As our population ages, more families are placing their trust in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, memory care units, and other long-term care providers to care for their loved ones. Unfortunately, not every facility provides the level of care residents deserve. Neglect, abuse, understaffing, unsafe premises, medication errors, inadequate supervision, and poor hiring practices can lead to devastating injuries or even wrongful death. At the same time, the employees who care for elderly residents—including certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nurses, therapists, housekeeping staff, dietary workers, maintenance personnel, and transportation employees—face some of the highest workplace injury rates in the healthcare industry. If you or a loved one suffered injuries because of negligence at a nursing home or long-term care facility, or if you were injured while working in one of these facilities, Flynn Law is here to help. Our Elder Law Claims Lawyers represent injured residents and their families in personal injury and wrongful death claims while also assisting injured healthcare workers with workers’ compensation claims throughout New Jersey. We also serve clients in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York. Contact Flynn Law today for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights and options.
Plaintiff Claims Involving Nursing Homes
Residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities deserve safe, dignified, and compassionate care.
When facilities fail to meet accepted standards of care, residents may suffer preventable injuries and serious medical complications.
Common plaintiff claims involve:
- Nursing home negligence
- Elder neglect
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial exploitation
- Wrongful death
- Medication errors
- Failure to monitor residents
- Failure to prevent falls
- Inadequate supervision
- Delayed medical treatment
- Failure to transfer residents for emergency care
Facilities have a legal duty to provide appropriate care based upon each resident’s medical needs.
Nursing Home Falls
Falls remain one of the leading causes of serious injuries among nursing home residents.
Common causes include:
- Inadequate supervision
- Failure to implement fall precautions
- Wet floors
- Cluttered walkways
- Broken wheelchairs
- Defective walkers
- Unsafe transfers
- Poor lighting
- Broken handrails
- Failure to assist residents during ambulation
Many falls result in catastrophic injuries that significantly reduce a resident’s quality of life.
Pressure Ulcers and Bedsores
Pressure ulcers often develop when immobile residents are not repositioned regularly.
These injuries may indicate:
- Understaffing
- Inadequate nursing care
- Poor hygiene
- Failure to monitor skin integrity
- Improper wound care
- Nutritional neglect
Advanced pressure ulcers can become infected, require surgery, and lead to life-threatening complications.
Medication Errors
Medication mistakes may occur because of:
- Incorrect prescriptions
- Wrong dosages
- Missed medications
- Improper administration
- Pharmacy errors
- Failure to monitor adverse reactions
- Drug interactions
Medication errors can result in hospitalization, permanent injury, or death.
Abuse and Neglect
Sadly, some residents suffer intentional abuse or chronic neglect.
Examples include:
- Physical assaults
- Emotional abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Failure to provide hygiene
- Wandering incidents
- Elopement
- Failure to report injuries
Families should take any signs of abuse or neglect seriously and seek legal guidance immediately.
Workers’ Compensation Claims for Nursing Home Employees
Healthcare workers perform physically demanding jobs while caring for vulnerable residents.
Employees commonly injured include:
- Registered nurses
- Licensed practical nurses
- Certified nursing assistants
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Respiratory therapists
- Housekeeping staff
- Laundry workers
- Dietary employees
- Maintenance personnel
- Transportation staff
Many injuries occur despite employees following proper safety procedures.
Common Workplace Injuries
Workers’ compensation claims frequently involve:
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Hip injuries
- Knee injuries
- Torn rotator cuffs
- Herniated discs
- Muscle strains
- Slip and fall injuries
- Lifting injuries
- Patient transfer injuries
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Head injuries
- Fractures
These injuries can require extensive treatment and prevent employees from returning to work.
Workplace Violence
Healthcare workers unfortunately face increasing risks of violence in long-term care settings.
Employees may be injured by:
- Aggressive residents
- Combative patients
- Visitors
- Intruders
- Coworkers
Workers injured in workplace assaults may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits and, in some cases, additional claims against responsible third parties.
Infectious Disease Exposure
Employees may also be exposed to:
- COVID-19
- Influenza
- Tuberculosis
- MRSA
- C. difficile
- Hepatitis
- Bloodborne pathogens
Occupational disease claims may be available when workplace exposure results in illness.
Third-Party Liability
Not every workplace injury is limited to a workers’ compensation claim.
Additional claims may exist against:
- Equipment manufacturers
- Medical device companies
- Outside contractors
- Cleaning contractors
- Security companies
- Vendors
- Negligent motorists
- Property owners
These third-party claims may provide compensation beyond workers’ compensation benefits.
Compensation Available
Depending on the circumstances, injured residents, family members, or employees may recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Temporary disability benefits
- Permanent disability benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of earning capacity
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Wrongful death damages
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of companionship and support
The available compensation depends on the type of claim, the applicable law, and the facts of each case.
How Flynn Law Can Help
Claims involving nursing homes and long-term care facilities often require prompt investigations, preservation of medical records, expert review, and a thorough understanding of healthcare regulations and insurance issues. Flynn Law represents both families harmed by negligent nursing home care and employees injured while working in long-term care facilities.
Our attorneys investigate staffing records, medical documentation, surveillance footage, maintenance logs, incident reports, and witness statements to build strong cases on behalf of our clients. Whether your case involves a personal injury lawsuit, wrongful death claim, workers’ compensation benefits, or a third-party negligence action, we are committed to protecting your rights every step of the way.
Contact Flynn Law Today
If your loved one suffered injuries because of nursing home negligence or abuse, or if you were injured while working in a nursing home, assisted living facility, rehabilitation center, or other long-term care facility, do not delay in seeking legal advice. Important evidence can disappear quickly, and strict legal deadlines apply.
Contact Flynn Law today for a free consultation. Our experienced Elder Law Claims Lawyers proudly represent injured residents, grieving families, and healthcare workers throughout New Jersey while also serving clients in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York.