Will County Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Lawyer

Attorney for Nursing Home Injuries, Falls and Assault in Joliet, Aurora and Lockport Areas

When one of your family members lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, you place a lot of trust in that facility to look out for the health and safety of your loved one. When caregivers neglect their duties, a vulnerable resident can easily be injured or become very ill.

At McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC, we understand how difficult it can be to judge the cause of a frail relative's injury or illness. Was it just due to the natural course of aging and infirmity? Or was the nursing home negligent in some way? In our 20+ years of experience in personal injury law, we have seen many of these situations and can help you determine an appropriate course of action.

If you suspect that a nursing home or assisted living resident's injuries or illness may be due to abuse, neglect, or mistreatment, please contact us. We offer a free initial consultation to review your case and suggest next steps. If we recommend pursuing a claim, we will fight tenaciously for your family member to receive full and fair compensation for any injuries resulting from nursing home abuse, neglect, or negligence.

Applicable Illinois laws and regulations include the Nursing Home Care Act (201 ILCS 45), the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act (201 ILCS 9), and the Administrative Code of regulations defined by the Illinois Department of Public Health for assisted living facilities (77 Ill. Adm. Code Part 295) and nursing homes (77 Ill. Adm. Code Part 300). For example, the Nursing Home Care Act specifically states that nursing home owners and operators "are liable to a resident for any intentional or negligent act or omission of their agents or employees which injures the resident."

Nursing Home Negligence Lawsuits in Kendall County

Insufficient staffing levels, negligent hiring, and inadequate supervision are common underlying issues that can lead to abuse or neglect of nursing home and assisted living residents.

We can help you file a claim for damages when a family member has suffered a preventable illness or injury due to caregiver negligence, such as:

• Injuries due to falls. Each resident should have a care plan, updated regularly, that document's any mobility issues and indicates whether the person needs a walker, wheelchair, or other mobility aid. Staff should be aware when a resident has a high risk of falling and use proper techniques to prevent falls and fractures.
• Bedsores. Bedridden or wheelchair-bound patients must be handled carefully to prevent bedsores. Employees must be trained to recognize danger signs and ensure that a patient who develops bedsores receives appropriate medical care.
• Infections and sepsis. Infection control practices are critical in community living facilities. Infections can lead to the life-threatening condition of sepsis, which is the body's intense response to a severe infection.
• Intentional abuse. Examples of abuse include rough handling, verbal humiliation, sexual misconduct, and theft. No one likes to imagine a caregiver being cruel to an elderly or infirm person, but if it happens, it needs to be documented and the responsible parties held accountable.
• Failure to provide proper medical treatment. Medications must be administered as directed. Staff must be available 24/7 and respond quickly if a resident has a medical emergency.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Injuries in Will County

If you have a relative who has suffered severe injury or illness as a result of abuse or neglect in a nursing home or assisted living facility, the facility can be held liable for their damages. Contact the Joliet office of McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC at 815-727-0100. We handle personal injury cases for clients in Cook County, DuPage County, Grundy County, Kankakee County, Kendall County, and Will County.