The decision to place your elderly relative in a nursing home is never easy. You have probably invested a lot of time and money into finding a spot where they will be happy. You deserve the peace of mind in knowing that your loved one will not be unnecessarily exposed to injury risks. Your family also has a legal right to the highest standards of care.
Unfortunately, events do not always unfold in the manner that was intended, and your elderly relative may be injured in a nursing home. There are a number of ways that this can happen and it is not always easy to know what to do afterward. Outlined below are some steps to take after a nursing home injury.
Identify where the injury came from
It is vital to identify the source of injury as soon as possible. If harm has occurred due to safety in the building, then authorities should be alerted. Additionally, if an injury has been sustained through neglect or mistreatment by staff members, then the relevant authorities must be informed. Addressing the source of the injury is an important early step in remedying the harm done to an elderly person.
Find evidence
Once the source of injury has been identified, you need to start gathering available evidence. If you suspect neglect or abuse, help your relative to produce a detailed timeline of events. It is possible that other residences have witnessed the mistreatment, so you might want to talk to them and ask for their insight. If there are safety issues within the facility, you may also want to gather documentation that proves it. Finally, having a loved one visit a medical professional can not only ensure their well-being but could provide valuable evidence of the extent of their suffering should a legal case arise
Your elderly relatives deserve to be treated with dignity and respect in nursing home facilities. If they have suffered physical and emotional harm in their residence, a claim for legal compensation could be possible.
