Maryland Nursing Home Restraint Injuries Lawyer

It is very upsetting to imagine your loved one being restrained improperly while in their nursing home and becoming injured as a result. When negligent nursing homes allow abusive actions like improper restraint, they can be held liable in a personal injury lawsuit for compensating the injured victim for losses, both monetary and nonmonetary.

Your loved one could be eligible for compensation for their medical bills, as well as noneconomic damages like pain and suffering and emotional trauma. An experienced Maryland nursing home restraint injuries lawyer can help your family work to see the nursing home held responsible for their harm.

Restraint Injuries in Nursing Homes

Nursing home residents are promised certain rights under federal law, including the right to dignity. Being restrained improperly can cause more than physical harm – it can hurt a person’s dignity and wellbeing, especially when they cannot defend themselves.

Victims may not be able to – or feel comfortable – speaking up, or due to dementia or other health problems, they may not even be aware of their rights or understand what has happened to them. This is one reason why it is so important for victims to have an aggressive Maryland nursing home restraint injuries lawyer on their side.

Why Restraints are Used in Nursing Homes

Restraints are used for a variety of nefarious purposes, most often so that nursing home staff can more easily avoid having to do their jobs properly. While restraints can rarely be used to protect residents from becoming hurt in an accident – or protect staff is a resident is violent – they must never be used so that staff can avoid assisting or paying attention to residents.

When restraints are used unsafely, they can actually pose more of a danger than when a resident is independently supporting their own weight, for instance. When residents struggle against restraints, they are even more likely to become injured.

Typical Nursing Home Restraint Injuries

Some of the most common restraint injuries in Maryland nursing homes include but are not limited to:

  • Cuts, abrasions, and reduced circulation from tight restraints
  • Rashes and infections, when restraints prevent adequate hygiene or involve sitting in soiled clothing, bedding or adult diapers
  • Asphyxiation or strangulation if a resident becomes tangled in a restraint or wedged between a restraint and their bed
  • Emotional and psychological trauma from depression, anxiety, fear, shame and isolation
  • Medication injuries, when so-called chemical restraints, or sedatives, are used to keep residents compliant and inactive

No matter what type of restraint injury a victim suffers, the damage is real and can have long-lasting impact on a resident’s health and wellbeing. A compassionate Maryland nursing home restrain injuries lawyer who understands the seriousness of improper restraint can work to hold the nursing home accountable on behalf of a victim and their family.

Consult with a Maryland Nursing Home Restraint Injuries Attorney Today

If your loved one suffered injury as a result of being restrained in their nursing home, a skilled Maryland nursing home restraint injuries lawyer can help seek to hold the nursing home accountable for their wrongful actions. Your Maryland nursing home restraint injuries attorney can also help your family report the nursing home’s bad conduct to the proper state agencies.

Nursing home facilities who violate state and federal guidelines for nursing home patient safety, including by using improper restraint, may have their Medicare and Medicaid payments revoked. However, the only way to receive compensation for injuries is to work with an experienced nursing home restraint injuries lawyer in Maryland to file a personal injury claim for nursing home abuse and neglect.