A nursing home facility in South Dakota is scrambling to explain how 44 elderly residents contracted hepatitis C. So far, only 2 of the affected residents are suing for damages caused by nursing home negligence. It’s possible more of the senior residents will file personal law suits, or a class action lawsuit against the nursing home.
Generally hepatitis C is spread through poorly sterilized medical equipment, contaminated needles, and blood transfusions. The current suits alleged that dirty needle usage or contaminated blood work from nursing home negligence caused the outbreak. It will take some time for the North Dakota Health Department to find an official cause, but it is highly likely the disease was spread through unsanitary blood work or nail care.
Stories about nursing home abuse and nursing home negligence cause many families to hesitate when looking for senior care facilities. The possibility that negligence will lead to an infectious disease, like hepatitis C, or a fatality can overshadow the benefits nursing homes can provide.
At Pope & Howard, P.C., we encourage families to do as much research as possible before choosing a nursing home. Thorough research includes a request for facility records from the Department of Human Services. Through the Open Records Request Act, families can pay a small fee for a report outlining past violations or charges against a nursing home facility.
Georgia families can send an open records request to the following address:
Georgia Department of Human Resources
Office of Regulatory Services
Long-Term Care Section
Two Peachtree Street, NW
31st Floor
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3142
It’s important to choose a nursing home with a positive reputation and violation-free record. Our nursing home abuse attorneys strongly recommend that Georgia families pay the small fee to keep their elderly loved ones safe with a facility record from the Department of Human Services.
If your senior loved one experienced nursing home abuse or nursing home negligence at a Georgia senior care facility, file a report with the Georgia Department of Human Resources. The staff from the Georgia Department of Human Resources investigates complaints about facilities that are not up to code, or employees who abuse residents.
Marc Howard and Geoff Pope are the founding lawyers of Pope & Howard, P.C., an Atlanta area trial firm. The highly experienced legal team at Pope & Howard, P.C. helps families dealing with nursing home abuse, medical negligence, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. Learn more about Pope & Howard, P.C. online at www.popehoward.com.