Nursing Home Neglect And Resident Abuse -Types of Neglect & What To Do If Nursing Home Abuse Occurs

Nursing home lawyers handle cases involving nursing home negligence for residents who suffer injuries and resident's family members who have lost a loved one in a a health care facility such as a nursing home, hospital, adult foster care facilities, and assisted living facilities. These lawsuits are filed against the health care facility and the nursing home doctors whose negligence in their care of the resident caused injuries or death. The information below is provided by the Michigan Office of the Attorney General.

What is Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect?

There are four general categories nursing home abuse and neglect can fall into. They include:

1.Harmful Neglect

If a resident in a health care facility experiences bed sores, suspicious or questionable injuries or death, unexplained substantial weight loss or severe dehydration they may be a victim of harmful neglect.

2.Assault and Battery

If an employee of a nursing home or residential health care facility threatens or strikes a resident or uses unauthorized physical or chemical restraints assault and battery has been committed.

3.Criminal Sexual Conduct

If an employee of a nursing home or residential care facility engages in unlawful sexual contact with a patient criminal sexual conduct has occurred.

4.Embezzlement/Theft

If an employee of a nursing home or residential care facility wrongfully removes funds from a resident's account, improperly obtains a financial "loan" or "gift" from a resident, or an employee uses privileged/personal information illegally to obtain credit cards, etc., resulting in identity theft embezzlement has occurred.

Which Health Care Facilities Are Subject To Investigate Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect?

Any resident and/or patient receiving treatment or care in a residential health care facility is entitled to proper investigation. Listed below are a few examples of facilities in which the Michigan Office of the Attorney General has jurisdiction to investigate criminal abuse and neglect.

Nursing Homes

Hospital Long-Term Care Units

Homes for the Aged

County Medical Care Facilities

Adult Foster Care Facilities

Assisted Living Facilities

Nursing Home Neglect - What Should You Do?

If you or a family member suspect you have been a victim of nursing home abuse and neglect you should know there are certain things you should do to protect yourself. First and foremost report the incident IMMEDIATELY. Report it to the facility's administrator, director of nursing, charge nurse, social worker, or the facility's designated patient advocate. It can be verbally or by letter but make sure to report the incident.

Second, obtain photographs of the physical injury and make a written statement detailing what you observed, when you observed it, who was present, and any other information that may be of assistance to an investigator.

Third, you should contact an experienced nursing home neglect lawyer to discuss your legal rights and get compensation for the injuries you suffered. If it is found that nursing home abuse and neglect has been performed, a lawsuit could prevent such tragedy from happening to another resident.