Most people move into nursing homes because they need help and support to remain safe as they get older and battle poor health. Sometimes, though, a nursing home fails to provide adequate security measures to protect its residents, leading to a significant loss, including injuries and even wrongful death. If you or a loved one has suffered any type of injury that you believe relates to negligent security in Texas, contact our personal injury law firm immediately for guidance.
Why Is Security So Important in a Nursing Home?
Security is a vital safety component in nursing homes. Locked entryways, attentive guards, secure windows, functioning alarms, and other measures keep residents safe from intruders and angry visitors, and also keep patients with dementia safe from making mistakes that could lead to detrimental outcomes, such as leaving the building or falling. A nursing home that lacks adequate security measures puts its residents at risk for:
- Violent actions of other residents
- Assaults by intruders looking to rob them
- Attacks by violent family members of other residents
- Getting lost after leaving the facility unobserved
- Lying injured or unconscious for a long period of time after a fall
All of these incidents could be avoided by having minimal security measures in place.
Nursing Homes Owe a Duty of Care to Residents
When your loved one entered a nursing home, they expected a place where they could live and be safe. Nursing homes owe their residents a duty of care. That is, people expect to be safe when they live there or spend any amount of time in this setting.
A nursing home may violate this duty of care by providing inadequate security. Here are some examples:
- Not repairing locks on doors that would help keep residents who should not leave, like those with dementia, from exiting the building
- Not screening, overseeing, or greeting visitors, thus allowing anyone in that wants to enter
- Failing to place security cameras at key points throughout the facility
- Lacking adequately trained staff to ensure safety
- Failing to screen employees for risks such as a record of violent crimes
What to Do If Your Loved One Is Hurt by a Nursing Home’s Negligent Security
Unfortunately, a lapse in security measures happens in many nursing homes. Often, it goes unnoticed until there is a significant injury or loss. If you believe your loved one suffered because their nursing home lacked adequate security, it’s time to seek help.
Your first step should be to turn to the administration to gather any information they will provide, but they might limit what they tell you. You may need to file a police report if a resident was attacked or wandered off and got lost. In addition, you should:
- Document everything possible in this situation to minimize the risk of losing evidence.
- Gather the names and contact information for any witnesses.
- If possible, have your loved one communicate what happened to them and record their statement.
- Remove your loved one from the facility if you believe it to still be unsafe for them.
Then, contact a personal injury attorney in Texas to learn more about your options. This type of claim can be hard to process, which is why it’s critical to work with an experienced attorney who can help document what has happened to you or your loved one.
How a Texas Attorney Can Help With an Inadequate Security Claim
A personal injury attorney may be able to provide you with insight into what your legal options are. This may include forcing change within that community, such as ensuring that new security measures are put in place. In addition, you may be able to file a claim for the losses suffered by your loved one.
The Button Law Firm is here for you. We have helped many people secure the personal injury compensation to which they were entitled following the negligent actions of another party. Contact our team now to find out how we can help you overcome your losses.
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