Long Beach and Santa Ana Burn Injury Attorney
Burns are common injuries that occur to thousands of Americans each day. While many burns are the result of an accident and have no long-term effects, many other burns are the result of abuse or negligence and may have severe long-term damage. What's worse is that many burns occur in nursing homes to victims of negligence or abuse.
If your loved one has experienced a burn in a nursing home abuse situation, then there are some legal repercussions that you can pursue. In some cases, it may be wise to hold a nursing home or an individual within a nursing home liable for the burns - especially if it means getting financial compensation to help cover the cost of medical bills, pain, and suffering that have resulted from the burns.
Contact The McIntosh Law Corporation who possess experienced attorneys specializing in burn cases, particularly burn cases in nursing homes.
More about Burn Injuries
There are many different types of burns that a victim can experience. Many of these burns lead to discomfort as well as long-term injury. Read more about different types of burns and how they can occur because of abuse or neglect here:Friction Burns
Friction burns occur when two surfaces rub together to cause friction. The friction causes damage to one of the two surfaces. When skin rubs against another surface to cause friction, often, the skin is damaged. Damaged skin may lead to scarring, infection, and extreme discomfort.Nursing home residents are frequently victims of friction burns because of their delicate skin and decreased mobility. Many nursing home burns occur when a resident is improperly restrained, injured on an ambulance chair lift, or even as a result of having to wheel themselves around the facility in a wheelchair. Additionally, many obese individuals may experience burns between their legs and in other areas of their body.
Friction burns can be extremely uncomfortable and can lead to pressure sores (also known as bed sores) and infection. Contact us for more information about receiving compensation for friction sores that your loved ones have received.
Hot Water Burns
Burns from hot water occur frequently when hot water has been improperly installed. In some cases, hot water installations can become defective - resulting in unusually and unsafe hot water. In other cases, hot water has been installed improperly or by untrained personnel.Hot water burns are not only common; they are fairly easy to get. If an individual is exposed to 140-degree water for six seconds or 130-degree water for 30 seconds, the individual is likely to get burned by the hot water. Many individuals will receive third-degree burns if they are exposed to 120-degree water for only five minutes.
Remember: in a nursing home environment, staff members are supposed to be properly trained to help elderly residents take showers and use the facilities safely. If a shower is too hot, for example, and burns the delicate skin on a resident's body, the resident may experience first, second, or third degree burns that lead to infection and discomfort. These burns take longer to heal on an elderly person than a younger person and may require additional medical expenses.
In any case, if a nursing home resident receives a hot water burn, the resident can experience loss of skin, infection, and extreme discomfort.
Burns from Electrical Devices
Many burn victims are burned by electrical devices that malfunction, are improperly used, or were improperly installed. Many nursing home burn victims have been burned when they have wondered, unsupervised, into areas of the nursing home containing electrical equipment, ovens, or stoves. In such cases, they were not protected by safety measures that should have been in place across the nursing home to protect patients that may wonder.Burns from Fires
Unfortunately, many nursing homes experience small or large fires that injure residents. Because so many nursing home residents have dementia, are on medications, have restricted mobility, and are unable to perceive danger, they may not be able to protect themselves in the instance of a fire. In such cases, they should be able to rely on safety measures built into nursing homes as well as safety procedures in order to stay safe.For example, as of 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services determined that all nursing home facilities should have battery-operated smoke alarms in each room of the facility, including public areas and residential rooms. Additionally, public areas should have sprinkler systems to fight fire when smoke is detected.
When a nursing home fails to adequately protect its residents, the nursing home may be liable for being negligent. Remember: all nursing homes should have suitable and reliable safety equipment, safety measures, and safety escape routes in place in the event of a fire.
Cigarette Burns
Contact us today for more information about your loved one's rights if he or she has been a victim of a burn in a nursing home. We're proud to fight for your rights and to help you receive compensation to help cover medical expenses, pain, and suffering as a result of another's medical negligence, abuse, or recklessness.
