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Colorado Injury Firm

Infections in Denver Nursing Homes

Clean living conditions in nursing homes are not just a matter of personal comfort and aesthetics. If nursing home staff members fail to keep living areas sanitized and maintain the personal hygiene of residents with limited mobility, those residents can and will develop dangerous infections, some of which may then spread through these self-contained facilities like wildfire and cause catastrophic harm to multiple residents.

From pneumonia to bedsores to the novel coronavirus, infections in Denver nursing homes are one of the leading causes of premature deaths in these facilities. If you believe your loved one suffered preventable harm or a wrongful death from an infection caused by nursing home neglect, a conversation with a seasoned attorney may be in your best interests.

What Infections Commonly Spread Inside Nursing Homes?

Neglectful care from nursing home staff members can lead to both contagious and non-contagious infections in residents, both of which can be dangerous and potentially deadly if left untreated for even a few days. In the former category, the most common infections that nursing home residents in Denver experience including skin infections like pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections stemming from indwelling catheters or unchanged diapers, and diarrheal diseases that lead to malnutrition and dehydration.

In terms of contagious diseases in nursing homes, influenza and other respiratory infections are by far the most common and the most commonly deadly. Unfortunately, the flu is both particularly dangerous to elderly individuals and often harder to detect, since older adults with this kind of infection do not always manifest typical symptoms like chills, chest pain, and muscle soreness.

Finally, some infections in nursing homes stem from surgical sites that are not properly cleaned and maintained after an operation, or from other forms of medical negligence. No matter what kind of neglect led to a particular resident’s infection, legal action may be possible with help from a qualified attorney.

How Nursing Home Neglect Creates Unsanitary Conditions

Importantly, the fact that a nursing home resident developed an infection does not automatically mean that anyone employed by that facility was negligent. Nursing homes are often filled with bacteria trafficked in and out by residents coming from hospitals and even family members coming in for visits, and it is impossible for even the most dedicated nursing home staff to completely eradicate every germ inside their particular facility.

However, nursing home staff members do have a legal obligation to ensure residents live in sanitary conditions, which may entail anything from changing their bed linens to changing their diapers regularly. In addition, if a resident contracts any kind of disease known to be contagious, nursing home staff members should make the best effort possible to quarantine that individual resident and prevent other residents from getting infected. Any failure to fulfill either of these responsibilities could constitute legal negligence if it leads to a resident suffering harm, meaning that resident and their family members would have grounds to file suit for all ensuing damages.

Learn More About Nursing Home Infections from a Denver Attorney

Infections in Denver nursing homes can have dangerous and deadly effects on residents, even if they are in perfect health for their age otherwise. Accordingly, if your loved one suffered harm due to an infection that proper sanitation practices could have prevented, it may be worthwhile to look into your legal options against the negligent staff member, administrator, or facility owner responsible.

A compassionate nursing home neglect lawyer could explain the possibilities in your case to you and help you make the right choices for your loved one’s wellbeing. Call today to learn more.

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