You place a loved one in a nursing home to ensure that they get the 24-hour care and attention they need to live the remainder of their years in a safe and nurturing environment. You likely did a lot of due diligence and research before choosing a nursing home, because you wanted to make sure your loved one was in good hands. Imagine the betrayal and disbelief family members feel when they begin to suspect or discover that their loved one is being neglected or abused by the very staff that is supposed to protect and care for them. A nursing home neglect lawyer can be your strongest advocate if you want to take legal action against a negligent nursing home.
In Alabama, The APS Act of 1976 specifically addresses abuse, neglect and exploitation of adults who are incapable of protecting themselves and who may not have anyone who is able to protect them. This includes neglect and abuse in nursing homes. Laws have been established to protect society’s most vulnerable individuals, including elder adults in private and public healthcare facilities.
If you suspect your loved one has been neglected in a nursing home, call a skilled and experienced nursing home neglect lawyer at Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana at (251) 444-7000. We can assess your situation and explain your legal options. The phone call is free.
There are many Alabama lawyers to choose from, but a nursing home neglect lawyer is highly specialized and harder to find. The skilled and experienced nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys at Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana stand head and shoulders above the competition. Our attorneys are aggressive, focused and relentless when investigating and litigating nursing home abuse cases. We are experienced litigators and are not afraid to argue your case in front of a judge and jury if your loved one was injured or died due to nursing home neglect. We excel in the courtroom. We listen closely to our clients, examine the evidence, and will file a nursing home neglect lawsuit to get the justice you deserve. To learn more about our exceptional legal team, read our attorney bios. You can also see our law firm successes by reviewing our proven case results.
Our attorneys understand what you are going through and know that a successful personal injury case can alleviate the financial challenges you may be facing due to your loved one’s nursing home neglect. We can help by:
When you have a loved one in a nursing home, it can cause worry and anxiety if you feel they’re being neglected. We all want our loved ones to be kept safe. Following are some common questions we see from family members.
There are different kinds of neglect and abuse of older or disabled residents in nursing homes. We often quickly think of physical neglect – which is, indeed, important – but there are also other kinds of neglect and abuse to watch out for. Here are examples of nursing home neglect:
There are certain things to watch out for and make note of if you begin to suspect that your loved one is suffering neglect at the hands of nursing home staff. These include:
The following statistics show how widespread and endemic neglect and abuse of the elderly is in our nation’s care facilities:
In Alabama, call the Adult Abuse Hotline at 1-800-458-7214 to report suspected elder abuse or neglect. Also for elder complaints, contact the ElderCare Hotline at 1-800-356-9596.
Reports can also be made to the local county sheriff’s office, chief of police in your town, or any county Department of Human Resources. A local DHR office is located in each county within the State of Alabama. Following are some government agencies that you can also contact to get help with elder neglect and abuse:
Alabama Department of Human Resources, Adult Protective Services
Alabama Department of Senior Services
Alabama Attorney General’s Office
COMPLAINTS AGAINST NURSING HOMES
You can also file a complaint against a nursing home with Alabama Public Health by filling out a Nursing Home Complaint Form. Other ways to file a complaint include:
COMPLAINTS AGAINST ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES
The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Alabama is generally two years (Ala. Code. Sec. 6-2-38). This means that if you want to sue a nursing home for neglect of your loved one, you must file the lawsuit within two years of the injury event, unless there are exceptions that apply. Such exceptions to the two-year rule could arise if the victim is mentally impaired or if the injury is not immediately known.
If you suspect your loved one is experiencing nursing home neglect or abuse, take action right away by calling Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana. We can help you gather information, communicate abuse to authorities, and understand your legal options. Our legal staff is caring and compassionate, and we understand that you are going through a very difficult and sad experience. Older adults should never be exposed to neglect and abuse. A skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer at our firm can help you seek financial damages and get the justice you deserve if your loved one has been injured due to nursing home neglect. To find out more about how we can serve you, call us for a free initial consultation at (251) 444-7000.