Family members have to check their loved ones into nursing homes for a variety of reasons. Often, it is because the loved one has a medical condition that is progressing and requires care on a constant basis. Additionally, the care must be specialized in cases of advancing Alzheimer’s and similar conditions. When an individual goes into a nursing home, there should never be injuries caused to him or her.
Injuries received at a nursing home should put a family on edge. They need to find out if the injuries are self-inflicted or caused by another resident. In the worst-case scenario, the injuries are a result of the staff’s care, such as failing to look after a resident or even willfully abusing them. A family can sue the nursing home with civil charges in that case, which involves going through a few stages.
Families should always begin by speaking with the loved one to see if they can tell their side of the story. Then, law enforcement should be called to investigate the situation with an established set of procedures. The goal of law enforcement is to gather different perspectives as well as evidence.
As the nursing home injuries are investigated, family members may want to hire an attorney. Accusing a nursing home of abusing its residents is not a charge that is going to be taken lightly. Hiring a legal professional is one way to ensure that a family’s claim is thorough. If anything is missed and there is a court case, it could put the outcome in jeopardy on a technicality. An attorney may handle all the details of the case to help a family through this stressful and emotional situation.
