You have reached the Laguna Niguel page for the Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi, specialists in elder abuse law. Please use this page and our site to learn more about the abuses that constitute nursing home neglect. We want to help you to rectify any injuries that have been propounded upon you or your loved one. No one should have to suffer through the pain of elder abuse and it is our mission to do all that we can under the law to help.
Laguna Niguel, named after the Native American village of Nigueli, was originally a sheep farm named Rancho Niguel. Located in the South of modern day Orange County, the land was developed into a city in 1959 by the firm Cabot, Cabot, and Forbes. The Laguna Niguel Corporation became one of the original planned cities in California. The designs specified that one third remain open space, a legacy that has translated into the many parks located throughout the city. The 236 acre Laguna Niguel Regional Park, fishing lake included, is a highlight of what this city has to offer. Officially incorporated in 1989, Laguna Niguel is now home to just over 60,000 people. There are no Skilled Nursing Facilities in Laguna Niguel, but nearby Laguna Hills offers three nursing homes.
It is important to take careful consideration when choosing a nursing home. Unfortunately, many nursing homes do not meet the legal requirements for quality of care. There are standards mandated by law that every facility must uphold. California Department of Public Health publishes violations that they find on yearly inspections. The most common citations are for quality of care problems. One of the most frequent of these is for not providing adequate staff to care for all of the home's residents. The law requires that every nursing home provide at least 3.2 hours of direct nursing care to every patient every day. This value is the minimum number calculated by the state to ensure the maintenance of health and safety. When nursing homes are understaffed, it puts patients at great risk. Common injuries that can be prevented with enough nursing staff attention are pressure sores, excessive fall risks, and the spread of infections throughout a facility.
Infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile are known to be present in health care facilities. Nursing home administrators are forewarned of the possibility for infection and so must be extra vigilant to ensure that all the infection control procedures delineated by the CDC are followed. But when a facility does not employ enough nursing staff or take the time to adequately train them, it is made very difficult to adhere to all prevention measures and patients are put at risk. And given the compromised health of many nursing home residents, such infections can be lethal.
Almost any violation of state nursing home requirements of the Patients' Bill of Rights can result in great injury to those residing in skilled nursing facilities. If you believe that your loved one is at risk or has been harmed by neglect or abuse in his or her nursing home, please contact us. Nursing homes have legal requirements for standards of care and it is against the law, and legally actionable, if they violate or disregard them. Discuss your situation with us in a free consultation and see what we can do to help.