All nursing home residents are, by definition, dependent on others for at least some of their medical and personal needs. However, there are degrees, and some patients have a wider range of underlying medical conditions than others. Some of these comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, can put patients at an increased risk of injury or death if they are neglected or abused in an institutional setting such as a nursing home or long-term care facility. If you suspect that your loved one was not properly care for and, as a result, suffered diabetes complications in a nursing home, contact Rockland County nursing home negligence lawyer Valerie J. Crown, Esq. to help you obtain your loved one’s medical records, obtain an expert witness to review them, and, if a viable claim exists, file the appropriate paperwork in court to get your case started and comply with the applicable statutes of limitation.
Diabetes is a metabolic disease that results in too much glucose (or “sugar”) in the patient’s blood. Type I diabetes typically has an earlier onset than Type II diabetes and usually requires the patient to take insulin in order to regulate his or her blood sugar levels. Type II diabetes can sometimes be controlled by diet. Failure to properly manage either type of diabetes can result in serious, permanently disabling injuries and/or death in a patient. Therefore, diabetic patients in nursing homes require special care. If the medical staff neglects such a patient’s needs and harm results to the patient, the nursing home owners (and/or their insurance companies) may be liable for money damages.
Holding a Nursing Home Accountable for Abuse or NeglectDiabetes complications are very serious, and, if not properly treated, can lead to other, potentially life-threatening health problems such as hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision issues, and loss of limbs. Because many nursing homes are understaffed, it is, unfortunately, not unusual for a diabetic patient to suffer dangerously high (or low) blood sugar levels if there are not adequate personnel on duty to check glucose levels regularly and administer insulin or other medications as needed. In a medical malpractice lawsuit, an expert witness is called upon to explain the standard of care to the jury; that is, the expert’s task is to set forth – in laymen’s terms, insomuch as is possible – what the doctor or nurses should have done to take care of the patient, given his or her medical condition. An expert must also testify as to how this standard of care was breached and how it proximately resulted in harm to the patient.
The defendant(s) – typically, the nursing home owners and any specific medical personnel named in the suit – will usually deny that their negligence was the cause of the patient’s injury or death. Sometimes, they will admit that a mistake was made but will insist that this error was not the cause of the patient’s injuries or death. Because diabetes is a serious and complicated disease that affects other parts of the body if not properly controlled, cases, involving diabetes complications, can be difficult. The jury has the job of deciding which expert to believe, assuming that the parties' lawyers do not settle the case prior to trial (or have it dismissed on summary judgment.)
Rockland County Attorney Assisting Patients and Their FamiliesThe families of those who have lost loved ones due to the negligence or malpractice of a New York nursing home or other medical provider have certain legal rights, including the right to seek fair compensation for their loved one in a court of law. To schedule an appointment to discuss your Rockland County nursing home claim, please call the Law Firm of Valerie J. Crown, Attorney at Law, P.C., 845.708.5900. We handle nursing home cases in all counties in the Greater Metropolitan area and are currently reviewing new cases. If you prefer, you can contact Attorney Crown’s cell phone directly at 845.598.8253 or contact us online through this website. We also handle medical and dental malpractice cases, social security disability cases, and workers’ compensation claims.