Unsanitary Living Conditions in Maryland Nursing Homes

Finding out your aging relative in a Maryland nursing home is living in unsanitary conditions is upsetting. No one selects a nursing home they believe may have unsanitary conditions, but unfortunately, unclean facilities are sometimes able to initially put forth a good first impression. Families may not find out about the unhygienic conditions until it is too late.

If your loved one is living in unsanitary conditions in a Maryland nursing home, a skilled personal injury attorney who handles nursing home abuse and neglect cases can help you decide how to move forward.

Dangers of Unsanitary Living Conditions

Unclean living conditions in nursing homes raise all sorts of concerns. Beyond the unpleasantness of unsanitary conditions – and the insult to residents’ dignity – this type of living situation can actually be dangerous, and deadly.

Even a seemingly minor hygiene problem in a nursing home facility can cause infections to spread rapidly amongst residents, and can exacerbate a patient’s existing health condition, setting off a snowball effect of declining health, and potentially hastening death.

Common Types of Unsanitary Nursing Home Conditions

There are many ways in which a nursing home can become unsanitary. Even nicer, more expensive nursing homes can have hidden hazards. Some of the most common unsanitary conditions that can be found include, but are not limited to:

• Infected wounds and bedsores going uncleaned, or dressings unchanged and neglected
• Staff members smoking on the job, or failing to wash hands
• Intemperate conditions in the nursing home, especially when the air is too warm, or too moist or humid, causing rampant mold growth
• Waste accumulating or not disposed of properly, whether human waste, medical waste, or food waste, and medical supplies not sterilized adequately
• Infestations, including rodents, bugs, lice, fleas, scabies, bedbugs, mosquitoes or other pests that can carry or spread disease
• Failing to quarantine sick residents during contagious illnesses, such as influenza
• Soiled bedding, unwashed clothes, infrequent bathing of residents, personal hygiene problems
• Contaminated water, unclean dining-ware and food prep surfaces

Recoverable Damages Resulting from Unsanitary Nursing Homes

Families may be eligible for a variety of damages, including monetary damages, like reimbursement for medical bills, surgery, intensive care stays, and lost wages, as well as noneconomic damages, like pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment in life.

If the conditions are considered especially egregious, Maryland courts may even allow punitive damages aimed at punishing the wrongdoing nursing home facility, as well as deterring future harmful conduct. While no amount of damages can make up for the harm suffered, many families find it empowering to seek justice on behalf of their loved one.

Talk to a Maryland Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

Both federal and state regulations require nursing homes to maintain sanitary conditions, and when violations are established, errant nursing homes may lose their Medicare or Medicaid funding. However, even when nursing homes are sanctioned, victims do not receive any compensation.

Only an experienced personal injury attorney who handles cases of unsanitary conditions in Maryland nursing homes can help families seek the compensation they deserve.

Your compassionate Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer can investigate the unsanitary nursing home conditions and determine whether victims and their families may have valid personal injury claims for damages.