Robert C. Stone
NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE AND ABUSE
It’s never an easy decision to put a loved one in a nursing home. A top priority is always their safety and welfare. But even sometimes our best intentions can’t prevent neglect or abuse from taking place.
Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms. It can be physical, emotional or psychological. Because the elderly, like children, often must rely on others for their care, they are more vulnerable. As a result, they are more likely to become victims of nursing home abuse and neglect.
Signs of abuse may include physical injuries, such as bruises, bleeding or bedsores, as well as unexplained diseases or infections. Nursing home patients also may
experience emotional abuse, which could cause them to withdraw from family and friends or sink into depression.
In Florida, nursing homes are required, by law, to have experienced staff who must complete certain educational courses before they are permitted to work in nursing homes. In addition, each nursing home must have at least one doctor, dietician and nurse available on the premises.
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration offers a Nursing Home Guide that includes facility-specific comparative information, including a star ranking, based upon deficiencies cited during inspections.
Nursing homes not only have a legal, but they also have a moral obligation to provide a safe and comfortable environment for their patients. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. If you suspect that a loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse, it’s crucial that you report it immediately. Florida law requires that the abuse must be reported within two years of having taken place. If the abuse is not immediately discovered, then it must be reported within two years of discovering it happened.
When hiring an attorney to handle your case, it’s imperative that you have someone with the experience, knowledge and resources to properly handle your case. This includes access to expert witnesses who will be able to review the facts and testify on your behalf. Not every case goes to trial and many result in settlements. That is why you need an attorney who has your best interest in mind.
Robert C. Stone is dedicated to ensuring that administrators and staff are held accountable for any abuse that might take place at their facility and to ensure that it never happens again.
If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect report it immediately, make every effort to remove the victim of abuse from the facility and then call us for a FREE 30-minute consultation. We handle nursing home abuse cases on a contingency basis, which means no legal fees are collected unless we win your case. We can be reached at 561-395-0000.
Call us for a FREE consultation at 561-395-0000.