South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect in South Carolina

South Carolina's more than 180 nursing homes are licensed to care for some of the state's most vulnerable residents. However, many residents experience nursing home abuse or neglect — and families often don't recognize what's happening until serious harm has already occurred.

Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including:

• Physical abuse: Violence or unnecessary force against a resident can result in injuries and leave them feeling scared or unsafe within the facility.
• Elder neglect: If staff members fail to meet a resident's basic needs, like providing them with proper nutrition or hygiene assistance, it may be considered neglect. This lack of care can lead to physical and mental decline.
• Sexual abuse: Inappropriate sexual contact between a staff member and a resident may result in injuries, infections, and emotional trauma.

AARP's Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard ranked South Carolina 49th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia, placing the state in the bottom tier for quality of long-term care.

Our South Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers have the resources and experience necessary to stand up to the facilities responsible for your loved one’s injuries and seek justice on their behalf.

Signs of Abuse in South Carolina Nursing Homes

Recognizing the signs of nursing home abuse is crucial to getting your loved one out of a potentially harmful situation. When you visit them or talk over the phone, you should be aware of any shifts in their physical or emotional state.

Signs of abuse in South Carolina nursing homes can include:

• Bedsores or pressure ulcers
• Behavioral changes, like acting withdrawn or agitated
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Poor hygiene and unsanitary living conditions
• Unaddressed medical issues
• Unexplained injuries, like cuts, bruises, or broken bones
• Weight loss

More than 45% of South Carolina’s nursing homes have serious deficiencies that may put residents in immediate danger, according to ProPublica. Infection-related deficiencies have been identified in at least 68% of South Carolina nursing homes.

If you suspect that your loved one is experiencing nursing home abuse, it's important to take action immediately. You can report the abuse to the facility’s administration, a long-term care ombudsman, or the South Carolina Department of Public Health.

At Sokolove Law, our nursing home neglect attorneys in South Carolina can also help you take steps to protect your family member and hold those responsible for their suffering accountable.

Who Can a Nursing Home Lawyer in South Carolina Help?

By getting help from our nursing home abuse lawyers in South Carolina, you may be able to secure the compensation needed to relocate yourself or a loved one to a safer environment that can provide the care you deserve.

You may be able to work with a South Carolina nursing home lawyer if you:

• Experienced abuse or neglect at a nursing home or long-term care facility
• Are the immediate family member or estate representative of an elder abuse victim

If your family member passed away due to suspected nursing home abuse or neglect, you may still be able to take legal action by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility where they lived.

How to File a South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit

At Sokolove Law, our attorneys strive to make filing a South Carolina nursing home abuse lawsuit as stress-free as possible. We can handle all of the legal legwork for you, so you can focus on supporting your loved one through this challenging time.

In general, our South Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers can:

• Provide you with a free case review to determine if you may be eligible to take legal action against those responsible for your loved one’s suffering.
• Gather evidence to prove neglect or abuse took place and that the staff or nursing home was responsible. This may include medical records, witness testimony, and more.
• File your nursing home abuse lawsuit in the correct South Carolina court before any legal deadlines pass.
• Negotiate an elder abuse settlement with the defendant(s), which may allow you to receive compensation without going to court.

If a settlement is unable to be reached, our nursing home neglect attorneys in South Carolina are prepared to present your case in court and fight for a verdict on your behalf.

Our Past South Carolina Nursing Home Settlements

We’ve secured more than $332 Million for victims of nursing home abuse and their families nationwide. While the average nursing home abuse settlement is around $400,000, we’ve recovered much higher payouts for many clients.

Some of our past nursing home abuse settlements and verdicts include:

• $18.2 Million for an elderly woman who suffered a heart attack
• $750,000 to a Greenville man whose father fell in a care facility and was paralyzed from the neck down
• $1.75 Million to a patient who passed away in a fire caused by neglect
• $1.5 Million for a nursing home resident with stage 4 bedsores
• $500,000 for a Kingstree woman whose father suffered multiple falls and injuries in a care facility
• $400,000 to a Lancaster woman whose father suffered injuries at a facility
• $1 Million for a patient with dementia
• $500,000 to a Darlington woman who was neglected and suffered a stage 4 bedsore in a care facility
• $512,500 for a Woodruff woman whose mother with dementia choked to death
• $400,000 to a Columbia woman whose father needed surgery due to bedsores that developed on his heel in a nursing home
• $500,000 for a Florence man whose mother had a stage 4 bedsore
• $650,000 to a Wagener man whose father developed a bedsore and pneumonia
• $1.37 Million for the family of a resident who passed away from an infection
• $2 Million to a woman with dementia who passed away

Compensation from a nursing home abuse lawsuit in South Carolina can help pay for your loved one’s transfer to a safer facility, medical bills, funeral expenses, and more.

Nursing home abuse case values will vary depending on the unique details of each case, but our experienced lawyers know how to gather the evidence necessary to maximize compensation.

While there’s never a guarantee of results, our South Carolina elder abuse lawyers will fight hard to get you everything you’re entitled to.

South Carolina Nursing Home Statute of Limitations

The South Carolina nursing home statute of limitations determines how long families have to take legal action for abuse or neglect in a care facility.

In South Carolina, you only have 3 years to sue a nursing home after a loved one’s injury or the date of their death, according to S.C. Code § 15-3-530.

It’s important to act fast. Once this time limit is up, you may lose your chance to seek justice and compensation from a South Carolina nursing home lawsuit.

South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit Updates & News

Unfortunately, abuse and neglect in South Carolina nursing homes are not uncommon. When care facilities fall short, families are often left seeking answers and accountability.

 Find out more about the latest South Carolina nursing home abuse news: 

• A South Carolina nursing home agreed to a $2 Million settlement with a resident who was abused by a staff member.
• In one case, a state-run facility paid $250,000 to the family of a resident who passed away from a preventable medical error.
• A family was awarded $450,000 after their loved one repeatedly fell at a nursing home and later passed away.

Families who suspect their loved one is being abused or neglected may be able to hold facilities accountable by filing a South Carolina nursing home lawsuit.

$2 Million South Carolina Nursing Home Settlement

A resident at an assisted living facility received a $2 Million South Carolina nursing home abuse settlement. The resident was reportedly physically assaulted by a staff member after the pair got into a verbal argument.

A hospital visit found soft-tissue injuries, and the resident required extensive counseling due to psychological trauma.

“This is just a sad situation that I think happens more often than we even hear about. Thankfully, there were some resident witnesses who brought it to the attention of the folks who needed to know about it, and that was the only reason that this whole thing came to light in the end.”
– South Carolina Nursing Home Lawyer

U.S. Government Sues South Carolina Nursing Home Operator for Substandard Care

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against ProMedica Health System, Inc. for providing nursing home residents with substandard care, including at ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Greenville East in South Carolina.

The South Carolina nursing home reportedly failed to: 

• Develop or follow individualized care plans
• Maintain residents’ hygiene
• Properly assist with feedings
• Provide adequate wound care to residents with pressure ulcers

In some cases, staff allegedly documented services that had never been provided to residents in order to conceal the facility's failure to meet required standards of care.

$250,000 South Carolina Nursing Home Settlement

A nurse at the state-run CM Tucker Nursing Care Center in Columbia accidentally dislodged a resident’s feeding tube and reinserted it without consulting his physician, as is required.

Placement of the tube also wasn’t properly verified. The resident’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and a CT scan confirmed the tube had been misplaced. He died the following day from acute peritonitis caused by the improper reinsertion.

His family alleged that negligence in the tube's reinsertion and failure to provide the resident’s medical history to the emergency department upon his arrival may have contributed to his death. The case settled for $250,000.

$450,000 South Carolina Nursing Home Verdict

An 81-year-old blind man with dementia suffered at least 26 falls at Lexington Medical Center Extended Care, according to his family’s South Carolina nursing home lawyer.

The man was admitted to the hospital for a hip replacement, where doctors found he was suffering from additional issues like malnutrition, dehydration, and infections. He passed away 2 weeks later.

At trial, a jury found the facility guilty of gross negligence and awarded $450,000 to the man’s family.

Types of South Carolina Nursing Home Lawyers

At Sokolove Law, our South Carolina nursing home lawyers can help injured residents and the families of those harmed by abuse, neglect, or unsafe conditions seek justice.

Nursing homes are meant to provide care, supervision, and a safe living environment. When facilities fail to meet these basic responsibilities, residents can suffer a wide range of serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries.

We can handle cases involving: 

• Physical abuse
• Neglect
• Bedsores or pressure wounds
• Accidental injuries
• Chemical restraints
• Falls
• Infections or sepsis
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Medical malpractice
• Medication errors
• Sexual abuse
• Wrongful deaths

Find out more about the types of cases our South Carolina nursing home injury lawyers may be able to help with.

South Carolina Nursing Home Physical Abuse Lawyer

Physical abuse in nursing homes is far more common than many families realize, with one study finding that approximately 45% of nursing home residents have experienced abuse.

Physical abuse can result in visible injuries like bruises, cuts, or fractures. In some cases, abuse may also cause emotional distress and behavioral changes.

Physical abuse of nursing home residents can include: 

• Hitting
• Improper or excessive use of physical restraints
• Kicking
• Punching
• Rough handling
• Shoving
• Slapping

If your loved one has unexplained injuries, shows sudden changes in behavior, or seems fearful of staff, contact our South Carolina nursing home physical abuse lawyers. We may be able to help you hold abusive staff or facilities accountable.

South Carolina Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer

Neglect occurs when nursing home staff fail to provide basic care to residents, putting them at risk of serious harm. In a survey of more than 2,000 nursing home residents, 95% reported experiencing neglect or witnessing neglect.

When negligence in a nursing home leads to preventable injuries, worsening medical conditions, and unnecessary pain, then a South Carolina nursing home neglect lawyer may be able to help those affected take legal action.

Common signs of neglect may include:

• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Poor hygiene
• Pressure wounds
• Unsanitary living conditions
• Untreated medical issues

South Carolina law permits a single certified nursing aide to be responsible for up to 22 residents during overnight shifts (S.C. Code § 44-7-262), leaving little time for each resident's individual needs.

By working with a South Carolina nursing home negligence lawyer, you can pursue compensation for your loved one’s medical bills and the cost of transferring them to a facility that can provide the level of care they deserve.

South Carolina Nursing Home Bedsores Lawyer

Nursing home staff are trained to regularly reposition residents to prevent bedsores from forming, and to treat the wounds promptly when they do occur. Without proper care, these sores can worsen quickly and lead to life-threatening infections.

Bedsores or pressure wounds may indicate nursing home neglect, especially when they reach stage 3 or stage 4.

A South Carolina nursing home bedsore lawyer can help families hold negligent facilities accountable for failing to properly care for their loved one.

“Severe bedsores are one of the clearest signs of nursing home neglect. These wounds take time to form and are almost always preventable with routine care.”
– Ricky LeBlanc, Managing Attorney of Sokolove Law

South Carolina Nursing Home Accident Lawyer

When facilities fail to maintain safe environments or provide proper supervision, accidents may occur that cause residents to suffer serious or even fatal injuries.

Nursing home accidents may involve:

• Burns from hot food or liquids
• Choking or aspiration during meals
• Cuts or lacerations from sharp objects or unsafe surroundings
• Elopement (wandering or leaving the facility unsupervised)
• Equipment-related injuries, including wheelchairs, walkers, bed rails, or lifts
• Slips, trips, and falls

An estimated 20,000 to 40,000 nursing home residents with cognitive issues elope each year, according to McKnight’s Senior Living. These residents may wander into traffic, fall, become lost outdoors in extreme temperatures, or encounter water hazards.

At Sokolove Law, our South Carolina nursing home accident lawyers can look into the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s injuries and determine whether the facility’s negligence played a role.

South Carolina Nursing Home Chemical Restraints Lawyer

Chemical restraints are medications used to control a nursing home resident’s behavior rather than to treat a legitimate medical condition, including powerful antipsychotics and sedatives.

More than 1 in 5 nursing home residents are given antipsychotic drugs, often without a clear medical justification, according to the Long-Term Care Community Coalition.

The use of chemical restraints may lead to: 

• Confusion or disorientation
• Falls
• Lethargy and drowsiness
• Loss of mobility
• Respiratory depression

A South Carolina nursing home chemical restraints lawyer can help families investigate whether medications were improperly prescribed or administered and hold facilities accountable for prioritizing their convenience over resident safety.

South Carolina Nursing Home Fall Lawyer

Every year, around half of all nursing home residents experience at least one fall, according to the National Library of Medicine. Falls can result in injuries that may dramatically impact an older adult’s health, independence, and quality of life.

Many nursing home falls are entirely preventable. Facilities are required to assess each resident’s fall risk, flag those who are high risk, and take the appropriate precautions to prevent avoidable harm.

Nursing home falls may occur when:

• Facilities are understaffed
• Residents have to wait too long for help and attempt to move on their own
• Fall risk assessments aren’t completed or updated
• Floors and hallways are cluttered or unsafe
• Medication side effects aren’t monitored, potentially leading to dizziness or weakness
• Mobility aids are broken or ill-fitting
• Residents aren’t properly supervised

Falls in nursing homes can lead to broken bones, head injuries, and even death. Elderly residents who are injured in a fall may experience a loss of mobility and a rapid decline in health.

Our South Carolina nursing home fall lawyers can examine staffing records, care plans, fall risk assessments, incident reports, and medical records to determine whether a facility’s negligence may have played a role in your loved one’s fall.

South Carolina Nursing Home Infection Lawyer

Nursing homes are required to follow strict infection control protocols, including proper catheter care, wound cleaning, and hand hygiene. When facilities fail to meet these standards, residents may be placed in harm’s way.

If an infection goes untreated, residents may develop sepsis, which can lead to organ failure or death. Our South Carolina nursing home sepsis lawyers can help you determine your legal options after a preventable or poorly addressed infection.

South Carolina Nursing Home Malnutrition Lawyer

Malnutrition and dehydration are serious and often overlooked forms of nursing home neglect. When staff fail to provide residents with adequate food, fluids, or assistance during meals, residents can quickly suffer severe health consequences.

Approximately 20% of nursing home residents are malnourished, with rates rising to more than 65% in some facilities, according to Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care.

Our South Carolina nursing home dehydration lawyers can also help in cases where residents are not given enough water or assistance with drinking. Common warning signs of dehydration include dizziness, dry mouth or lips, dark or infrequent urine, fatigue, and confusion.

At Sokolove Law, our South Carolina nursing home malnutrition lawyers know how to investigate whether a facility failed to meet basic care standards or ignored signs that a resident was not receiving proper nutrition or hydration. Let us fight for you.

South Carolina Nursing Home Malpractice Lawyer

Nursing home malpractice occurs when medical professionals provide substandard care that leads to an injury or allows a health condition to worsen. This can include mistakes involving diagnosing, treating, or monitoring residents.

Because many nursing home residents often have complex medical needs, even small errors can quickly result in serious harm.

Medical malpractice in nursing homes may involve:

• Delayed response to medical emergencies
• Failure to diagnose or treat infections
• Improper wound or post-surgical care
• Lack of appropriate medical supervision
• Medication errors
• Mismanagement of chronic conditions

Nursing home malpractice is often linked to understaffing, inadequate training, or poor communication between staff.

A South Carolina nursing home malpractice lawyer can review medical records, treatment notes, staffing logs, and expert opinions to determine whether medical negligence caused harm to a resident.

South Carolina Nursing Home Medication Error Lawyer

Nursing home medication errors, including giving the wrong dose or medication, may have serious and potentially fatal consequences.

During a 3-month period, approximately 90% of residents experienced at least 1 medication error, according to BMC Geriatrics.

Medication errors can happen when staff:

• Administer too much or too little of a prescribed medication
• Dispense a medication intended for another resident
• Fail to monitor residents for adverse reactions or side effects
• Give medications at the wrong time
• Provide expired or improperly stored medications
• Skip or miss scheduled doses

By working with our experienced South Carolina nursing home medication error lawyers, you can get help holding those responsible for your loved one’s suffering accountable.

South Carolina Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Over 70% of elder sexual abuse cases occur in nursing homes, according to Minnesota’s Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care. Sexual abuse in nursing homes may be carried out by staff, visitors, or other residents.

Residents with cognitive impairments, like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, may be at especially high risk because they may have difficulty recognizing or reporting the abuse.

If your loved one begins showing signs of sexual abuse, like emotional changes, unexplained injuries in sensitive areas, or new sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reach out to our South Carolina nursing home sexual abuse lawyers for help.

South Carolina Nursing Home Death Lawyer

While some nursing home residents pass away due to natural causes, others may die as a result of abuse or neglect within a care facility.

Residents who have experienced abuse have a 300% higher risk of death than those who have not, according to Gitnux.

Wrongful deaths in nursing homes may be linked to issues like: 

• Falls
• Improper use of medical equipment
• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Medication errors
• Poorly trained staff
• Preventable accidents
• Untreated infections

Our South Carolina nursing home wrongful death lawyers can investigate the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death and determine whether negligence contributed to their passing.

Those affected may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, and the emotional impact of losing a loved one.

South Carolina Nursing Home Ratings

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a 5-star rating system to score South Carolina nursing homes based on health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures.

CMS also flags facilities that have been cited for issues involving resident abuse and mistreatment.

South Carolina nursing homes that have received a 1-star rating or been cited for abuse include: 

• Brushy Creek Post Acute
• CM Tucker Jr Nursing Care Center Fewell and Stone
• Golden Age Operations
• Lake Emory Post Acute Care
• Life Care Center of Hilton Head
• McCormick Post Acute
• Physical Rehabilitation and Wellness Center of Spa
• Ridgeway Manor Healthcare Center
• Senior Care of Marion
• Springdale Healthcare Center

A low rating or abuse citation can serve as a warning sign — but harm can occur in any facility. If your loved one has been hurt in a South Carolina nursing home, our lawyers can help you understand your legal options.

Let Our South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Help

At Sokolove Law, our nursing home neglect lawyers in South Carolina have decades of experience supporting those who have suffered abuse at the hands of their caregivers.

Our nursing home abuse law firm has recovered millions on behalf of South Carolina patients and their families. There are no hourly fees or out-of-pocket costs to work with our team.

We’re committed to providing you with the personal attention your case deserves. We have the resources necessary to stand up to large long-term care facilities and make sure your loved one is protected.

Let us fight for the justice you deserve. Call (800) 995-1212 now or fill out our contact form to get a free, no-obligation case review.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in South Carolina FAQs