When placing a loved one in nursing home care, the goal is that they will be comfortable and treated with respect and care. We expect not only their needs to be met but also that our family member can maintain as normal of a routine as possible. Most Virginia/Carolina nursing homes do an excellent job at providing this level of care. Sometimes care falls through the cracks and someone we care about deeply becomes an accident/injury victim-due to nursing home neglect.
In Tennessee a bill has been proposed to cap the damages one could receive from lawsuits against nursing homes. This bill would depend on the number of hours each resident receives direct care daily. Currently most nursing homes in TN give at least two hours for each resident. If the direct care hours were raised to 3.5 hours, damages would then be limited to $300,000. The problem with this bill is that the nursing homes in Tennessee are ranked 48 out of 50 states under a national study, virtually in the “basement” for quality of nursing home care. Many believe that such a bill is preposterous given the horrible national ranking of Tennessee nursing homes.
Nursing home neglect, abuse or malpractice not only impacts the resident/victim, but the entire family. Talking to your loved one about any abuse or neglect that may be happening is crucial. Visit the nursing home at different hours of the day or night. Speak with the nurses and aides to get to know the people who are caring for your loved one. If the resident is non-responsive or in the case of dementia/Alzheimer’s you must be even more aware of their state of being and surroundings as their representative.
North Carolina has many websites to help you understand the rankings of each home and guidelines that nursing homes must follow. Know your nursing homes ranking and read the state inspections that are available upon request. Nursing homes are ranked in three areas: health inspections, staffing and quality measures. Don’t allow your loved one to fall victim to neglect or abuse. If you do suspect any abuse or neglect, contact an attorney with our law firm, experienced with medical malpractice and nursing home neglect case, for a confidential consultation.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia, with offices in northeast NC and Virginia Beach (VA), practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm’s website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits three injury law blogs: Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects
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