Families regularly make the difficult decision to place elderly loved ones in nursing homes when they can no longer care for themselves. You research facilities and monitor your loved one’s care carefully. Unfortunately, even the most diligent family members cannot always prevent neglect and abuse in these facilities.
You may be concerned for your loved one after seeing unexplained bruising or injuries. You might notice personality changes or signs of inadequate care. Regardless of the circumstances, talking to a Jacksonville nursing home liability lawyer is the first step in ensuring your loved one’s well-being. An experienced attorney like Millicent Daniels at the Daniels Law Firm will fight tirelessly to support your family and protect vulnerable members of our society.
Under federal law, nursing home patients are entitled to dignity and quality care, free from neglect and abuse. Medicare and Medicaid inspect licensed facilities to ensure these rights are upheld. Facility employees, managers, and owners may be held accountable when a resident is harmed or dies because of negligence or intentional abuse. Residents and family members deserve compensation from the wrongdoers, and our dedicated Jacksonville attorney will work tirelessly to hold the nursing home liable.
Most nursing home injuries happen because of someone’s negligence, which occurs when there are substandard efforts to ensure patients’ safety. Sadly, some facilities are understaffed, which can lead to inadequate care. When neglected, patients may suffer infections, bedsores, weight loss, or falls.
In other situations, a nursing home patient may suffer abuse from employees or other residents. Abuse can be psychological, sexual, physical, or financial. Physical abuse could involve slapping, hitting, kicking, or restraining residents, while psychological abuse may take the form of intimidation, manipulation, or harassment. Financial abuse involves exploiting residents, such as by taking their jewelry or using their credit cards.
Nursing homes must also ensure that the facilities are not dangerous. In recent years, nursing home residents in Florida have lost their lives to fires and lack of air conditioning. Fires cannot always be predicted, but certain precautions should be taken against faulty electric wiring and other preventable conditions.
Eight South Florida residents died in 2017 after Hurricane Irma knocked out power to their nursing home and a backup generator failed, leaving them in the sweltering heat. Nursing homes must inspect the wiring and repair crucial systems. They also must have protocols in place for emergencies. A nursing home liability attorney in Jacksonville can investigate after a tragic incident to determine if the facility may be at fault.
When nursing home residents suffer harm because of abuse or neglect, they deserve compensation. The facility owed them a safe environment and failed to uphold this duty. When nursing home negligence leads to a resident’s premature death, family members can work with a dedicated lawyer at our firm to seek justice through a wrongful death lawsuit. A skilled nursing home liability attorney at the Daniels Law Firm will fight for compensation to cover the following:
Do not take the facility’s word that your loved one is fine. When you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect, contact an experienced Jacksonville lawyer as soon as possible to investigate.
Although some injuries and accidents in nursing homes are unavoidable, many can be prevented with proper care and due diligence. Neglectful staff members, managers, and owners should be held accountable for the harm they cause to innocent patients and families.
Nursing homes can fail residents in many ways. Fires start because electric systems are not updated or inspected. Heatstroke occurs when residents are left unaccompanied in the sun. Employees can be abusive or neglectful. If you suspect your loved one is not receiving the level of care they deserve, talk to a Jacksonville nursing home liability lawyer. Call the Daniels Law Firm for the dedicated support and tireless representation you need.
Millicent Daniels the Peoples Attorney
