When you make the difficult decision to place a family member in a nursing home, you trust that they will receive the skilled care and attention they need. Unfortunately, many seniors instead face neglect or abuse. This may come in many forms, including poor medical care, inadequate safety measures, social isolation, and even sexual and physical abuse.
If a loved one has been abused in a nursing home in Safety Harbor, FL, our Safety Harbor nursing home abuse attorneys are here to help. Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers represents nursing home residents and their families in holding negligent facilities and abusive staff accountable in Safety Harbor, Florida.
Contact us today at (727) 787-2500 for a free consultation today with a Safety Harbor nursing home abuse lawyer. We can guide you through the legal process, make sure your loved one is safe, and pursue compensation for the harm your loved one has suffered.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help Nursing Home Abuse Victims and Families In Safety Harbor
The elderly are the most vulnerable citizens in the Tampa Bay area. When older adults are subjected to abuse and neglect by facilities and staff who should be providing the best possible care, we are ready to hold them accountable.
For the last 39 years, Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers has recovered more than $200 million for our clients in Safety Harbor, Florida. Our founding attorney, Mark Roman, is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law with the extensive courtroom experience needed to hold major for-profit corporations accountable. With more than 60 years of combined experience, our firm’s lawyers have been recognized as Tampa Bay’s Top Trial Lawyers and earned Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating and 10.0 AVVO rating.
Here is how our Safety Harbor personal injury lawyers can help you after a loved one has experienced nursing home abuse:
- Determine the cause of your loved one’s injuries
- Investigate the facility’s corporate structure to identify all parties who may be held liable, including the licensee, managers, and individual owners
- Work with experts to gather and analyze evidence proving liability
- Help you find resources to assist your loved one and report abuse to the authorities
- Protect your rights and advocate on your behalf
- Provide personalized legal advice and help you understand your legal options
- Negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company and other parties
- File a lawsuit and present your case to a jury if needed
Our legal team is ready to fight for you and hold the negligent, profit-driven facility and abusive staff accountable. Call our law firm to schedule a free consultation with a Safety Harbor nursing abuse lawyer to discuss what we can do to help you.
What Is Considered Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse, neglect, and medical malpractice are related issues that cause harm to residents through negligence or intentional wrongdoing.
Abuse and neglect can come in many forms:
- Emotional abuse
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse
- Failure to provide for the resident’s needs
About 64% of staff in long-term care facilities admit to neglecting or abusing residents.
The Florida Nursing Home Residents’ Bill of Rights gives residents the right to:
- Live in a clean, safe environment free of neglect and abuse
- Privacy
- Use of personal property
- Private communication
- Participate in social activities
- Adequate medical care with the right to refuse treatment and choose their provider
- File grievances
- Manage their own finances or request reports of financial management
Violations of these rights can be considered abuse.
Nursing home abuse can also involve medical malpractice when a resident does not receive adequate healthcare.
Examples include:
- Failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis
- Chemical restraint, such as prescribing antipsychotics without medical need despite the risks
- Medication errors
- Failure to monitor
- Incorrectly performed procedures
- Documentation errors in a patient’s records
- Failure to provide access to medical care by a licensed professional
Understaffing in nursing homes is a common but serious underlying problem. With a high patient-to-staff ratio, staff simply can’t give patients the care they need. This can lead to falls, infections, unsanitary conditions, and bedsores. Overworked staff are more likely to make errors. Frustration and fatigue can also increase the risk of abuse.
How Common Is Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect In Safety Harbor, FL?
There are 706 nursing homes in Florida, and 239 (34%) are on the Florida Watch List of facilities that:
- Are under bankruptcy protection, or
- Have had a conditional status within the past 30 months
Conditional status means the facility failed to meet the minimum standards at inspection or failed to correct deficiencies at follow-up.
According to the most recent report by Families for Better Care, less than 40% of Florida nursing homes have above-average nurse staffing levels. About 91% of facilities have been cited for deficiencies, although less than 7% of nursing homes were cited for severe deficiencies.
What Damages Can Victims Of Nursing Home Abuse Recover In Safety Harbor, Florida?
In a lawsuit, the victim or family can recover economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Current and future medical bills related to the victim’s injuries
- Cost to relocate the resident to another facility
- Physical, emotional, and mental pain and anguish
- Reduced quality of life
- Out-of-pocket costs
If your case goes before a jury, punitive damages may be awarded with clear evidence that the defendant’s behavior constituted intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Safety Harbor Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
Has a loved one suffered abuse or neglect in a nursing home in Safety Harbor, Florida? You may be entitled to money to get your family member the care they need and preserve their quality of life.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers is committed to advocating for seniors and holding negligent nursing homes accountable. We have more than 60 years of experience handling cases involving elder abuse and medical negligence.
Contact our legal team to set up a free case evaluation with a Safety Harbor nursing home abuse lawyer. We will walk you through the next steps to take to protect your loved one and fight for maximum compensation on their behalf.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Safety Harbor, FL
Roman Austin Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
202 9th Ave S Suite A-2,
Safety Harbor, FL 34695
Phone: (727) 787-2500
