New Jersey Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers
Protecting the rights of nursing home residents injured throughout NJ
Nursing homes in New Jersey are required to meet a standard of care regarding resident health, comfort, and social life. Federal regulations protect residents living in nursing homes, and a nursing home can be fined and have its ratings downgraded if reports of neglect and abuse of residents are substantiated. When an elderly or infirmed resident is injured, he or she is often unable or unwilling to speak up to protect his or her rights. It is usually a loving family member who recognizes the fear or confusion resulting from the negligence or misconduct of the NJ nursing home staff, residents, or administration.
Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP is one of New Jersey’s leading civil litigation law firms. We have an excellent record of fighting on behalf of people who have nowhere else to turn for justice when they have been injured because of negligence. You are welcome to a free consultation to discuss your case with our compassionate New Jersey nursing home negligence attorneys.
What is the difference between nursing home neglect and nursing home abuse?
Neglect and abuse are two different offenses which each cause harm in different ways. Neglect is the failure of the caregiver to attend to a person's basic needs such as food, water, proper medication, clothing, and attention to the person's physical and mental health needs. In failing to provide these things, neglect can cause injury to a resident.
Abuse is the intentional infliction of harm. While neglect is passive, abuse is active, it is done knowingly with the intention to cause pain, injury, or mental anguish in the resident.
Examples of nursing home neglect or abuse
If your loved one residing in a nursing home or long-term care facility in New Jersey has exhibited signs of injury or fear because of another resident or staff member, don’t wait to see what will happen. Many nursing homes have a very poor record of resident safety. The only way to affect change for your loved one and other residents is to seek compensation on their behalf.
Contact our NJ medical negligence lawyers for a free consultation if your loved one indicates sign of injury or distress resulting from:
- Bedsores, pressure ulcers
- Elopement, wandering off
- Hip fractures and fall injuries
- Infected cuts or open sores
- Injuries from assault by other resident or staff
- Malnutrition or dehydration
- Medication errors, harmful prescription drugs
- Verbal abuse
- Wheelchair and van transport injuries
How do you report nursing home neglect or abuse in New Jersey?
Any statistics you may find about nursing home neglect or abuse or elder abuse is most likely woefully inaccurate because elders are often either too afraid to report what is happening to them, too ashamed to report the abuse, or because they are unable to communicate at all. As in every other aspect of life, if you see something, say something.
Every state in the United States has a mandatory reporting law for reporting elder neglect or abuse. In New Jersey, health care professionals, first responders such as police, fire and paramedic/ EMTs are mandated reporters, but anyone may make a report when they have witnessed abuse or neglect of an elder or vulnerable adult. There are four different offices you can call:
- New Jersey State Ombudsman: 877-592-6995
- New Jersey Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU): Office of the Attorney General 609-292-1272
- Department of Human Services (during regular business hours): 800-792-8820
- NJ Department of Health: 800-792-9770 (24-hour hotline)
You may submit your complaint anonymously. After hours, dial 911 or call the local police.
What is the New Jersey Nursing Home Bill of Rights?
When your loved one moved into the care and shelter of a nursing home, he or she did not give up dignity and pride. This is a partial list from the New Jersey Nursing Home Residents’ Bill of Rights, published on the state’s official website:
You have the right:
- To be offered choices and allowed to make decisions important to you
- To receive services with reasonable accommodations to individual needs and preferences
- To participate in the planning of your care and services
- To self-administer medications
- To accept or refuse care and treatment and to choose your health care providers, including your doctor and pharmacy
- To manage your own personal finances, or to be kept informed of your finances if you choose to let someone else manage them for you
- To refuse to perform work or services for the facility
How can our New Jersey nursing home negligence lawyers help you?
If your loved one is experiencing neglect or abuse in a nursing home, once you have notified the administrators and filed an official complaint, if you choose to take legal action you will require the experienced advocacy of a compassionate New Jersey nursing home abuse attorney from Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP. There is never an excuse for mistreating an elderly or vulnerable adult, and we hold those responsible for your loved ones’ injuries accountable.
We investigate the incident, or the ongoing series of events, we work with medical experts who can review the medical records and determine what occurred, and who is responsible for your loved one’s injuries.
When you are dealing with a nursing home injury case, you need a legal team that is sensitive to your needs, but who will also be aggressive in pursuing justice for the wrong done to your loved one. Having secured more than $750 million in jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients, we are prepared to leverage our skills and resources to pursue your case to the end. Our partners are Certified Civil Trial Attorneys, which is a designation granted by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and our award-winning attorneys are accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Your case is important to us. We are here to help you get justice.
Has your loved one been abused or neglected in an NJ nursing home? Call us now
The nursing home neglect lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP serve clients throughout New Jersey from our offices in Edison, Toms River, and Red Bank. Call our office at 732-777-0100 or contact us to arrange a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey nursing home negligence lawyer.
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