Pittsburgh Home Health Care Injury Lawyer

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Home Health Care Injury Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

At-home care is important in the lives of many individuals, especially elderly or disabled patients. It ensures individuals get proper care while also maintaining independence and a comfortable living environment. Unfortunately, improper care, deliberate neglect, or even abuse can occur in these circumstances, leaving patients with injuries or diseases. A Pittsburgh home healthcare injury lawyer can help you hold healthcare providers liable for your injuries.

Pittsburgh Home Healthcare Injury Attorney at Ainsman Levine, LLC

At Ainsman Levine, LLC, we provide comprehensive and effective legal representation to older adults and their families. By personalizing our legal advice and strategies to your unique situation, we can guide you through the process of holding home health care providers accountable for their careless actions and pursuing compensation for your loved one’s injuries.

Since 1993, we’ve represented Western and Central Pennsylvania accident victims and their families. We have secured numerous successful outcomes for our clients, including a $1.2 million result for medical negligence. These past results don’t guarantee a result for your case, but they can demonstrate the work we put in for our clients. Let us help you protect the legal rights of your loved one. Contact our office today and request a free consultation to learn more.

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What Are Home Health Care Services?

Home health care is medical care provided to a patient in their own home. These services can be a lifesaver for older adults and their family members, allowing cherished loved ones to remain comfortable in their homes while giving them access to physical and mental medical assistance.

Often, these services give older family members a sense of independence, allowing them to avoid living in a nursing home or long-term care facility while giving them access to medical services, therapy, and supervision.

Older individuals who have suffered a serious illness or injury like a heart attack, stroke, broken bone, or cancer may also benefit from home health care services to help them get healthy and back on their feet again.

Some providers even offer services for individuals suffering from cognitive decline like Alzheimer’s or dementia, which may put them at risk of injuring themselves. At-home care is also useful for those with physical disabilities and intensive medical needs that require significant treatment and care.

Not only do these services benefit older individuals physically, but they can also help them mentally and emotionally, holding off loneliness and giving them someone to talk to and interact with.

Issues Involving Home Health Aides and Services

Home health caregivers should provide adequate supervision and support to the older individuals they serve. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen, and these aides and caregivers may provide substandard medical care, assistance, or supervision, risking the health and safety of the people they care for. Older individuals and disabled individuals, especially those with physical or cognitive impairments, are vulnerable to abuse and neglect by caregivers.

Some of the most common incidents that can happen due to home health aide abuse or neglect include:

  • Falls due to lack of assistance
  • Slipping in the shower due to inadequate supervision or lack of assistive devices (not putting a shower chair in its proper place)
  • Prescription medication errors
  • Bedsores from not moving immobilized or physically impaired patients
  • Failing to conduct a home safety assessment
  • Failing to treat medical needs
  • Failing to help with basic hygiene
  • Failing to administer required medications
  • Failing to treat medical conditions or wounds
  • Failing to seek help for medical emergencies
  • Medical or van transport accidents
  • Medical or van transport lift injuries

In the United States, unintentional falls led to 1.85 million hospitalizations in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also reported 2,487 deaths in Pennsylvania from unintentional falls the same year.

Falls are unfortunately common for elderly and disabled individuals receiving home healthcare. A report by the Office of the Inspector General stated that 55% of falls in home healthcare were not reported despite meeting reporting requirements in 2023.

Injuries Caused by At-Home Care Negligence

Injuries that can result from these situations can include:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Open sores and wounds
  • Bedsores and pressure sores
  • Infections
  • Diseases
  • Choking
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Lacerations
  • Abrasions
  • Contusions
  • Wrongful death

Some individuals, afraid they will need to leave their home for a nursing home or long-term care facility, do not report issues of abuse or neglect. Instead, they keep family members in the dark about home health worker issues. It may be up to you to advocate for the best interests of your loved one. If you notice unusual injuries, a family member becomes withdrawn, or you have concerns about their health and safety, talk to a skilled attorney immediately.

Pennsylvania Home Care Agency Regulations

Before an agency can provide home health care services, it must obtain a license and adhere to all Pennsylvania home care agency regulations. Home health care agencies and home care registries must:

  • Pass a competency examination developed for Healthcare Agencies (HCAs) and Healthcare Registries (HCRs).
  • Complete at least one of the following programs: a nurse aide certification, a home health aide training program, a training program meeting HCA/HCR standards, or a program approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
  • Ensure all direct care workers comply with competency requirements.
  • Maintain documentation showing that all staff have undergone a criminal background check.
  • Review direct care worker competency annually.

The Commonwealth requires all home health aides to undergo formal training and certification as outlined by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. These programs provide classroom and supervised practical training.

Home health aides or HHAs are medical assistants who support older adults and those recovering from significant injuries or illnesses in a residential setting like the person’s private home.

These medical assistants must demonstrate numerous medical and caregiving skills and undergo professional training. However, they do not need to be registered nurses. Registered nurses include certified nursing assistants or licensed practical nurses who must pass more rigorous medical training.

Common Causes of Home Health Cases of Abuse and Neglect

Home health aides are responsible for caring for vulnerable individuals who need extra support and care in their homes. Unfortunately, not all HHAs are up to caring for individuals with unique medical and cognitive needs. Some of the most common causes of injuries in the home health care sector include:

  • Poor training or lack of experience
  • Failure of the home health care agency to perform a background check
  • Failure of an HHA to maintain its license
  • Understaffing leading to overworked employees or insufficient care for patients
  • Caregiver burnout from overworking, insufficient breaks, or other issues
  • Negligence from agencies or employees

Substandard care can lead to significant injuries for older adults.

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How Can a Pennsylvania Attorney Help?

At Ainsman Levine, LLC, our compassionate personal injury attorneys want to advocate for you and protect your loved one’s legal rights. We start by listening to your concerns and thoroughly investigating the cause of your loved one’s injuries. We talk with your loved ones to assess their side of things. Next, we use our extensive legal knowledge and local resources to pursue maximum compensation for their injuries and losses.

We aim to hold home health care agencies and their caregivers accountable for their actions and help your loved one get back on the right track.

Our priority is your family’s health and safety. We are proud of our long track record of delivering results and believe our clients’ success stories speak for themselves.

Resources for Pennsylvania Families

Watching a family member struggle or suffer can be painful. However, many people don’t know where to start when looking for help. In addition to contacting an attorney to help your loved one as soon as possible, there are also other resources that can help you and your family. This includes:

FAQs

Q: What Is the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury From Home Healthcare Services in Pennsylvania?

A: The statute of limitations for personal injury caused by negligent or abusive home healthcare services in Pennsylvania is two years from the date of the injury. This deadline is important to be aware of, because if you do not file a civil claim in time, you will be barred from recovering compensation. If you or someone you love was injured because of the carelessness of at-home healthcare providers, you need to act quickly to file your claim.

Q: What Is Home Health Aide Negligence?

A: Home health aide negligence includes several behaviors that fail to meet an aide’s professional standard of care in their field. This includes failing to prevent or report falls; failing to ensure clean living quarters, which can cause infection; or prescription errors like failing to assess interactions or giving a patient incorrect doses.

Any failure of an at-home care provider to meet the standards of their profession can be considered negligence, depending on the circumstances.

Q: When Is It Important to Hire a Home Healthcare Injury Lawyer in Pittsburgh?

A: It’s important to hire a home healthcare injury lawyer in Pittsburgh when you or someone you love has been injured or developed an illness, and you believe this occurred because of the carelessness or deliberate abuse by an at-home healthcare provider. A lawyer can help you take the next steps, like filing a claim with the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania Civil Division in Pittsburgh. They can help you hold a negligent caregiver responsible.

Q: Do You Need a Home Healthcare Injury Lawyer to File a Claim in Pennsylvania?

A: While it isn’t required, it is generally very beneficial to work with a home healthcare injury lawyer to file a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania. It improves your chances of a successful claim with fair compensation for your injuries and other losses. An attorney can assess your situation to determine if you have the grounds for a claim. They can help you gather evidence and other key information to create a stronger claim, advocating for you in court.

Contact a Pennsylvania Attorney Today for Help

Older adults using home health care deserve to be safe from harm or mistreatment. If you suspect abuse or neglect on the part of a home health care agency or home health aide, it is time to get your family member the help they need.

The legal team at Ainsman Levine, LLC, offers you and your family comprehensive legal advice and moral support during this challenging time. Contact our office and request a free consultation to review your legal options for pursuing compensation for your loved one’s injuries.

Ainsman Levine, LLC

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Injured & Their
Families

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Helping Those Injured & Their Families
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