Nursing Home Faces Lawsuit After Patient is Found with Maggot-Infested Wound

Severe wounds and untreated infections may raise serious concerns about the quality of care provided in a nursing home.

This case is an indication of just how far nursing home neglect can go. Understaffed facilities may provide substandard care to vulnerable residents who cannot always communicate their pain, discomfort, or medical needs.

In this case, a Charlotte nursing home faced a lawsuit after a resident’s wound became infested with maggots. The resident’s grandson filed a nursing home neglect lawsuit against the facility and its owners, alleging that the nursing home failed to provide appropriate care.

Quick Answer:
Serious and untreated bedsores can be a warning sign of possible nursing home neglect. When staff fail to properly monitor, clean, document, or treat a resident’s wound, the consequences can become severe and may support a negligence claim depending on the facts of the case.

How the Resident’s Wound Became Infested

The 81-year-old resident had dementia and had been living at University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for approximately one year. During her stay, she contracted COVID-19 and was temporarily transferred to a facility that specialized in treating patients with COVID-19.

After returning to the nursing home, the resident developed bed sores on her heel. According to the lawsuit, the wound later became infested with maggots.

The Resident Developed Bed Sores

After returning to the nursing home following her COVID-19 treatment, the resident developed sores on her heel. Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, require appropriate monitoring and treatment, particularly for residents who may have difficulty communicating their condition.

Maggots Were Reportedly Found in the Wound

According to the lawsuit, by August 2021, maggots were found in the resident’s wound. The lawsuit alleged that nursing home staff failed to take appropriate action in response to the condition of the wound.

The Family Became Aware of the Condition

The resident’s grandson received a video of the wound from one of the nurses. After seeing the condition of his grandmother’s wound, he insisted that she be taken to the hospital for treatment.

A Complaint Led to Regulatory Action

The grandson subsequently filed a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. According to the report, that complaint led to fines and corrective measures at the facility.

Allegations Made in the Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit

The resident’s grandson filed a lawsuit alleging that the nursing home was negligent because it failed to maintain appropriate cleanliness and sanitation at the facility. The lawsuit sought compensatory damages and a trial by jury based on concerns about the resident’s care.

The allegations in the case illustrate why family members should pay close attention to significant changes in a loved one’s physical condition. Severe wounds, untreated bedsores, infections, poor hygiene, and unexplained injuries can all warrant further investigation into whether appropriate care was provided.

Important:
A serious medical condition alone does not automatically establish nursing home negligence. A potential claim depends on the specific facts, applicable standards of care, medical evidence, and whether the facility’s actions or omissions caused or contributed to the resident’s injuries.

Elements of Negligence in a Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit

Nursing homes have responsibilities to provide appropriate care to their residents. When a facility fails to meet the applicable standard of care and that failure causes injury, the resident or someone acting on the resident’s behalf may have grounds to pursue a negligence claim.

Nursing home neglect lawsuits involving infected bedsores are not unusual. Pressure sores can become serious when they are not properly monitored, cleaned, treated, or documented. The extent of the wound and the circumstances surrounding the resident’s care may become important evidence in determining whether neglect occurred.

In this case, the allegations concerning the resident’s maggot-infested wound highlight the seriousness of the claimed failure in care. The lawsuit alleged that the nursing home’s staff did not take appropriate action after maggots were discovered in the wound, raising questions about whether the resident’s condition was being properly monitored and treated.

Potential Evidence in a Nursing Home Neglect Case

When investigating a potential nursing home neglect claim, records and other evidence may help establish what happened and how the facility responded. Depending on the circumstances, relevant evidence can include medical records, nursing notes, photographs or videos of injuries, incident reports, staffing records, treatment records, communications with family members, and complaints made to regulatory authorities.

Family members should preserve photographs, videos, correspondence, and other documentation concerning the resident’s condition. These materials may become important when an attorney evaluates whether negligence occurred and whether the resident’s injuries were connected to inadequate care.

Talk to a Champaign, IL Nursing Home Neglect Attorney Today

The Champaign nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Patel Law, PC represent the interests of patients and family members in nursing home abuse and neglect cases. If you believe a loved one suffered an injury because of inadequate care, call our office today to schedule an appointment so we can begin investigating your case.