Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
What should I do if I suspect nursing home abuse in a nursing home in Alabama or Mississippi?
First and foremost is the safety and well-being of your loved one. If you have any concerns or worries, make sure the concerns you have are voiced to the caregivers, the Director of Nursing, the Administrator and your loved one’s doctor.
Often times nursing home residents are too frightened or unable to speak out on their own. If something does not seem right to you, immediately make it known to the staff, document the problems and pay close attention to how your loved one interacts with the staff at the nursing home.
How to discover if a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect?
Each year families all across this country are faced with the difficult decision of whether to place a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility. When such a living arrangement becomes necessary, families place their absolute and total trust in the nursing home and its staff to take care of their loved ones. However, some nursing homes violate this trust and, when this happens, the result is often serious injury and even death to those that are the most fragile in our society.
What are the signs of nursing home abuse or neglect?
Medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect can be difficult to spot and challenging to prove in court. Nursing homes are required to provide a clean, safe and healthy environment for its residents. Family members should be on the lookout for the following warning signs:
- Bedsores, skin breakdown and pressure ulcers
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss
- Bruises, cuts, skin tears or burns to the skin
- Sudden changes in personality
- Poor hygiene
- Falls
- Dehydration and malnutrition
- Medication errors
- Broken bones
- Unexplained injuries
- Untimely or unexplained death
- Sepsis
- Unsanitary or unclean conditions
- Complaints of poor treatment
When should I consult a lawyer regarding nursing home abuse and neglect in Alabama or Mississippi?
Prior to forming the Estes Law Firm, Chris served as defense counsel for nursing homes throughout Alabama and Mississippi. Chris spent over ten years representing and defending nursing homes. Chris would often personally go into nursing homes during all hours of the day and night to inspect the medical records, interview the witnesses, examine the caregivers and then prepare the defense to alleged neglect and abuse. Chris served as an attorney for a regional panel counsel for what was then considered the largest nursing home chain in the world.
- However, Chris no longer represents the nursing homes, the large corporations that own the nursing homes or the insurance companies hired by the nursing homes.
The sole focus of the Estes Law Firm is to represent individuals, families and small businesses with the same expertise, skill and dedication as the big corporations demand. Chris has experience spotting evidence of abuse and neglect of nursing home residents and building a record to prove it in court.
If you believe that a loved one has suffered abuse or neglect while residing in a nursing home, you should immediately contact a lawyer that has experience with nursing home cases. The Estes Law Firm offers a free case evaluation.