Entrusting your loved one’s care to a nursing home can be difficult. While in many cases it is necessary, the decision is seldom a simple one. Recent staffing shortages have added to families’ concerns, with many long term care facilities struggling to find quality caregivers. Undoubtedly, these factors have proved to unsettlingly increase the risk of nursing home abuse.
The pandemic has caused an increase in negligent hiring, but many South Carolina nursing homes have been found guilty of it long before COVID impacted our communities. Negligent hiring, in legal terms, means an employer failed to do a thorough background screening – or the employer knew of incidences of dangerous or untrustworthy behavior and hired the individual anyway.
Proper hiring procedures include verification of the following:
- References from former employers
- Employee certifications and licenses
- Drug testing
- Medical exams
- Driving records
- Credit checks
- Criminal history checks
- College degrees
Charleston nursing homes can also be held accountable for providing inadequate training or poorly supervising their staff. If physical abuse and even wrongful death result, the employer is liable.
Consequences of Negligent Hiring
From a strictly business perspective, negligent hiring claims are damaging to a nursing home or long term care facility. Allegations of nursing home abuse and neglect tarnish its reputation – which is why background checks are a crucial step in the job application/hiring process.
Nursing home residents rely on staff members to meet their daily needs, and when caregivers act irresponsibly, the risk for the following increases:
- Neglect
- Medication errors
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Emotional and mental abuse
- Financial exploitation
Hoffman Law Firm Fights To Protect Victims of Nursing Home Abuse
If you believe your loved one is at risk of nursing home abuse or neglect at their long-term care facility, our experienced team is here to help. Our nursing home abuse attorneys will fight tirelessly to see justice done, always advocating for the vulnerable.
We take cases of nursing home abuse extremely seriously. The Omnibus Adult Protection Act, as well as federal and state laws, are in place to protect your loved ones against abuse and neglect. Our South Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers know these regulations inside and out, and we are standing by to put our experience to work for your loved one.
Our personal injury law firm offers trusted legal advice in a wide variety of cases here in the Lowcountry, including:
Contact Hoffman Law Firm today, you can visit us or schedule your free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys today!
Helpful Resources:
For immediate life threatening emergencies, call 911.
For SC locals: online or call 1-888-CARE4US (1-888-227-3487).
For Nationwide Resources (help victims anywhere in the U.S.):
- Adult Protective Services: online or call 202-370-6292.
- The National Center on Elder Abuse: online or call 855-500-3537.
- Long-term Care Ombudsman: online or call 202-332-2275.
- Genuine advocates for people living in places like assisted living homes, small group homes, and nursing facilities. They know how to fix issues and make sure residents get what they need.
Helpful Elderly Abuse Blogs:
Negligent Hiring Can Increase The Risk of Nursing Home Abuse
Exposure to Coronavirus in Nursing Homes in Charleston
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Personal Injury Lawsuit: Definitions of Common Personal Injury Terminology
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