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Florida Elder/Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

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Florida has the largest proportion of elderly people in America, with 18.5% of the state's residents aged 65 or older. Florida also has some of the highest rates of nursing home abuse in the country. According the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there are more than 18,000 nursing homes across America with 1.6 million residents. Unfortunately, the National Center On Elder Abuse reports that more than 50% of nursing homes are understaffed, which leads to stress and frustration among staff members who are already faced with delicates situations day to day. This, coupled with numerous other factors, leads to elder/nursing home abuse, which to date, occurs in around 30% of all nursing homes across the United States.

In June 2009, an injured nursing home resident in West Palm Beach was found by state regulators lying on the floor with maggots crawling out of his leg cast. The facility was charged with failure to provide necessary care and service to a resident, and was fined. Cases like this show exactly how vulnerable nursing home residents can be.

Elder/nursing home abuse presents itself in many different forms ranging from physical, sexual, and psychological abuse to malnutrition, financial exploitation, and pure neglect. There are some signs and symptoms that can provide evidence of elder abuse or neglect. The more visible signs of abuse include bruises, broken bones, cuts, scars and bedsores. The signs of neglect may be a bit harder to notice because the injuries aren't as readily apparent. Neglect includes providing insufficient food and water, inadequate attention to hygiene in residents who are not self-sufficient, inadequate medical care, and failure to assist residents who have mobility issues.

If you have made the difficult decision to place a family member in a nursing home, you and your family member shouldn't have to suffer through any type of neglect or abuse at the hands of a caregiver or even other residents. If you suspect that someone you love has been abused or mistreated in a nursing home, or has suffered any type of abuse at the hands of another resident, you should contact a Florida elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney. You should also contact a Florida civil lawyer or attorney if you are seeking damages outside of the facility.

All nursing home or elder care facilities have an obligation to protect the rights of every single resident, and to provide an attractive, clean, and healthy environment. They are also obligated to treat residents equally, with no discrimination based on race, religion, color, nationality, ability or source of payment. Nursing home facilities are required by federal law to compose a Nursing Home Resident's Bill of Rights, which they are also required to make available to any resident upon request. The Bill of Rights outlines all policies of the specific nursing home, and each facility must require residents to sign a statement, indicating they have read and understood these rights, before admittance. Specific rights include the right to be informed about one's specific medical condition and treatment, the right to participate in planning one's care and medical treatment, the right to choose a physician, the right to manage personal finances, the right to privacy, dignity, and respect, the right to personal possessions, the right to be free from restraints and abuse in nursing homes, the right to voice grievance without retaliation, the right to be discharged or transferred only for medical reasons, and the rights of access.

A Florida elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney will likely offer a free nursing home abuse consultation where they will evaluate your case, explain your legal rights, and assess any damages they feel you are entitled to as a result of any abuse or neglect caused by a Florida nursing home. A Florida elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney will also be well-versed in Florida nursing home abuse laws, so they will be well-equipped to argue your case.

If you are ready to contact a Florida elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney, visit the American Bar Association website, and utilize the site's lawyer locator. Access to the site and the lawyer locater is free.