Seattle Nursing Home Injury Attorneys
Moving into a nursing home is an important and often necessary transition for an elderly person. If you have helped a parent, grandparent, or even spouse in making this transition, you are understandably concerned about their quality of life in such facilities. You want assurance that they will receive the best available care and that their needs will be provided for.
Unfortunately, we have all heard stories–or even personally experienced–about cases where a nursing home resident has been the victim of neglect or abuse. Sometimes the initial signs are subtle. It may be nothing more than a suspicion or bad feeling on your part. But if you do have proof that abuse or neglect is occurring, it is important that you stand up and take action. The skilled lawyer at the Emerald Law Group can review your case and advise you of the appropriate steps to take to ensure your loved one is receiving the proper care.
Protecting the Rights of Washington Nursing Home Residents
Neglect or abuse can occur in any facility that provides care to the elderly, including adult family homes, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and dementia care centers. It is important to distinguish “neglect” from “abuse” in this context:
- Abuse refers to any intentional, malicious or reckless conduct that harms a resident of a facility. This can include physical harm such as assault or sexual assault. But it also covers any form of harassing, demeaning, or humiliation, such as making threats or isolating a resident from their friends and family. Some nursing home facilities also engage in financial abuse where staff members may attempt to deceive or trick a resident out of their assets or other personal property.
- Neglect covers conduct that is not necessarily intentional but still leads to harm. In nursing homes and similar facilities, neglect is often the result of poor training and supervision of staff and failure to follow state and federal standards for care. This can lead to residents not receiving proper care or being left in a dangerous condition that negatively affects their physical and mental health.
Washington law further defines various legal rights for nursing home residents. These rights cover basic civil protections such as freedom from discrimination, abuse, or neglect, as well as their right to freely communicate with friends and family and to be involved in deciding their own medical care.
Contact Emerald Law Today
If you have reason to believe that a family member is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, they may have grounds for filing a personal injury lawsuit against the facility. In some cases this may include a medical malpractice claim against a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional allegedly involved in the abuse or neglect. In cases where a resident has allegedly died due to abuse or neglect, the victim’s family and their estate may also be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.
The one thing you should not do if you suspect something is wrong is to remain silent. So if you need to speak with a qualified Seattle nursing home injury/abuse lawyer, contact the Emerald Law Group today to schedule an initial consultation.
