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Placing a beloved family member�in a nursing home�or an assisted living facility is always a tough decision. Finding out that they have been mistreated by the people who were supposed to care for them, however,�can be�devastating.
To�get justice in such�a case, you�may need the help of a DeKalb County nursing home abuse lawyer�who�has�handled these�issues before. Work with a qualified personal injury attorney that may know how to�advocate for you in civil court.
It is important to be alert for signs that something is wrong when visiting�loved ones. Some of the warning signs of substandard or negligent care�include:
Bedsores are a particularly�frequent issue,�since�many residents of nursing homes or assisted living facilities are living with reduced mobility. In such cases, it is the responsibility of the facility�s staff to make sure the residents move around during the day�so�they do not develop bedsores.
Caring for the elderly and chronically ill can be�challenging, particularly if those persons are suffering from dementia. However,�it is the responsibility of all licensed nursing homes and assisted living facilities to�hire staff�who have been trained to handle these kinds of situations.
In some cases, nursing home residents suffer outright abuse, both physical and psychological.�Any time an elderly person�is�subjected to such treatment, the facility must be held accountable. A DeKalb County nursing home abuse lawyer could attempt to help hold the responsible party accountable.
Since�nursing home abuse�is now seen�as a�growing�problem, the federal government and many state governments have passed laws setting standards for such facilities.�DeKalb County�law provides that�the staff of a�residential facility must not�use restraints on any resident or lock a resident in a room inside the facility.
Additionally, it is illegal for any staff member of a nursing home to provide sedatives to a resident unless that sedative is prescribed for that resident by a physician to treat specific symptoms.
Another�common�type of misconduct�at�nursing homes is theft of the residents� personal property. In most cases,�employees�of residential facilities�must�not handle a resident�s money without�a written request to do so�from�the resident�or their legal�representative. Also,�a thorough�record must be kept of all money deposited with the facility.
DeKalb County�law states that if any�employee of the facility suspects that a resident is being abused, neglected, isolated,�or exploited, that�employee must�report�these concerns to the senior officials of the facility immediately.
In addition to the terrible emotional cost of�nursing home�abuse, families may face increased medical costs as they try to repair the damage caused by the facility�s negligence. If the abuse leads to the premature death of a loved one, surviving family members�could�be compensated for loss of consortium�deprivation of the benefits of a family relationship�through a wrongful death lawsuit.
If your loved ones have suffered abusive treatment�in their elderly care facility, it�could be�essential�to their safety and well-being�that you speak with an experienced�DeKalb County nursing home abuse�attorney as soon as possible. A�DeKalb County nursing home abuse lawyer�who both understands�applicable laws�and knows�how to build a case that a health care facility has not met their appropriate�standard of care�may be invaluable in seeking compensation for your family�s maltreatment.�Get in touch today�to get started on your case.