Bruises & Welts in Nursing Home Patients

When an older person residing in a nursing home has bruises and welts on their body, it may be a symptom of rough treatment, and a sign of even worse forms of elder abuse.

Negligent Conditions May Lead to Injured Residents

Since many elderly residents of nursing homes require the help of support staff and medical personnel to ambulate through the facility, or even simply to eat or to turn over in their beds, there are many points of physical contact between residents and care facility staff members. If these staff members are undertrained, overworked, or simply careless, they may inflict injuries on residents that lead to bruising and welts. Before loved ones dismiss such signs of trauma as trivial, consider the underlying causes of the welts and bruises.

Bruises & Welts May Arise from Physical Abuse

In extreme cases, bruises and welts may arise from actual physical abuse of residents by staff members or other residents. Any form of abuse, including physical abuse in the form of grabbing, hitting, squeezing, pinching, and so on, is not only appalling but illegal and actionable. Staff members who abuse residents may be prosecuted and in some cases charged with criminal assault.

Almost equally common are acts of physical abuse and/or intimidation of residents by other residents. Unfortunately, bullying can happen at any age. It is often the case however that residents who bully other residents are not in full control of their faculties any longer, and hardly know what they are doing when they injury a fellow residents. In such cases, the nursing home facility and its caregivers can be held responsible for the physical abuse, since it is their mandate not only to provide care for residents but to protect them from harm by others as well.

Pennsylvania & New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Nursing homes must provide a reasonable standard of care to residents under their supervision. Bruising and welt incidents are completely avoidable, and often indicate caregivers are neglecting those under their care. When a nursing home or care facility fails to uphold the standard of care, including failing to prevent physical abuse or unnecessary harm, that facility may be liable for damages.

No matter how vigilant we are, we cannot watch our loved ones all the time. For those with an elder family member who has suffered neglect or abuse while under the care of a nursing home or assisted living facility, please contact us immediately to protect your legal rights.

You can reach our team of elder abuse attorneys toll-free at 1-855-462-3330 or by using our online contact form.