When a loved one is placed in a nursing home, your hope is that you are paying for quality care to help them in their later years. Unfortunately, there can be problems where elderly people are abused by those that take care of them. If this is happening to your loved one, you'll need to collect some evidence so that you have proof of what is going on when you're not around.
Photography All Injuries
It's important that you document all injuries that happen to your loved one when they are under the care of the nursing home staff, which can easily be done by taking a photograph. A common problem that elderly people in nursing homes run into are bed sores. This is when there is a lot of pressure on the skin from lying in one position, which causes a sore to form in that spot. Caregivers should be making sure people that stay in their bed are shifting positions periodically, or else bed sores can easily happen.
Gather WItness Statements
If there was someone else in the nursing home that witnesses the abuse, such as another person staying at the facility, you'll want to get a statement from them that can be used to help your case. If your loved one does not have their full mental capacity, it will help to talk to others that do in order to get the full story about what is happening.
Get Medical Reports
Injuries from falling down should also be documented, along with a detailed report about how it happened and what injuries were sustained. If the injury is serious, your loved one would have been checked out by a doctor that makes a detailed summary of what happened. You can request this summary and use it as part of your case, since hopefully the doctor was a neutral party and not part of the nursing home staff.
When you do find evidence of abuse or neglect, you'll want to meet with a lawyer that specializes in these types of cases. They can take your evidence and let you know if you have a solid case on your hands. If so, they'll walk you through the process of taking it to court, and assist with speaking on your behalf. By working together, you can get the compensation you feel like you deserve for your loved one's abuse in their nursing home. For more information, reach out to law firms like the Garrison Law Firm.
Share17 March 2019
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