Can Nursing Home Residents File Their Own Abuse or Neglect Lawsuits?
In many cases, nursing home residents who are abused or neglected by staff members or other facility employees rely on their loved ones to take action on their behalf.
That’s because residents are often unable to physically, mentally, or emotionally handle the task of filing a lawsuit against the facility they live in. But that’s not always the case, and sometimes, residents who are perfectly capable of taking legal action are abused or neglected.
One of the biggest challenges that residents face when it comes to filing claims against their own facilities is managing their own living situations. It can be extremely difficult to pursue compensation against a nursing home when a resident still lives there and in fact may have no options for moving elsewhere, especially if they are physically disabled.
It’s important for residents who are abused or neglected to reach out to trusted family members and friends for help. Those trusted confidantes can then help the residents contact a lawyer and begin the process of searching for a new nursing home if necessary.
At Skolrood Law Firm, our Roanoke nursing home abuse lawyers are here to help regardless of victims’ situations. We know that not all abused and neglected residents have family members and friends who they can trust, and that’s why do everything we can to provide them with sensitive, confidential, and dedicated service from the moment they contact us.
Whether you’re in a nursing home yourself or you know of someone who is being abused or neglected, it’s important to get legal help right away. Call our firm for a free consultation—we’re ready to begin protecting your rights.
How Can You Prevent Your Loved One from Being Abused or Neglected in a Nursing Home?
At Skolrood Law Firm, we work hard to help nursing home abuse victims and their loved ones get maximum compensation. But no amount of compensation can truly make up for horrific mistreatment at the hands of people who are supposed to care for them and their well-being. That’s why it’s always better to prevent abuse and neglect in the first place.
Although it’s impossible to completely eliminate the risk, there are a few steps you can take to prevent it.
- Research the nursing home. Many nursing homes go to great lengths to create a polished image, but the experiences of other families can shed light on what actually goes on when visitors leave. Simply Googling the nursing home can provide a lot of information that the nursing home itself may not provide.
- Visit the nursing home at different times of day. Nursing homes may look picture perfect on weekends when visitors and prospective residents are more likely to be there, but they can look completely different on weekdays. Pop in unannounced at various times to see how well staffed the nursing home is and how residents are treated.
- Be attentive to your loved one’s health and physical condition. Keep a close eye on your loved one when you visit. Check for indications that their mental, physical, and emotional well-being are at risk, such as depression, anxiety, bruises, and fear of staff members. The sooner you notice these signs, the better you’ll be able to prevent future abuse and neglect.
Worried your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse? Contact the Roanoke nursing home abuse lawyers at Skolrood Law Firm today for a free consultation.
Should You Move Your Abused or Neglected Loved One into a New Nursing Home?
Finding out your loved one was mistreated in their nursing home to the point where their health and even life was at risk is devastating. When this happens, many people file injury claims against the nursing homes that failed to look after their loved ones. But if you decide to file a claim against your loved one’s care facility, should you also move them to a new one?
The answer depends on a few factors. First, you should determine if your loved one’s abuse or neglect was an isolated incident. In some cases, abuse and neglect happen in otherwise caring and attentive facilities because a single caretaker acted negligently or maliciously towards residents. When this happens, ensuring the at-fault caretaker is fired and possibly prosecuted is the right path to take.
However, some cases of abuse and neglect are indicative of more widespread problems. For example, some nursing homes become breeding grounds for poor resident treatment because of their hiring practices. They may intentionally understaff or hire inexperienced and unqualified caretakers to save money. Those “savings” ultimately come at the cost of residents’ health and wellbeing.
If it’s determined that your loved one’s nursing home is a negligent facility overall, moving them to a new care home is your best option. In some cases, this move can be the difference between life and death, especially for vulnerable residents. It can be difficult to find a new care facility, especially on short notice, but our Roanoke nursing home abuse lawyers are here to help.
Don’t go it alone when you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected in their nursing home. Contact Skolrood Law Firm today for a free consultation.
