When we put our loved ones in nursing homes, it’s because they need assistance with everyday activities or medical treatment that we cannot safely provide at home. Nursing home residents frequently require assistance with bathing, eating, and physical therapy. Sadly, each of these activities can cause a burn injury if nursing home staff neglect their patient’s needs.
Burn injuries in New York nursing homes are a devastating, recurring problem and one of the leading causes of unintentional death in the United States. According to the American Burn Association, the leading causes of burn injury include scalds, fire-flame, contact with a hot object, and electrical and chemical chemicals.
At Dalli & Marino, LLP, our experienced attorneys help families throughout New York attain justice, handling all varieties of nursing home neglect and abuse cases. If you or a loved one have suffered burn injuries due to neglect on the part of the nursing home staff, contact Dalli & Marino for trusted legal help.
Why Are New York Nursing Home Residents More Susceptible to Burns?
Nurses and staff at New York nursing homes play a vital role in helping residents maintain their health, hygiene, and vitality. However, it is a sad fact that many nursing homes throughout New York are critically understaffed. In these instances, even the most compassionate nursing staff members may have difficulty providing the proper levels of attention to every resident for which they are responsible.
When nursing home facilities run short-staffed despite the need for close attention and care, the likelihood of residents suffering injuries increases significantly. In these situations, burn injuries caused by the negligence of the nursing home facility are not unusual.
Some of the most frequent causes of burns in New York nursing homes include:
- Accidental fires
- Food that is served excessively hot
- Beverages, like coffee and tea that are served boiling hot
- Contact with scalding water during showers or baths
- Use of coffee makers, stovetops, microwave ovens, hair curlers, or similar devices by residents with dementia or ill-health
- Contact with heading devices, like radiators
If any resident is injured or suffers a severe burn due to nursing home abuse or neglect by nurses and facility staff, the resident and their family have the right to hold that facility responsible for their injustices.
Violation of Safety Regulations: the Leading Cause of Burns to Nursing Home Residents
Nursing home staff must comply with safety regulations that define water temperatures suitable for bathing residents who may have fragile skin. Additionally, New York nursing home facilities are expected to have regular inspections covering electrical code compliance along with water and air temperatures. Whenever there is a deficiency revealed during these inspections, it’s up to management to resolve the issue promptly. If management fails to fulfill this obligation and residents are injured as a consequence, they must be held responsible for the damages. Dalli & Marino’s experienced attorneys are here to help families attain the compensation, explanations, and justice that they deserve.
Compensation for Burn Victims in New York Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents who suffer burn injuries will have extremely high medical costs and usually require a more effective medical treatment and care level. By filing a nursing home negligence or abuse lawsuit, burn victims, and their families can recover the financial resources they need to pay for medical bills, rehabilitation, future health care, and more.
Claims against nursing homes not only help victims of neglect secure compensation for their losses, but they also deter other facilities from operating in the same way. New York laws are designed to protect nursing home neglect and abuse victims, and Dalli & Marino’s skilled attorneys are prepared to help.
Consult the New York Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers at Dalli & Marino
Nursing home burns lead to irreparable damage to residents who are the most vulnerable in society. Allowing nursing home residents to suffer avoidable burns is nursing home neglect. Regrettably, we continue to see far too many residents sustain painful and sometimes life-threatening burn injuries. The only way to change this is to report the burn injuries and hold those nursing home facilities accountable through legal action.
Since 1996, Dalli & Marino’s skilled legal team has helped countless people injured in nursing homes, including those who have suffered burn injuries, recover millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. With Dalli & Marino in your corner, you will have a team of seasoned lawyers committed to maximizing compensation for wrongs against you or your loved one. If you have concerns regarding a burn injury that took place at a New York nursing home, get in touch with Dalli & Marino for a free case evaluation by calling 888-465-8790 or completing our contact form.
