Moving a parent, grandparent, or loved one into a nursing home is one of the hardest decisions a family can make. We trust that these facilities will provide the care, safety, and dignity our loved ones deserve. Unfortunately, many nursing homes in South Carolina and across the nation fail to uphold that trust due to chronic understaffing, a problem that puts vulnerable residents at risk of serious neglect and abuse.
What a Nursing Home Attorney Can Do for You
Nursing home abuse and neglect cases are especially complex. It is an unfortunate fact, but abuse and neglect tend to be difficult to pinpoint. As a result, it can be challenging to hold facilities liable. The good news is that nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys are standing by to help. At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we help protect the health and safety, legal rights, and financial interests of your loved one. Specifically, your nursing home abuse lawyer will:
- Help arrange an immediate intervention to get your loved one out of any dangerous situation
- Gather all evidence related to the nursing home abuse case
- Consult with medical experts to investigate if the standard of care was breached in your case
- Issues subpoenas and use other legal tools to get any information needed from the nursing home
- Negotiate for a full and fair settlement offer on behalf of you or your loved one
- If necessary, aggressively pursue litigation
Experience Counts
The South Carolina attorneys at Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers have over 300 years of combined experience helping victims of life-changing injuries. Our lawyers have received an AV rating from the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell, and several of our attorneys are recognized by South Carolina Super Lawyers each year. We also work with skilled attorneys from across the state to ensure that every client we take on gets the attention and expertise they deserve.
Every case is different, and while past results cannot guarantee a similar result, our track record of successful verdicts and settlements show our firm’s skill and experience when it comes to serious injury cases. For more details about the results obtained for previous Joye Law Firm clients, please visit our results page to view past settlements, verdicts, and in-depth case studies.
How Staffing Shortages Harm Nursing Home Residents
When a facility lacks adequate, qualified staff, the quality of care declines dramatically. The consequences can be devastating for residents who depend on staff for even the most basic needs. Common effects of nursing home understaffing include:
- Poor hygiene: Overworked staff may skip regular bathing, grooming, or changing soiled clothing, increasing infection risk and emotional distress.
- Malnutrition and dehydration: Staff shortages often mean residents don’t receive proper meals or hydration, leading to dangerous health complications.
- Bedsores and immobility injuries: Without enough caregivers to move and reposition bedridden residents, painful pressure ulcers and related complications can develop.
- Medication errors: Rushed or untrained staff may give the wrong dosage or medication, potentially causing severe illness or death.
- Increased risk of falls: Too few caregivers means residents may try to move or walk without help, leading to dangerous falls that can cause broken bones, head injuries, and other serious trauma.
- Unnoticed wandering and accidents: When staff are stretched too thin, residents who wander or experience an accident may go unnoticed for long periods, delaying critical medical care and worsening injuries.
- Abuse and neglect: Stressed or unqualified staff members may lash out in frustration, resulting in emotional or physical abuse.
Why Nursing Homes Are Understaffed
Some nursing homes struggle due to a national shortage of qualified nurses, which the American Health Care Association warns is reaching crisis levels. Others, however, choose to cut staff to save money. Regardless of the cause, the result is the same: residents pay the price.
According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, South Carolina’s nursing care staff retention rate was just 57.7%, meaning almost half of nursing staff leave their jobs each year. Across the U.S., there is an estimated shortage of 78,610 nurses, according to a Health Workforce Analysis by the Health Resources and Services Administration. This high turnover creates inconsistent care and dangerous gaps in patient supervision.
Federal and State Staffing Requirements
Federal law requires that nursing homes maintain “sufficient nursing staff with the appropriate competencies and skills” to ensure resident safety and well-being. Likewise, South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control mandates that nursing homes have an “adequate number of licensed nurses” to meet residents’ total nursing needs.
When a facility fails to meet these requirements and a resident is harmed, that violation can serve as powerful evidence of negligence.
Holding Negligent Nursing Homes Accountable
Being understaffed is no excuse for nursing home neglect or abuse. Facilities have a legal and moral duty to provide proper care, regardless of staffing challenges. If your loved one has suffered due to inadequate supervision, medication errors, malnutrition, or any other form of neglect, you have the right to take action.
At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we’ve been standing up for South Carolina’s most vulnerable residents since 1968. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can investigate nursing home abuse, hold the facility accountable, and help your family seek justice and compensation.
Contact us today for a free consultation. The advice is free, and there are no fees unless we win your case. Your loved one’s safety and dignity deserve nothing less.
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