Taking Action Against a Nursing Home? Don’t Make These Common Mistakes

When you move an elderly loved one into a nursing home, it’s with the assumption that the staff will take good care of them. You certainly don’t expect the medical team to neglect or abuse your relative. That’s the sad reality, though, at facilities around the country.

Thankfully, if your loved one was mistreated, it may be possible to hold the nursing home accountable; however, you’re going to have to put together a strong case first. Along the way, you’re also going to have to avoid critical missteps that might otherwise jeopardize your claim.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes families make when taking action against long-term care facilities:

1. Letting the Nursing Home Handle the Investigation

Once administrators learn of your concerns, they will probably attempt to handle the situation internally. As long as they control the investigation, they can also control its outcome.

No matter how sympathetic and helpful they seem, it’s important to remember that their primary goal is to protect the facility. As such, you should still enlist help from someone whose primary goal is to protect your interests, like a strategic attorney.

2. Failing to Preserve Evidence

Why did you suspect neglect or abuse in the first place? If possible, preserve whatever warning signs initially prompted concern. Examples include medical records, photographs of the victim’s accommodations, and statements from other residents or their visitors.

3. Failing to Document Damages

Before your family can recover a payout, you’ll have to prove that you did, in fact, incur losses as a result of the transgressions. When it comes to nursing home abuse claims, recoverable damages typically include medical bills, relocation expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

4. Posting About the Situation on Social Media

It’s only natural to want to turn to your friends and followers online when you’re facing something as stressful as a nursing home abuse claim; however, discussing the situation on social media could end up hurting your credibility. The opposing party will look for any reason to challenge your case, and in the digital age, that means scrutinizing your online activity.

If there end up being any discrepancies between what you post and what you state in your claim, you can be sure the facility will use it to discredit your entire case. Since there’s no way to be sure how your content might be interpreted, it’s best to stay off social media altogether until your claim has been resolved. If that’s not an option, at least make sure to update your privacy settings and filter all new friend requests.

Call 561-299-3999 to Speak with a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in West Palm Beach

To see if you have grounds for a claim against a long-term care facility, consult the knowledgeable team at Donaldson & Weston. We’ve helped hundreds of families hold reckless and negligent parties accountable for their wrongdoings. To schedule your free case review with a nursing home abuse lawyer in West Palm Beach, call 561-299-3999 or complete our Contact Form.