How to Prepare for Your Consultation with a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
When nursing homes fail to provide adequate care, the residents and their families are usually entitled to take legal action. If you think your loved one was neglected or abused at their long-term care facility, a seasoned attorney can evaluate the circumstances and then explain your options for holding the staff accountable.
To ensure your first meeting with the nursing home abuse lawyer is as productive as possible, take the following steps to prepare for it:
1. Compile Evidence of Your Suspicions
What made you initially suspect neglect or abuse? Was your loved one malnourished and dropping weight dramatically? Did they develop bruises and lacerations for no discernible reason? Did their roommate express concern over how the staff has been treating them?
Gather any documentation that supports your suspicions, like nursing logs and photographs, and write down the chain of events that led you to seeking legal counsel in the first place. No detail is too small to include in this testimony.
2. Copy Any Correspondence You’ve Had with the Facility
If you expressed concern over the quality of care that the nursing home was providing—or moved your loved one to a different facility entirely—administrators may have reached out. Compile all emails, letters, and voicemails you received from them, and write down whatever you can remember about any oral conversations you had for your legal team to review.
3. Gather Documentation of Damages
In order to determine the potential value of your claim, the attorney will have to review the kinds of losses your family incurred as a result of the neglect or abuse. Examples include hospital bills, the costs associated with relocating your loved one, and pain and suffering.
Gather whatever documents you have detailing all associated expenditures. As for demonstrating non-economic damages like mental anguish and emotional distress, write down how your loved one’s mood, behavior, and demeanor have changed since the incident or incidents. Later, your lawyer can bolster this statement with psychological evaluations, testimony from other relatives, and journal entries.
4. Write Down Your Questions for the Attorney
At the end of the consultation, you’ll get a chance to ask questions. To ensure you don’t forget any of your inquiries, write them down in advance. Questions worth asking might include:
- Have you handled cases like this before?
- What do you think is the most likely outcome of our claim?
- How do you plan on proving neglect or abuse took place?
- What is your fee structure?
- How can we reach you if questions or concerns arise?
Speak with a Stuart Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
To see if your family has grounds for legal action against your loved one’s long-term care facility, turn to Donaldson & Weston. A resourceful personal injury team backed by a powerhouse practice, our consistently successful settlements and verdicts demonstrate our commitment to excellence in every case we handle. To schedule a free, no obligation consultation with a nursing home abuse attorney in Stuart, fill out our Online Contact Form or call (772) 266-5555.
