Pittsburgh Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer

Nursing Home Negligence Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

If you’ve found evidence of neglect at your elderly loved one’s nursing home, then you need to hire a Pittsburgh nursing home negligence lawyer you can trust.

Choosing a nursing home or assisted living center in Western or Central Pennsylvania for an elderly loved one is often a challenging task. After dedicating time to significant research and facility visits, even your strongest choice may prove disappointing in the level of care and attention provided to residents.

It is an unfortunate fact that many nursing homes are run by MBAs instead of health care providers and trained professional staff. Though investors of private long-term care facilities make a great deal of money, the level of care and compassion for the elderly and infirm residents rarely meet the expectations that family members were promised.

At Ainsman Levine, LLC, our team helps families protect their vulnerable loved ones. We work tirelessly to protect their rights and advocate fiercely for the compensation they’re entitled to.

Common Ways Nursing Home Negligence Happens

With almost 12% of those in nursing homes experiencing neglect, it’s important to note that negligence in nursing homes often develops from systemic failures, as opposed to isolated incidents, and understanding these underlying issues can help families recognize when they might have a nursing home negligence case on their hands. These common failures include:

• Unsafe supervision, where patients are left unattended during transfers, while using the restroom, bathing, or during ambulation.
• Care-plan failures, where staff fail to follow the resident’s care plan, which could include provisions based on their fall risk, their nutrition, their skin integrity, and their mobility.
• Medication management breakdowns, where missed doses, incorrect timing, incorrect dosage, and poor monitoring for side effects cause harm.
• Infection control and hygiene lapses, where unclean rooms or linens, delayed wound care, and untreated infections cause suffering.
• Improper restraint, where unnecessary physical restraints or chemical restraints, like over-sedation, harm the resident.
• Facility safety failures, where issues like wet floors, broken equipment, inadequate call-light response, and poor overall maintenance cause distress and damage to the resident.

Each of these failures can lead to harm and could constitute a violation of nursing home negligence laws. At Ainsman Levine, LLC, our team investigates every possible systemic failure in order to build strong nursing home negligence cases and secure the care and compensation that the resident deserves.

Experienced Western and Central Pennsylvania Nursing Home Injury Lawyers

Death is a frequent and expected occurrence at long-term care facilities serving the elderly and terminally ill. However, too many deaths occur — or are premature — because of negligence or lack of general observation and care by untrained staff. If your loved one died unexpectedly in a nursing home in Western or Central Pennsylvania, it is possible that your family has a claim for negligence against the owners or contracted care providers.

Strong Advocates for the Suffering

Not all nursing home injuries are caused by negligent care or professional malpractice. However, when certain injuries occur, the underlying cause can often be traced to improper care and safety procedures. Please contact our firm if you notice or suspect any of the following:

• Medication errors
• Drops and falls
• Bedsores and infection/sepsis
• Broken bones and dislocated joints
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Sexual or physical assault
• Escapes from the building and wanders

If your loved one suffered injury or death due to nursing home negligence and malpractice in Pennsylvania, you have a legal advocate at Ainsman Levine, LLC, in Pittsburgh. We offer a free consultation with an attorney where you can share concerns and have your questions answered.

FAQs

Q: What Types of Compensation Could Be Available in a Nursing Home Negligence Case?

A: The types of compensation that could be available in a nursing home negligence case include medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and damages for pain, suffering, or the loss of quality of life. In some cases, families could even recover damages for emotional distress or wrongful death if the resident passes away. The types of compensation you could be entitled to depend on the facts of your case.

Q: Can a Case Proceed if the Resident Signed Admission Paperwork?

A: In some situations, a case can proceed even if the resident signed admission paperwork. Admission agreements often include liability disclaimers or arbitration clauses. However, the court can review whether the documents were presented fairly, if they’re valid, and if they’re even enforceable under Pennsylvania law. Our team can examine these documents and advise families on their next steps.

Q: What Role Do State and Federal Regulators Play in Nursing Home Negligence Cases?

A: State and federal regulators oversee the licensing, inspections, and compliance of nursing homes. Their reports and citations can provide important evidence of unsafe practices or repeated violations, which could strengthen your claim. Their findings can highlight patterns of neglect, facility deficiencies, ignored corrective actions, and systemic failures.

Q: How Long Do Families Have to Bring a Nursing Home Neglect Claim in Pennsylvania?

A: The length of time that families have to bring a nursing home neglect claim in Pennsylvania is governed by the personal injury statute of limitations. That means that families typically have two years from either the date the injury occurred or when it was discovered. Because there are exceptions, it’s important to reach out to our team as soon as possible so that you don’t miss your deadline.

Hire a Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer: Handled on a Contingency Fee Basis

When you hire a nursing home negligence lawyer from our firm, you gain local advocates who represent those who are elderly and cannot defend themselves against neglect and abuse. We work to hold accountable those responsible for nursing home neglect and malpractice, including the administration, management, staff, and medical professionals.

Our team regularly practices before the Joseph F. Weis Jr. US Courthouse, the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, and the Allegheny County Magisterial District Courts, which gives us the local knowledge we need to navigate the procedures and expectations that can shape your claim.

At Ainsman Levine, LLC, our attorneys provide experienced and personalized legal services tailored to meet clients’ short and long-term needs and goals. We are Pittsburgh’s straight-talking personal injury lawyers.

Our offices are just off the Parkway, next to the City-County Building in downtown Pittsburgh. Contact us to discuss your questions and concerns with one of our experienced Pittsburgh nursing home negligence lawyers today. As long as this law firm represents you, there are no attorneys’ fees or costs if you do not recover money damages in a settlement or jury verdict.

We understand that your injuries or other circumstances may make it difficult for you to come to our offices in downtown Pittsburgh. Our lawyers can arrange to make home, office, and hospital visits throughout Western and Central Pennsylvania.