What You Should Do if You Suspect Your Loved One Was Abused in a Nursing Home
Posted on: 24 July 2017
If someone that you love is in a nursing home, your main concern is likely making sure that they are being well taken care of. The last thing you would ever want to happen is for them to be mishandled or abused in some way. If your loved one has let you know that they're being abused or if you've spotted some things that just don't sit right with you, the next moves you make could be very important.
Use this information to learn more about what you should do if you suspect that your friend or family member is being abused in a nursing home.
You Should Hire an Attorney Immediately
Before you go a single step forward, the first thing you should do is get in touch with a nursing home neglect lawyer. They can be instrumental in helping you get the proof you need to substantiate your abuse claims.
Understand that you don't want the matter to be an issue of your word against the nursing home workers' word. You need a strong case so that you can possibly take it to court and get restitution for the way that your loved one was treated. If the person abusing your loved one knows how to keep their acts of impropriety away from your keen eyes, you could find yourself hard pressed to get real proof that can shore up your testimony.
An attorney can be instrumental in helping you get your hands on things like surveillance video which clearly shows that abuse is happening. You'll have something to show a judge that absolutely cannot be denied.
Keep Track of Any Changes That Occur
It's very important for you to document the days and times when you notice the signs of abuse. You want to make your case as thorough as possible so that you can take the matter to the proper authorities.
For example, you might arrive at the nursing facility one day and notice that there is an unaccounted for bruise on your loved one. If they are somewhat quiet about the issue or can't remember where it came from, use a small notebook to jot this down. If you have a camera phone, take a picture of the bruise and lock it away for safe keeping. You'll be developing a compelling case that will be hard to throw out.
Your loved one shouldn't have to deal with being abused as a nursing home resident. If you ever think that such a thing is going on, remember these tips and contact a personal injury attorney to learn more about how to act based on your specific case.
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