Nursing home abuse

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South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyers

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Helping victims of nursing home abuse throughout the state

When an elderly individual is recovering from an injury or serious health condition and requires short-term care, they are often referred to something called a “rehabilitation facility.” These facilities are similar to nursing homes, where patients are treated for various health issues. Many patients check in and check out to these hospitals without issue.

However, a great deal of these centers are either poorly-managed or short-staffed – or both – which leads to insufficient care and can endanger the lives of the patients. If you or a loved one have suffered harm due to substandard care and negligence at a rehabilitation (or rehab) facility, you may be entitled to compensation, and the South Carolina attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC can help.

Free Case Evaluation

Call 803-327-7800 now or fill out the form above to schedule your free case evaluation.

How Can We Help

How Can We Help?

What is a senior rehabilitation hospital?

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A rehabilitation hospital is different from a nursing home in that it offers a place for recovery after injury or health issues. Per Knollwood Nursing Center, a senior rehab hospital:

…refers to the short-term or long-term care of seniors recovering from minor to complex health issues. After getting discharged from the hospital, a senior rehab facility offers a haven for recovery and high-quality living. The facility is both a healthcare and residential environment run by a team of physicians, registered nurses and nursing administrators, rehabilitation experts, an in-house dietician, social workers, and dedicated support staff and volunteers…[who] work together to help patients and their families get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Typically, senior rehab hospitals offer services like:

  • Rehabilitative therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Speech and language therapy
  • Wound care
  • Respiratory care
  • Pain management

Unlike nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals do not focus on long-term or terminal care, and their goal is to help get the patient back on their feet as soon as possible. However, like nursing homes, rehab hospitals can fall prey to the same problems – understaffing, negligence, and neglect.

What are the signs of senior rehab hospital neglect?

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Some of the signs and symptoms of rehabilitation hospital neglect to watch out for include:

Neglect and abuse can cause life-threatening injuries, including wrongful death.

Why do neglect and negligence happen in senior rehab facilities?

Neglect and negligence can happen in senior rehab facilities for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Staffing shortages. When facilities are understaffed, caregivers may be overwhelmed with their workloads, leading to rushed, incomplete, or neglected care. Staff may be unable to provide the proper attention and assistance to each patient.
  • High turnover. Constant staff turnover disrupts the continuity of care and the relationship between patient and caregiver. New employees may be unfamiliar with the specific care plan of patients, increasing the risk of medical errors or neglect.
  • Inadequate training. When staff isn’t trained properly, they can make errors in care or fail to respond appropriately to a patient’s needs. Further, without proper training, staff may be unequipped to handle complex medical conditions or emergencies.
  • Financial constraints. If a rehab hospital prioritizes finances over quality, it can compromise the level of care and contribute to neglect. This includes reducing staff and resources.
  • Lack of supervision. Facilities with poor management tend to suffer from a lack of oversight and accountability. Without proper monitoring, neglect and abuse can go both unnoticed and unaddressed.
  • Burnout and fatigue. In understaffed facilities, caring for adults with complex medical needs can become overwhelming and demanding. Caregivers are vulnerable to burnout, also called “compassion fatigue,” which can lead to neglect or abuse.

Who is liable for my loved one’s South Carolina rehabilitation hospital injuries?

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A variety of parties may be liable for your loved one’s injuries. For example, the facility itself may be held liable if it failed to provide an adequate standard of care. If the staff member was a licensed medical professional, he or she could be held liable for medical malpractice. The facility can also be held vicariously liable for hiring an employee who harms a patient. Facilities that fail to properly train and supervise their employees can also be held liable.

Proving negligence in healthcare requires demonstrating four elements:

  1. The facility owed the patient a duty of care
  2. The facility breached that duty of care through neglect or abuse
  3. The patient suffered injury or harm
  4. Those injuries caused damages to the patient

The South Carolina nursing home neglect attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC help prove these four points.

What do I do if I believe my loved one is being neglected at a South Carolina rehab hospital?

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First, do not blame yourself. Recognizing neglect or nursing home abuse is difficult, and many patients are unable to call attention to it themselves. Complicating matters further, some patients may be fearful of retribution from staff members if they report any neglect or abuse.

However, once you do become aware of any issues, it is important that you:

  • Report the neglect and abuse to the facility
  • Remove your loved one from the situation as soon as possible
  • Work with an experienced South Carolina attorney to hold the right people accountable

If you don’t know where to start, we can help. Just a few of our successes include:

  • $865,000 Nursing Home Abuse Settlement Involving The Wrongful Death Of A Resident: This settlement was obtained for the family of an elderly client who resided in an assisted living facility for 17 days and died from dehydration and malnutrition.
  • $600,000 Nursing Home Abuse And Neglect Settlement: This settlement was reached on behalf of an Alzheimer’s patient who was neglected in an assisted living center leading to bed sores, malnutrition, and dehydration.
  • $450,000 Wrongful Death Settlement: This settlement was reached for the death of an 88-year-old woman who was injured when being transferred inappropriately to a nursing home. During the move, the wrong lift was used resulting in a cracked rib that punctured her lung leading to her death two days later.
  • $350,000 Nursing Home Abuse Settlement: This settlement was obtained from a nursing home where the resident developed severe decubitus ulcers.
  • $200,000 Nursing Home Abuse Settlement in Richland County, SC: This settlement was obtained in Richland County, SC for injuries due to multiple falls of a patient in a nursing home.

Do you have a rehabilitation hospital abuse and neglect attorney near me?

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McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC is located at 1539 Health Care Drive in Rock Hill, SC. If you are too ill or injured to visit us, we can see you in the hospital or meet via telephone or video conference.

We also maintain offices in or near Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, and Greenville, and serve clients throughout the State of South Carolina in all 46 counties, including Sumter, Anderson, Orangeburg, Hilton Head, Aiken, and Spartanburg.

Call our senior rehabilitation hospital abuse and neglect attorneys today

If you or your loved one has suffered an injury or experienced negligence at a senior rehab facility, it's essential to take action and seek justice. Our team is here to help you navigate through this challenging situation and ensure your rights are protected. Don't let neglect go unchecked—let us fight for the justice and accountability you deserve. Call our offices now at 803-327-7800 or fill out our contact form to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward seeking the justice you deserve. We proudly serve people throughout South Carolina.

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