Bed Sores – Decubitus Ulcers :

One of the most common, and most preventable, injuries that people suffer in nursing homes is decubitus ulcers, also known as bed sores or pressure sores. Decubitus ulcers are very painful and can be life threatening. Proper care by the nursing home staff can virtually eliminate the occurrence of decubitus ulcers, which generally includes repositioning bedridden residents every two hours per accepted nursing procedures. However, many nursing homes are understaffed, and residents are left for hours, days, even weeks in the same position. Decubitus ulcers are invariably the result.

Death :

Residents of nursing homes generally have weakened immune systems that leave them more susceptible to infectious diseases. While many residents will succumb to natural causes, many other deaths are preventable and are the result of abuse or neglect. Often, however, it is difficult to determine if the death was natural or preventable.

Malnutrition and Dehydration :

While it is true that most people naturally lose weight as they age, in nursing home settings weight loss is often associated with malnutrition or dehydration as a result of the neglect of the nursing staff. Many elderly nursing home residents are unable to eat or drink, and are fed by tubes. They are entirely reliant on the nursing staff for all nutrition. As nursing homes are often understaffed, sometimes residents are not properly fed and hydrated resulting in rapid weight loss.

Motor Vehicle Accidents :

Each year, thousands of people are injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents as a result of negligent drivers. Even in simple fender bender accidents, people suffer injuries to their back and neck that can disrupt their lives for years to come. Many people do not recognize they have been injured until the morning following the accident, and the medical community tells us this is a common occurrence.

Not All Contingency Fees Are Equal :

Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means that the lawyer does not get paid for his time (his fee) unless he recovers for you in the case. However, not all contingency fee agreements are equal.

Rights of Those in Nursing Homes :

Some of the most vulnerable people in our society are the elderly, especially those in nursing homes. These elderly people are routinely subject to abuse and neglect despite laws that protect them.

Slip and Fall/Premesis Liability :
Premises (property) owners have a duty under California law to maintain their premises in a safe condition for foreseeable users (which may even include trespassers). The premises owner is not a guarantor of everyone’s safety on the premises, but must behave as a reasonable prudent person in maintaining the property and correcting hazards that he knew or should have known about.

What is My Personal Injury Case Worth :
This is probably one of the most important questions asked by all plaintiffs, yet one of the most difficult to answer. Your personal injury attorney can probably give you a ballpark figure, but at the early stages it is just an educated guess. As more information becomes available in terms of depositions, medical records, reviews of accident information, and even expert testimony, your attorney will have more information upon which to base his opinion.