Overmedication in Nursing Homes: Should You Be Concerned?
Waukegan Personal Injury Attorneys
You should, indeed, be concerned about overmedication in nursing homes. Although the use of medication in nursing homes is to be expected, there is a line between the appropriate amount of medication and the over reliance on it to make nursing home residents more easy to manage for staff members. Determining where this line falls can be difficult for caregivers and residents' doctors, especially when dealing with patients whose dementia causes them to become anxious, verbally aggressive, and even violent.
According to a recent report by NPR, approximately 300,000 American nursing home residents currently receive antipsychotic medication. This type of medication was developed to treat conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but is often used to sedate individuals who suffer from dementia. These medications also come with the risk of serious side effects that include an increased risk of infection, heart attack risk, and death. If you are concerned that your loved one is receiving antipsychotic medication in his or her nursing home without a true medical need for it, you have the right to investigate the situation with help from an experienced nursing home abuse attorney. Overmedication is a form of physical abuse, just like refusing a patient the medication he or she needs and physical assaults.
Preparing for Winter Driving on Illinois Roadways
Lake County Car Accident Lawyers
Winter is here, and that means that motorists and pedestrians alike need to exercise extra caution to avoid being injured in accidents caused by adverse weather conditions. Snow, ice, and rain all decrease driver's visibility and make it more difficult for car tires to grip the road, putting drivers at risk of spinning out and colliding with each other and stationary objects. When a collision occurs, one or more parties could be injured. These injuries can in turn lead to significant expenses for the injured parties, saddling them with high medical bills and possibly keeping them out of work for extended periods of time. If you find yourself in this situation, do not panic. You could be entitled to monetary compensation for your damages through a car accident claim. To learn more about this process and what you need to do as a victim to help your claim, work with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Al Salvi Sworn into Wisconsin State Bar
Waukegan Personal Injury Attorney Al Salvi Sworn into the Wisconsin State Bar
Waukegan personal injury attorney Albert Salvi of Salvi & Maher, LLP has been sworn into the Wisconsin State Bar.
The Lake County personal injury law firm of Salvi & Maher, LLP is proud to announce that Partner Albert Salvi has been sworn into the Wisconsin State Bar. Salvi is now officially licensed to practice law in the state of Wisconsin. He also holds licenses in Illinois and California.
"We have more and more cases in Wisconsin -- especially southern Wisconsin," says Salvi, "so this will allow us to better serve our clients."
Waukegan personal injury attorney Albert Salvi is a partner at Salvi & Maher, LLP He concentrates his legal practice in personal injury matters including car accidents, truck accidents, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death. Salvi obtained his J.D. from The University of Illinois College of Law and obtained his B.A. from The University of Notre Dame.
New Illinois Law Allows Electronic Monitoring in Nursing Homes
Waukegan Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
With the widespread reports of abuse and neglect in nursing homes in Illinois and throughout the country, many families with loved ones living in these facilities are often understandably concerned about their loved ones' well being. In many cases, nursing home residents cannot advocate for themselves and rely on their caretakers for day-to-day care. Although one in 10 nursing home residents reported experiencing non-financial abuse and four in 10 reported being the victim of financial abuse in a recent study conducted by The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), only one in 14 cases of abuse were reported to the appropriate authorities.
These statistics can alarm individuals who are considering placing their loved ones in these facilities. Fortunately, a new law was recently signed into place to combat instances of nursing home abuse and neglect in Illinois. House Bill 2462 allows nursing homes in Illinois to install electronic monitoring devices in residents' rooms to catch any instances of mistreatment that occur at the hands of staff members.
New Illinois Concussion Law Goes Into Effect
Waukegan Head Injury Attorneys
As the end of the summer draws near, tens of thousands of Illinois students and their parents are actively preparing for the upcoming school year and the changes it will bring. One of these changes is Illinois' new “Return to Learn” law, which put new policies into effect for schools regarding students' brain injuries.
The law, which was known as Senate Bill 7 during its time in the state legislature, requires all schools in Illinois to develop procedures for safely and effectively handling their students' concussions. Under this law, both public and private schools are required to do the following:
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.