Arizona Disability Advocates for Group Home Wrongful Death
Losing a child or other loved one to an untimely death is one of the most painful experiences anyone can go through. This experience is made even more tragic when the untimely death occurs to a physically or developmentally disabled person who lives in a residential group home. Group home administrators and staff members are supposed to watch out for the well-being of their residents, so when an untimely and preventable death occurs on their watch, they should be held accountable.
Not all untimely deaths are preventable. Many happen because of natural causes or an unavoidable accident. However, many untimely deaths that occur in group homes could be preventable, but are caused by errors on the part of staff members, improper training, understaffing, or unsafe conditions in the group home. If this is the case, the death is considered a wrongful death, and staff members and/or the group home itself should be held responsible.
If you have a loved one who has a suffered a wrongful death in a group home in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale or elsewhere in Maricopa County, you should contact an Arizona group home abuse attorney to discuss your case. A group home abuse lawyer cannot only help you receive compensation for your suffering, but, perhaps more importantly, they can help to expose abusive group home practices and prevent more wrongful deaths in the future.
Causes of Wrongful Death
There are many unsafe situations in group homes which can lead to a wrongful death. These can include:
- Failure to dispense medication
- Dispensing incorrect medication
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Physical abuse
- Bed sores
- Wandering off
- Lack of proper supervision
- Unsafe physical conditions (i.e. wet floors, unsafe beds or wheelchairs)
These situations may be the result of the actions of an individual staff member, or they may be the result of systematic problems in the group home, such as improper training, understaffing, or inadequate facilities.
Proving wrongful death can be difficult, as the group home may attempt to cover it up and claim that the death was unavoidable. If your loved one dies in a group home, you should start by asking the following questions to determine if you have reason to suspect a wrongful death:
- Was the death unexpected?
- Was the death sudden?
- Was the death unexplained or inadequately explained?
- Is the nursing home staff giving you inconsistent stories?
In addition to asking these questions, you should also check the nurses’ notes to see what they say about your loved one’s death. Family members are entitled to look at these notes at any time. If the group home administrators refuse or otherwise try to prevent you from looking at the nurses’ notes, you should definitely contact a group home abuse attorney and inform them of this.
Contact an Arizona Group Home Abuse Lawyer
If your child or other loved one was a resident of a group home in Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale or elsewhere in Maricopa County, and you suspect they were the victim of a wrongful death, you should consult with an Arizona group home abuse lawyer to discuss your case. For more information, please visit http://www.grouphomeabuselawyer.com/
