regarding the care they will receive.

It is disturbing how often in Wisconsin we read of nursing home neglect and abuse. Recently, in a report focused on an out-of-state nursing home, several egregious violations were reported. One elderly woman that was living in the nursing home reports that when her roommate died, the body was not removed for several hours. The poor woman left in the company of her deceased roommate was severely distressed and eventually had to close a curtain to obstruct her view of the body.

Instances of sexual abuse, malnutrition and dehydration are not uncommon and were reported in this nursing home as well. In another out-of-state nursing home, one resident wandered off of the grounds when security features were not put in place. The resident could not be found for almost 24 hours.

Often, facilities cite begin under staffed as the cause of most infractions. This is no comfort considering that the elderly population is expected to increase four-fold by 2040. This is an issue that needs to be addressed to protect vulnerable members of our society now and in the future. Families in Wisconsin do have various means of holding nursing homes accountable in instances in which their family members are being neglected or abused.

Source: Petaluma Patch, “Multiple Violations Found at Petaluma Nursing Homes,” Karina Ioffee, Sept. 10, 2012

Our firm handles similar cases. For more information, please visit our Milwaukee nursing home abuse page. If you need legal representation for a case of nursing home abuse, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. for a free consultation.

March 6, 2012 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Shocking Story from Milwaukee Facility Negligence Lawyers

Nursing home cited for five federal violations

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Tuesday, March 6, 2012.

It can be scary to see an ill family member taking a turn for the worse. It’s also frightening when medical staff at a nursing home is slow to respond to pleas for help.

One Wisconsin woman says that’s what happened at the Mineral Point nursing home last year. She says her mother, who is 92, was experiencing trouble breathing. She and her husband were afraid her mother was suffering a heart attack.

According to Channel 3000, the woman alerted a certified nursing assistant of the problem and asked her to call 911. The staff member responded that she couldn’t call 911 and that a doctor would be alerted.

The woman says she repeatedly asked for 911 to be called, and a call was ultimately placed after they waited. The elderly woman’s pulse was reportedly in the 30s when she arrived at an emergency room.

The nursing home was ultimately cited for five federal violations relating to various problems. State investigators also noted that the clinical records at the facility were poorly maintained and not up to standard. Still, it received no fine or other penalties.

That’s something the woman and other advocates want changed. The woman’s husband believes there should have been more penalties, and that the lack of follow through “sends a message that you don’t have to change your attitude, you don’t have to change your policy,” he tells Channel 3000.

The administrator for the Division of Quality Assurance in the Department of Health Services admits that he thinks state should have done more, and that perhaps policy changes are in order.

Source: Channel 3000, “Woman wants better oversight of nursing homes,” March 1, 2012

Do you need legal assistance from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney for a case of nursing home abuse? Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today for a free initial consultation.