You are entitled to file an abuse or neglect case with the help of an attorney if you or your loved ones are facing Iowa City nursing home neglect.
What is Nursing Home Neglect?
During a stay at a care facility, if a resident is caused injury due to improper or lack of care, it qualifies as nursing home neglect. Sometimes, the signs of abuse are so subtle, they are missed completely by others and victims continue to face neglect every day. If the family or friends of a nursing home resident are called upon too often, it is often an indication that there are limitations within the nursing home.
What Constitutes Negligence?
Negligence includes failure to provide basic facilities related to safety, health, cleanliness, and even water. It can lead to serious consequences where the resident ends up with dehydration, malnutrition, broken hips or other injuries and in some cases, death. Emotional, sexual or physical abuse, or a combination of these, also are negligence.
What Is Involved in a Nursing Home Neglect Case?
An Iowa City nursing home neglect case is one that sends a strong message to the nursing home industry that their elderly residents have the right to good care and must be treated with dignity. Evidence such as photographs of injuries and medical records are needed. However, proving a case like this needs a testimony from a nursing home expert stating that the nursing home involved in the case indeed violated the acceptable standards of care or committed some form of abuse. The expert could be a doctor, nurse, or another nursing home administrator.
Complex cases might require all three kinds of experts to be involved. An Iowa City nursing home neglect lawsuit can be tricky simply because of the need for expert testimony. Finding a qualified expert who is willing to spend time in studying and verifying your case, and evaluating the work of their counterparts is challenging. Without sufficient commitment from a nursing home expert, you will not be able to take your negligence case to court. This is why it may be wise to hire a lawyer who has specialized in this field. Not only will he or she be able to help find experts, but a legal professional can also navigate the law suit with grace, and with less worry to you. When we entrust our loved ones to the care of others, we want to know that they are being cared for properly. If your loved one has faced abuse or neglect, it may be wise to consider a lawsuit to prove your case to ensure that your loved one will be protected in the future.
