Trusting Someone Else to Care for Your Loved One
Generally when individuals place a loved one into a skilled nursing facility, that loved one is a parent, disabled sibling or someone with very close personal ties. The decision to place an ailing parent or loved one into a long-term care facility is not an easy one, and is wrought with complex emotional and financial complexities. Ultimately, the expectation is that the people you hire to care for the sensitive physical, mental and emotional needs of your loved one will care for your family member just as you would. Unfortunately, this is not always the reality.
Call Teal and Montgomery today for help with your Elder Abuse Case today at 707-525-1212.
Signs of Abuse
It’s important that you and other family member visit your loved one often while he or she is in the care of a skilled nursing facility or any other long term care facility. You should visit at different times of day, on different days to get to know different supervisors and staff people who care for your family member. Be on the lookout for tell tale signs of abuse and mistreatment to be sure your loved one is being cared for properly. Things you should look for are: Dehydration
- Malnourishment or excessive weight loss
- Bedsores
- Unexplained injuries or bruises
- Evidence of sexual assault
- Wandering off
If you have recently discovered that your elderly or disabled loved one was injured or died under questionable circumstances in a nursing home near Santa Rosa area, please contact a nursing home negligence lawyer. Schedule your free consultation with an attorney at Teal & Montgomery.
Legal Professionals with an Excellent Track Record
The attorneys at Teal & Montgomery have a reputation for excellence and a record of favorable outcomes achieved on behalf of our clients who experienced personal injuries in car accidents, in medical malpractice cases, as well as workplace injuries. We are ready to employ the full extent of our experience and expertise to produce a claim for compensation after your loved one was injured or died under questionable circumstances in a long-term care facility.
Legal Rights for Nursing Home Residents
Residents of nursing homes are guaranteed special rights, according to the federal 1987 Nursing Home Reform Law. If long-term care facilities desire to receive federal funding, like Medicaid or Medicare, they are required to abide by the statutory requirements for resident rights in their nursing home. These specific entitlements focus on an elderly resident’s:
- quality of life
- dignity
- respect
- ability to make his or her own decisions
Nursing Home Negligence
Negligence occurs when someone is hurt because of another person’s failure to do the right thing. Abuse can be the result of negligence in a nursing home facility when staff fails to care for your loved one properly. Bedsores and injuries can occur when residents are not bathed regularly, moved into different positions, or left alone.
What to Do if Your Elderly Loved One Has Suffered Abuse
Notify nursing home staff and owners of any suspected abuse and follow the following steps:
- Make sure incident reports are filed.
- Keep track of names of any employees involved.
- Take pictures of injuries and document time, place, location, etc.
- Get copies of all reports filed.
- Contact an experienced and qualified Elder Abuse Attorney to discuss your options.
Laws at both the federal and state level include a Resident’s Bill of Rights. These involve the rights of all United States citizens, as well as resident aliens. These privileges address quality of like and the dignity of patients or residents.
If a nursing home has violated you or a loved one’s federally guaranteed rights, contact an experienced elder law attorney to talk about your legal options.
Please contact a Teal Law Firm Elder Abuse Attorney or call 707-525-1212 to schedule a free initial consultation at your convenience.