By Dan Noll on October 4th, 2023 in Nursing Home Abuse
Springfield Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Explain Why Unexplained Deaths Could be Due to Nursing Home Abuse
Although some people are placed in a nursing home to help with rehabilitation and certain needs that they have as they undergo or heal from an accident or treatment, some people may live in nursing homes for the rest of their lives. Most of the time, that means living the rest of their lives in a dignified and well-cared-for manner. Unfortunately, the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office know that is not always the case. Sometimes residents live in facilities for the rest of their lives which are cut short by nursing home abuse, neglect, and negligence in Illinois. Indeed, according to statistics, approximately 5 million older adults will become the victim of nursing home abuse in the United States each year. However, some studies suggest that this is only the tip of the iceberg because only 1 out of 23.5 nursing home abuse cases are reported, with cases of neglect being higher with only 1 out of every 57.5 being reported. As such, these numbers reflect potentially why unexplained deaths could be due to nursing home abuse in Illinois.
That’s why if you lost a loved one and do not have a clear answer, or any answer, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer in Springfield like one of those at the Noll Law Office. All wrongful death cases are difficult, no matter what the facts are. However, when all of the facts are in the control of the defendant – such as a nursing home – it makes the case much more difficult to prove. That’s because they control the medical records, the scene, the witnesses, and sometimes even your loved one’s body before being transferred to the proper authorities. This makes nursing home abuse and neglect cases an uphill battle right from the start. But hiring an experienced legal team can help level that battlefield to help you and your family recover the compensation that you deserve for the loss of your loved one.
What is an Unexplained Death?
Although Illinois law defines what a wrongful death is, there is no true legal definition of an unexplained death. Even though it implies that there is no known cause of death, that can be a misnomer too. That’s because sometimes the cause of death may be listed as a heart attack or head trauma, but the true cause of what caused that injury is not known. Sometimes it may even be lied about in a coverup. Other times the facility may truly not know because they were not properly monitoring a resident.
Therefore, your approach as to what the real definition of an unexplained death is in a nursing home is any death which is:
- Not explained how it occurred
- Not explained when it occurred
- Any death where you can see an inaccuracy in the story
- Any death where the story seems implausible
- When a risk manager, adjusters, or lawyer for the nursing home comes to report the loss of a loved one
- If a medical examiner/coroner lists the cause of death as “unintentional” or “homicide” (remember, not all homicides are manslaughter or murder; medical examiners use homicide to explain when one human kills another human, but it does not necessarily have to be nefarious but could be an accident)
- Whenever you or your family is offered a check in compensation for the loss of a loved one (don’t sign anything)
- When no one from the facility comes to tell you about the loss of your loved one
- If your loved one has injuries that are consistent with abuse or neglect on his or her body at the time of death
- When the death is truly unexpected and a surprise
- When a loved one is in a facility but doing well and may even be discharged from rehab or into a different facility/to at-home nursing, but unexpectedly dies, and
- Any other situations where you and your family feel that it is best to speak with a nursing home abuse lawyer in Springfield.
Common Causes of an Unexplained Death at a Nursing Home That May be Due to Nursing Home Abuse
There are many potential causes of an unexplained death at a nursing home. The largest types are an accident, abuse, neglect, or negligence (malpractice). Sometimes the types will overlap, or sometimes the types will appear to be different but are not (for example, when a resident assaults your loved one, but the real reason was negligence by the facility in monitoring or medicating that resident).
Some of the most common examples of an unexplained death in a nursing home include the following:
- Falls
- Sexual abuse
- Medication overdoses or mix-ups
- Criminal assault, manslaughter, murder, or other conduct meant to inflict harm
- Negligent supervision by a facility
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse or psychological abuse
- Negligent hiring
- Inadequate or no training
- Bedsores or pressure ulcers
- Improper hygiene
- Failure to transfer a resident to a hospital or a higher level of care
- Abuse, torture, or violent conduct against a resident
- Ignoring a resident’s needs
- Neglect of a resident
- Improper safety protocols
- Not guarding against elopement
- Resident on resident crime
- Premises liability issues such as dangerous and slippery conditions on the floor
- Outright malpractice or negligence, and
- Other types of dangerous conduct could shed light on why unexplained deaths could be due to nursing home abuse in Illinois.
Lost a Loved One in a Nursing Facility? Learn Why Unexplained Deaths Could be Due to Nursing Home Abuse in Illinois from an Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Springfield
If you lost a loved one in a nursing home or long-term care facility but have not received a reasonable or adequate explanation on what caused your loved one’s death, call the Noll Law Office. Unlike other personal injury law firms, you are treated with respect and dignity – not as another case file. Their compassionate and skilled lawyers can help families investigate and prove nursing home abuse, neglect, and negligence cases in Illinois. To learn more about how they can help you, contact the Noll Law Office today at (217) 414-8889.