Is this a case for Orlando medical malpractice lawyers? You figure the Florida nursing home where your mother is staying is safe and clean. You assume that the management hires the best people and that supervisors keep an eye on them. You think the government has strict resident safety rules in place and enforces them.
Then one day you go visit and your mother is sleeping soundly. You can’t seem to get her to wake up. You think maybe it’s just old age. Another resident sees you shaking your head and says, in almost a whisper, “It’s all those pills.” This sounds strange because your mother should only be taking one pill for blood pressure. The resident says she’s your mother’s friend and she’s been worried because, for the past few weeks, your mom’s been getting a lot of pills. “They wanted to keep her quiet,” her friend says. “It’s been that way since she made that fuss at dinner a while back.”
Her friend drifts away and you start looking at your mother more closely. Is that a bruise on her shoulder? Moving her gown aside, you see that it is. So begins your introduction to the nightmare world of nursing home abuse and neglect.
The sad, shocking truth is that elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes is not at all uncommon. Most abuse, negligence, and mistreatment goes unreported. Sadly, much goes unnoticed. Many nursing home owners are unscrupulous corporate businessmen, focused on profits more than safety and care.
The most important thing you can do before settling on a nursing home or long-term care facility is research. There are many online tools available. FloridaHealthFinder.Gov will tell you which Florida nursing homes are safest according to state inspection reports. The AHCA Nursing Home Guide and Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare are also valuable sources of information.
When to Call Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you suspect nursing home abuse or negligence, you need to find a law firm with experience in Florida elder abuse cases. And if your relative has suffered from medical error while under the care of a nursing home doctor, you may have a case of medical malpractice as well. Overmedication of nursing home residents in Florida and elsewhere is widespread. There are many reports of bed sores, improper restraints, and other medical or doctor errors which may constitute medical malpractice.
The nursing home abuse attorneys at Martinez Manglardi can help you get justice. They are also established and well-respected Orlando medical malpractice lawyers. Call 407-846-2240 for a free consultation.
