Knowledgeable Injury Lawyer Advocating for Victims and Families in Foley
When you put your loved one in a nursing home, you trust that he or she will be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Unfortunately, some nursing homes have staff members who neglect or even abuse residents. Some signs of abuse and neglect include a nursing home resident’s bedsores, depression, personality changes, withdrawal, weight loss, bruises, cuts, and unexplained falls or fractures. Sometimes, as a visitor, you may simply sense that something is not right. If your loved one shows signs of having been neglected or mistreated, you should consult Foley nursing home negligence lawyer Whit A. Thomas.
Situations Involving Nursing Home Negligence
Nursing home residents in Alabama can be harmed in many different ways, including through dehydration, malnutrition, falls, medication errors, chemical restraints, infections, wandering unsupervised, inadequate attention to hygiene, and inadequate medical care. Generally, nursing homes should be adequately staffed by qualified individuals. Unfortunately, however, many nursing homes have problems because they are understaffed. When there are not enough staff members, the existing staff members may become frustrated, and if they are not qualified, the result may be negligence or even abuse.
Nursing homes are highly regulated by federal and state governments. In order to work up a case, your lawyer will need to review medical records and nursing home policies and procedures. They will likely need to get statements from patients, witnesses, and staff members.
Federal and Alabama laws prohibit nursing home negligence. Under the federal Nursing Home Reform Act, nursing home residents have a wide range of rights, including the right to be free from neglect, mistreatment, and abuse, as well as the right to participate in the review of a plan of care or changes in treatment.
Nursing home negligence cases should comply with the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1975. A nursing home negligence attorney can help Foley residents ensure that they meet these requirements. The Alabama Supreme Court has held that lawsuits against nursing homes are governed by this law, rather than common-law negligence. There are strict rules and expert requirements associated with lawsuits brought under the medical liability law. Among other things, there is a greater burden of proof, which makes it harder to establish liability under the medical liability law than it would be in a common-law negligence claim.
Usually, residents sign a contract with the nursing home. Accordingly, it may also be appropriate to allege breach of contract if inappropriate care was provided.