With an increasing aging population as medical advances allow for longer life expectancy, more of the UK population are living in care homes in either residential or nursing settings. With age, comes greater risk of accidents as mobility and health decline leading to more serious injuries when accidents do occur.

When choosing a care home, you would expect that yourself or your loved one is kept safe from harm and well looked after. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and safety of residents is comprised through inadequate care, unsafe equipment and accommodation or other failings of the environment or staff.

If you, or a family member have been placed in some of the following situations, resulting in illness or injury then you may be entitled to compensation for personal injury or clinical negligence:

• Incorrect use of transferring equipment such as hoists and standaids resulting in injury.

• Failing to supervise residents appropriately resulting in injury.

• Failing to report illness and seek medical assistance from a GP or appropriate health professional.

• Incorrectly administering medication such as the wrong dose or type of medication.

• Neglect, such as failing to ensure residents are washed and clean or failing to provide adequate nutrition and hydration.

• Development of pressure sores or allowing existing pressure sores deteriorate further.

• Nursing staff or visiting GP misdiagnosing an injury or illness.

• Physical abuse.

Care homes have a duty of care to their residents. If a breach of duty occurs resulting in injury, such as the examples listed above, this could be negligence with possible grounds to bring a claim for compensation.

If you or a family member have been injured in a care home, contact Richard Harriman by email or on 01494 521301.