What You Need To Prove Negligence In Nursing Homes
Negligence is a complex area of law that can be hard to prove. As much of what happens occurs behind closed doors, families can feel lost and pessimistic about uncovering the truth of neglect that has been experienced by their elderly family members. Luckily, with the help of a Syracuse nursing home negligence attorney from Gattuso & Ciotoli, you will have all the tools you need to attain justice for your family.
What Does Neglect Look Like?
Nursing home neglect takes many different forms due to the inherent nature of assisted living care facilities. With such a breadth of responsibilities in caring for elderly loved ones comes the potential for neglect in different areas of their life.
- Medical neglect – Medical neglect is one of the most common types of neglect in nursing homes. Failure to administer medicines at the correct time, leaving broken bones or other injuries untreated and failure to prevent or care for bedsores are all common types of medical neglect.
- Hygiene neglect – Hygiene is an essential part of a quality standard of life, yet it is often neglected in New York nursing homes. Should an elderly resident not be bathed regularly, have their sheets changed, or have their room regularly cleaned, a facility could be guilty of nursing home neglect.
- Living needs neglect – Another unfortunately common type of neglect is that of everyday living needs. Assisted-care facilities have an obligation to make sure their residents are properly fed, hydrated, and taken to the bathroom whenever the need arises. Failure to do so can lead to serious long-term health complications.
Neglect is often the result of understaffing, overworking, or unprofessional or unlicensed caretakers. Yet no matter the reasoning, nursing homes are contractually obligated to provide an adequate level of care, meaning that victims and their families have the right to sue in the case of abuse or negligence.
How to Address a Facility Abusing a Family Member
With nearly 12% of nursing home staff admitting to neglecting their residents, it is more important than ever to stay educated on how to handle neglect, should your loved one experience it. In order to begin the process, victims’ families must seek the help of a nursing home neglect attorney. This attorney will build a complaint and file it in order to begin the process of filing a lawsuit.
In the world of nursing home neglect, it is essential that victims move as fast as possible to address the neglect. Immediately after filing a complaint, the attorney will begin to build a case and file a lawsuit. This includes a collection of evidence that supports the claims of neglect. This process then turns into a suit in which damages are available in the form of compensation after a conviction.
Proving Negligence in Syracuse, NY
Considering statutes of limitations and the time and effort it takes to put together a nursing home negligence case, it is critical to reach out to a Syracuse nursing home negligence attorney from Gattuso & Ciotoli as soon as possible. By sending a message online or calling our firm at (315) 314-8000, you will be taking the first steps in seeking justice for your loved ones.