Was Your Loved One Allowed to Wander Off Into Danger?
Left to their own devices, some nursing home patients will wander off and stray right into harm's way. The care workers and security staff have a high duty to keep watch, especially for residents with Alzheimer's, mental illness or a history of escaping.
The legal term is elopement. Whatever you call it, a nursing home resident wandering off is a danger to his or her self. Our law firm has held long-term care facilities accountable when loved ones suffered injury, went missing or died as a result.
Kirsch Gartenberg Howard LLP handles nursing home negligence cases in New Jersey and across New York City. Call 877-319-7488 for a free case evaluation.
Hackensack Nursing Home Elopement Lawyer
In a well-run and fully staffed nursing home, wandering off should never happen. There should be security protocols in place and regular checks on residents who are known flight risks or otherwise at risk for elopement.
When residents are allowed to walk off the premises (or amble freely within the facility), they can wander into traffic, get injured in a falling accident, suffer hypothermia or dangerous dehydration, become lost, or fall prey to assault or sexual abuse. The person may miss important medication or be traumatized when they can't find their way back or suffer serious injury.
Bergen County Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
Our attorneys are skilled forcing nursing homes to pay damages and make institutional changes by identifying the negligence that led to elopement:
- Open doors, broken locks or lack of warning bells on exits
- Non-functioning or non-monitored security cameras
- Inadequate security staff or action plans for a missing resident
- Understaffing for off-campus outings
- Failing to follow bed check protocols
If your family member eloped from a nursing home and came to physical or psychological harm, we share your anger and we can take action. Contact us today to arrange a consultation at our offices in Hackensack (NJ) or Manhattan (NY).
From our law offices in Hackensack and Manhattan, Kirsch Gartenberg Howard LLP has served individuals and businesses across northern New Jersey, including Bergen County, Essex County, Union County, Middlesex County and Passaic County, and the five boroughs of New York City since 1984.
