You placed your loved one in a nursing home so they could get the medical support and 24-hour care they need to live as comfortably as possible. It can be shattering to realize that your loved one is being mistreated in a long-term care facility.
There are many obstacles to advocating effectively for your loved one, so it is wise to seek legal help. When local lawyers and medical professionals suspect that their family members are not being cared for properly, they contact our personal injury attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright. They know that we can provide an experienced DeLand nursing home abuse & neglect lawyer who brings all their knowledge and skills to hold the facility accountable.
Why Is Poor Care in Nursing Homes So Prevalent?
Nursing homes are difficult places to work. Many of the patients need help with basic functions—such as bathing and toileting—which is physically demanding for the workers. The patients are medically fragile, their cognitive functioning may be poor, and dementia may alter their personality and make them challenging to manage.
The work does not pay well, and most nursing homes are chronically understaffed. These facilities must maintain certain staffing levels to keep their accreditation, so employees may work excessive overtime. This can lead to high turnover, which means many people in patient care positions may be new to the job or to the facility.
These pressures could mean that nursing homes do not adequately screen applicants. New employees may not receive adequate training or supervision. If your loved one is suffering from abuse or neglect in their DeLand nursing home, our attorneys can review personnel records to determine whether the facility was negligent in hiring, training, or supervising its workers. If so, it may be liable to pay compensation to you or your family.
Indicators of Mistreatment
Nursing home patients are vulnerable, and many cannot advocate for themselves. Family members and other loved ones must monitor their condition carefully and be alert for signs of abuse and neglect.
Sudden behavioral or personality changes without a medical explanation could be signs of abuse. Similarly, unexpected changes in appetite, weight loss, or weight gain could be clues that your loved one is experiencing neglect or abuse. Other concerning signs include:
- Repeated falls
- Wandering
- Unexplained cuts, bruises, or fractures
- New diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease
- Self-isolating behavior
- Bed sores
If you notice these or other concerning conditions, such as poor patient hygiene, bring them to the nursing home administrator’s attention immediately and follow up in writing.
Contact The Florida Firm and speak to one of our DeLand nursing home negligence attorneys if you are worried that your loved one is not receiving appropriate care. We could review the patient’s medical records and contact the facility if we note any deviation from applicable standards of care or potential indications of abuse.
Taking Legal Action Against the Facility
When a nursing home provides substandard care or allows a patient to be abused in its care, the facility is legally liable. You can bring a claim against the facility for compensation. Florida Statutes § 95.11(5) allows two years from the date of the patient’s injury or death to bring a claim.
You could claim any uncovered medical expenses that occurred because of the abuse and neglect, as well as the cost of relocating the patient to another facility. The facility must pay compensation for physical and mental suffering. If the abuse or neglect hastened the patient’s death, you could sue for wrongful death.
Our lawyers have obtained numerous substantial settlements and verdicts on behalf of nursing home patients and their families in DeLand and across the state of Florida in cases involving negligence. Examples include two families who received more than $1.5 million when their loved ones died due to malnutrition, dehydration, and severe bedsores. We also obtained more than $1 million for a family whose loved one choked to death when they were not supervised at mealtime, and a family whose loved one wandered off the premises and died of exposure.
Contact Our DeLand Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys If You Suspect Care Facility Mistreatment
When your loved one is not properly cared for, it can be difficult to know what to do. A compassionate DeLand nursing home abuse & neglect lawyer at our firm could help.
Colling Gilbert Wright has a history of excellent representation and impressive results. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your concerns about a nursing home.