Protecting Elderly Loved Ones from Afar: Legal Steps for Nursing Home Abuse Cases
Nursing homes should be peaceful places where older people can live in a safe and healthy environment under constant supervision. But sometimes we see in the news that abuse or neglect of older people in nursing homes is happening. Abuse in nursing homes can be physical, emotional, sexual or financial, and this is a major violation of rights. Elderly people stay here to receive good care and to live their lives in the healthiest way possible, and it is absolutely unacceptable for nursing home staff to behave in such a way. If you have a relative in a nursing home and you are not in a position to get there immediately, there are many different steps your lawyer can take.
Reporting the Situation to the Authorities
In case of any abuse or neglect against the elderly in nursing homes, the first thing to do is to inform the authorities. Because when this situation is reported to the authorities, legal documents will be kept about this issue and these documents will be useful for both the lawyer and his client in the future litigation process. Documents such as police reports or medical reports are of great importance for proving the issue in the case. Therefore, when such a situation is noticed, the authorities should first be notified and the health of the individual should be checked. In such a situation, it will be beneficial for you to contact the best nursing home abuse lawyer Edwardsville, IL so that you can take action as soon as possible.
Collecting Evidence
In order to bring a case of abuse or neglect in a nursing home to court, lawyers must first gather certain evidence. As mentioned above, this evidence can include police reports, medical reports, CCTV footage and, if possible, witness statements. The lawyers collect and organize this evidence in the case file and, if necessary, present it to the prosecutor. The proper organization and presentation of this evidence is crucial for a positive outcome of the case.
Administrative Complaint
Once this evidence has been collected, there are many different things that can be done. First of all, an official complaint can be filed to the nursing home in the light of this evidence. It is very important to make use of the evidence obtained while writing this petition. Afterwards, this situation should be complained to the authorized institutions dealing with this issue and something should be done about it. For this, you can file a complaint to the state office dealing with family and social services or to the Ministry of Health. However, filing a criminal complaint to the nursing home is one of the ways to seek your rights in a legal sense.
Compensation Request
In such cases, you can claim compensation because the person who experienced the incident will suffer material and moral damage. This compensation will cover things such as hospital bills, psychologist expenses after the trauma. You may be on your way to see the unique tourist attractions when you hear the news, even if you are far away, your trusted lawyer will start the process immediately.
