If you have learned that your senior family member has been subjected to nursing home abuse or neglect, you want to take immediate action against the care facility. Staying calm after knowing this mistreatment can be hard, particularly if the nursing home staff acted with egregious behavior. But there are steps you can take and things you can avoid if you wish to file a lawsuit or claim. To learn more about your options, click here. After you discover the abuse that your elderly loved one has suffered, here are some things you should do:
Report the Abuse
If your elderly loved one is in immediate danger, contact the police right away. You must report the incident to the authorities to hold the abusive party liable for their actions.
Call an Attorney
After you get your family member to safety, contact an attorney who specializes in nursing home abuse cases to talk about your options to pursue a legal claim. Your attorney can review the case, give answers to any questions you may have, determine the validity of your claim, and explain how you should proceed.
Collect Evidence
Once you have an attorney helping you with your case, you can collect evidence together. This can include medical records, nursing home logs, correspondence from the facility, documents, photos of your loved one’s injuries, and photos of their living conditions. Also, you must write out details of what you can remember about the abuse and bring this description when you see your attorney.
Do Not Make Mistakes
No matter how strong the evidence you may have, the opposing party can have defenses that can be used to dispute your claim. Although your attorney can anticipate these disputes and counter them, you can prevent complications through legal proceedings.
For example, you must not post about the case on your social media page. Even if you believe a post can bolster your case, the opposing party can tweak your post and use it against your claim. So, it’s best to stay away from social media until the claim has been resolved.
In addition, you should not write negative reviews about the facility because this can hurt your case. Lastly, do not speak with anyone affiliated with the facility or their insurer. The statements you make can be misinterpreted or mispresented to raise questions about liability, damages, and causation. Instead, direct communication with these parties to your attorney.
