The majority of nursing home neglect cases are far more subtle and
many people are hesitant to seek out an attorney. The best rule of
thumb is to trust your instinct. If something doesn't seem right--it's
probably not. Because most cases of nursing home neglect involve
ongoing mistreatment, it is important to contact an attorney when you
begin to suspect the nursing home may be treating your loved one
improperly.
Pay attention to the physical signs. Most elderly are hesitant to
report situations involving nursing home abuse or neglect and may be
scared to confront the people responsible for providing their care.
Patterns of injury should not be tolerated. Repeated falls, bruising,
cuts or infection deserve to to investigated as they are easily
preventable situations that are indicative of staffing problems at a
facility.
Statute of limitations, or specific time allotments, govern how much
time one has to bring a lawsuit against the nursing home or long-term
care facility. Statute of limitations may provide years for pursuing a
cause of action. However, the sooner an attorney is contacted, the
sooner an investigation can be started to determine what may have
caused the injury or abuse. Many cases involving abuse, neglect or
injury require the review of extensive medical records and expert
witness consultation--time consuming practices to say the least.
Even in situations where there may seem to be a lack of evidence to
prove neglect on the part of the nursing home, an experienced nursing
home attorney will be able to sort through the evidence and determine
if there is a case and how to proceed. Most injury attorneys work on a
contingency fee, meaning they only receive a fee if they are
successful in obtaining compensation for the injured party. No out of
pocket expenses are required on behalf of the client.
There has been a recent trend, in some situations involving severe
injury, where the nursing home or hospital may seem to take
responsibility for an injury. Representations may be made by the staff
at these facilities that they will 'do whats right' to remedy the
situation. Don't be lulled into believing this song. Rarely --if ever
-- do these individuals really have the interests of the injured party
in mind. Moreover, without the consult of an attorney well versed in
what damages an injured person is entitled to receive, the medical
facility will use its uneven bargaining position in its favor.
If you or a loved one suspect the nursing home, long-term care
facility, home nurse or hospital may have caused or contributed to an
injury or situation involving abuse, why not speak to an attorney who
has your interests in mind without any charge to you?
Jonathan Rosenfeld
Strellis & Field, Chartered
444 North Wells Street
Suite 202
Chicago, IL 60654
(888) 424-5757
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Rosenfeld
In situations where there has been a specific incident involving a
serious injury or abuse, the nursing home resident themselves or their
family will seek out the advice of a nursing home attorney for
representation.