Posted on August 13, 2025 in Physical Abuse

When families entrust the care of an elderly loved one to a nursing home, they often do so with a mixture of hope and anxiety. Hope that their parent or grandparent will receive the dignity, safety, and medical support they deserve; and anxiety rooted in the countless stories of elder abuse and neglect that have become all too common in Illinois and beyond.

That anxiety has led many families to consider installing cameras, often called "granny cams," in their loved one’s nursing home room. These devices can provide reassurance, detect mistreatment, and hold staff accountable. But they also raise difficult legal and privacy questions.

So, are granny cams legal in Illinois nursing homes? The short answer is: yes, under specific conditions. But the details matter, and if the rules are not followed carefully, families can face serious legal consequences or risk having the footage excluded in a civil or criminal case, even when abuse really is happening.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 31, 2025 in Nursing Home Abuse

Palliative care should be about compassion and dignity, and a person’s final chapter should be eased by skilled professionals who care about their quality of life. What happens when the people entrusted with that care betray that trust? What if the nurses assigned to ease someone’s suffering are instead causing harm — not just emotionally, but physically, financially, and medically?

If you suspect abuse during palliative care in a nursing home or hospice setting, you have legal options. Our Madison County, IL nursing home abuse attorneys offer free consultations and take these cases seriously. When you reach out, you will speak directly to a real lawyer who understands what is at stake and who will walk with you every step of the way.

Recognizing Abuse in Palliative Nursing Care

Palliative care is supposed to prioritize comfort, not cure. But far too often, understaffed or negligent facilities exploit this shift in focus as a reason to lower their standards. In some of the worst cases, nurses responsible for palliative patients engage in misconduct that leaves those patients suffering or even hastens their death.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 15, 2025 in Breathing Tube Injuries

When a loved one is staying in a nursing home, families expect a basic level of care that includes constant supervision, dignity, and protection from foreseeable harm. So what happens when a resident with dementia or confusion pulls out life-sustaining tubes or medical devices and is seriously injured or killed? Many facilities try to argue that these injuries are the resident’s fault. However, under Illinois law, a nursing home cannot escape responsibility simply because an elderly resident is cognitively impaired.

In Illinois, nursing home residents are frequently admitted with feeding tubes, oxygen delivery systems, catheters, or central lines. These devices are necessary to keep them alive and stable. When dislodged, they can lead to choking, sepsis, hemorrhaging, and even death. The risk of this kind of nursing home injury is well-known in the long-term care industry, and that means facilities must plan for it.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 23, 2025 in Neglect

Catheters are used to drain urine and other fluids from the bladder. These medical tools see plenty of use in nursing homes, as they often help treat residents dealing with incontinence or other health issues when bladder control becomes more difficult with age for some. However, when these tools are used improperly, nursing home residents could be exposed to injuries, illness, or even death. 

If your loved one has been injured due to improper catheter usage in a nursing home, get in contact with an Illinois nursing home injury lawyer as soon as possible. At Schwartz Injury Law, we have the resources, skills, and relevant experience to help you take legal action against a nursing facility. We will fight for justice on behalf of your loved one, pursuing a fair settlement or verdict. 

Physical Injuries Caused by Catheters

It goes without saying that catheters should be handled with the utmost care. The slightest error in application can cause severe pain for a resident, possibly resulting in serious injury.  For instance,  inserting a catheter too roughly can result in internal damage and bleeding to the urethra. Poorly lubricated tubes can also cause abrasions from friction.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 11, 2025 in Nursing Home Falls

Falls are a serious concern in nursing homes, often resulting in severe injuries and sometimes even leading to fatalities. When someone you love lives in a nursing home, it is essential to understand the different types of falls that can happen, what can lead to them, and their legal implications. An Illinois nursing home neglect attorney can help you file a claim for compensation after a fall resulting in injury.

Many nursing home falls can be traced back to a preventable act of negligence by the staff. At Schwartz Injury Law, we believe that nursing homes should be made to answer for their negligence. We can file a personal injury claim for your loved one’s damages, fighting for a fair resolution on your behalf.

What Kinds of Falls Are Taking Place in Nursing Homes? 

No two falls in a nursing home are the same. The severity of the fall may depend on the resident’s age and health. Older people tend to have more fragile constitutions and brittle bones, so even a seemingly minor fall that one person could walk away from mostly unscathed could have disastrous health consequences for someone else.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on May 27, 2025 in Neglect

The thought of a nursing home resident choking to death is horrifying to imagine. For many people with elderly loved ones in care facilities, it is a common nightmare scenario. In many cases, these fatal accidents are entirely preventable. Simple acts of negligence and carelessness can result in choking incidents that, if not addressed quickly, can lead to death. If your loved one has suffered injury or death as a result of a choking accident at a care facility, an Illinois nursing home injury attorney can advocate for you.

Nursing homes should be held accountable for any harm caused by negligence. At Schwartz Injury Law, we can help you take legal action by filing a personal injury claim against the facility. We have successfully fought and won for clients across numerous cases, including a $410,000 settlement for a case involving a man with dementia who choked to death.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on May 12, 2025 in Nursing Home Abuse

Infections occur frequently in many healthcare facilities, but they are of particular concern in nursing homes where residents often have compromised health conditions. Elderly residents are often sick and incapable of fighting infection, leading to life-threatening conditions. Nursing homes owe a duty of care to their residents to prevent conditions like sepsis from occurring.

If someone you love was seriously injured or died as a result of a sepsis infection during their stay in a nursing home, you may have grounds for a personal injury or wrongful death claim. An Illinois personal injury attorney experienced in nursing home abuse and neglect can help you understand your options.

At Schwartz Injury Law, we will fight to hold the facility responsible for the harm done to your loved one. In the last five years alone, we have secured well over $70 million from successful verdicts and settlements. This is a testament to our devotion to our clients and the lengths we will go for them. When you work with our firm, we will fight hard to make things right and hold the responsible parties accountable for your loved one’s damages.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on April 23, 2025 in Medication Errors

Every nursing home resident deserves to be treated with proper care. Unfortunately, some nursing homes fail to meet this standard, leading to adverse health outcomes. If your parent had an allergic reaction triggered by medication administered by a nursing home, you can take action against the facility by filing a personal injury claim. If your claim is successful, you can recover compensation for the harm your parent suffered.

However, taking legal action against a nursing home by yourself is far from easy. The nursing home may attempt to deflect responsibility for an allergic reaction, aggressively denying any liability. At Schwartz Injury Law, our Illinois nursing home injury lawyers can help you investigate negligence from the staff and file a personal injury claim on your behalf.

Health Complications Caused by Allergic Reactions

When a medication inadvertently triggers an allergic reaction, the effects can be devastating. Even a mild reaction can result in hospitalization, especially in older individuals with fragile health. Common allergic reactions to medications include:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on April 07, 2025 in Nursing Home Abuse

The degree of care and medical intervention nursing home residents need varies dramatically. Some residents are able to walk, talk, eat, and perform most functions with little assistance from staff. Others are completely immobile and require machines to keep them alive.

Breathing tubes are often used to supply a resident with oxygen. The breathing tube is attached to a ventilator and serves as an artificial airway for people who cannot breathe on their own. Just like an obstruction in a throat, an obstruction in a breathing tube can prevent the resident from getting enough oxygen. Severe and fatal injuries can be caused by breathing tube clogs and other mistakes.

At Schwartz Injury Law, our Chicago, IL nursing home neglect attorneys can investigate the cause behind a breathing tube injury. We will fight to hold the negligent parties accountable, building a case to prove that the nursing home was at fault for your loved one’s injury. Our lawyers can help you pursue compensation for damages related not only to the resident’s medical care but pain and suffering as well.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 31, 2025 in Bed Sores

Negligence in nursing homes can have serious health consequences. Pressure sores, or bedsores, are one such example, especially when they are neglected and become infected, leaving elderly residents in agonizing pain and at a greater risk of serious complications. However, the most serious kind of pressure sores - Stage 4 pressure sores - do not happen overnight. Oftentimes, these sores are the result of prolonged negligence and a lack of intervention by untrained or understaffed nursing homes.

When these facilities refuse to answer for the harm they cause, an Illinois personal injury attorney can help you take action. At Schwartz Injury Law, our lawyers can identify Stage 4 pressure sores and investigate the cause behind them, pursuing fair compensation for your elderly relative’s injuries. Since our firm was established, we have represented the victims of nursing home injuries and their families in numerous cases, with a long track record of success.

Continue Reading ››