What If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Injury?

Unfortunately, all too often, our loved ones are injured or neglected while in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Nursing Homes often times are understaffed and are unable to provide the resources necessary to protect our loved ones. These insufficiencies naturally lead to preventable injuries and even deaths.

Our firm has seen too many cases where elderly loved ones have suffered from fractured bones, dehydration, urinary tract infections, sepsis, sexual assault and other injuries due to the neglect or abuse of nursing home employees. The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1,800 people die every year in nursing homes due to fall-related injuries.

If you believe that a loved one is being neglected or abused while in the care of a nursing facility then there are certain steps that should be taken:

First, if appropriate, contact local law enforcement to notify them of the abuse and neglect.

Second, contact your local Division of Aging and Adult Services and follow the process that they will lay out.

Third, after contacting the appropriate authorities, a nursing home abuse and neglect attorney may be able to help you pursue further courses of action against the nursing home.

In addition to taking these steps it is always a good idea to take good notes of what is occurring, who you have spoken to, their responses, and actions taken. Be sure to include dates and times of the day. Also, pictures of the injury caused by the neglect of the nursing facility are always helpful.