Ringgold Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Because they are dependent on others for daily tasks, elderly residents of nursing homes are highly vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Memory and dementia issues may interfere with a patient’s ability to recall precisely what happened in a possible abuse case.
Georgia, like several states, has established laws regarding nursing home abuse to protect patients. If you or a loved one suffered from abuse or neglect while in a senior care facility, consider hiring a Ringgold nursing home abuse lawyer to help with your case. Our experienced personal injury attorneys could provide you and your family with thorough knowledge of the laws and regulations regarding nursing home abuse in your area.
Nursing Home Protections in Ringgold
The protections afforded patients in a nursing home break down into five categories: food, freedom of movement, privacy, freedom of belief, and non-discrimination. If one of these protections has been violated, reach out to a Ringgold nursing home abuse lawyer. A skilled attorney could fight to ensure that a person’s rights are protected.
Food
Patients must get three meals a day, no more than five hours apart. The nursing home must have a dietitian on staff who meets the qualifications of the American Dietetic Association.
Freedom of Movement
Patients must have freedom of movement, cannot be placed in restraints by the staff, and cannot be chemically subdued with medication to keep them docile. This right may extend even to extreme circumstances.
Right to Privacy
Patients have the right to privacy while in a nursing home unless there is a medical reason preventing it. He or she should be able to shut his or her doors and windows according to preference.
Freedom of Belief
Patients have the right to his or her views on politics and religion. He or she has the right to be anti-religious and he or she still has the right to vote. Additionally, he or she can choose someone to manage his or her finances without interference.
Non-Discrimination
Patients should be cared for in a professional manner no matter his or her age, race, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or religion. How the patient paid for the nursing home is no one’s business and cannot result in inferior care.
How to Make a Complaint
The first recourse for abuse and neglect in a Ringgold senior care center is for the patient or a family member to file a complaint with the nursing home administrators about the care issue. The complaint can be oral or written, but either way, it is usually a good idea to have documentation with the date and nature of the complaint. The administrators must respond to the complaint and resolve the issue within three days.
If there is no satisfactory resolution, the next step is to contact the state ombudsman for nursing home administration and file a complaint there. If the ombudsman cannot provide a satisfactory outcome, a hearing would be scheduled. Any decisions from the hearing generally must be implemented within 72 hours. A Ringgold nursing home abuse lawyer could help an individual hold a nursing home accountable for its negligent actions.
Let a Ringgold Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Help
It is never easy to realize that your elderly relative or friend is a victim of abuse or neglect. Fortunately, recourse for many such problems can be found by speaking to a nursing home’s administrators.
However, if it is necessary to elevate such a complaint to the legal level, it may be a good idea to hire a Ringgold nursing home abuse lawyer. When the situation warrants taking abusive or neglectful behavior to civil court, our skilled lawyers could help you through the process of filing a claim and obtaining justice for you or your loved one.
