The population across the nation is aging quickly and with this aging comes many concerns. What will the country look like with more elderly Americans than at any time previously in history? Will there be enough resources to support those individuals as they age? For many who call the Phoenix area home, these questions are not only hypothetical as they contemplate the future of their loved ones and family members. Right now, many are wondering whether to place those they care about in a nursing home or other long-term care facility.
This can be one of the most difficult decisions that someone can make in their lifetime as the choices they make directly affect the care that another will obtain. To complicate matters even further, many individuals are not aware of what a nursing home is required to provide and to do and they remain even more confused about what rights their loved ones will have if they are placed in a home.
First, whether you are considering a nursing home in Phoenix or elsewhere in Arizona, know that the basic rights that your loved one needs should be met. Nursing homes are required to meet minimum standards that include providing care, assistance, and medical help to residents when needed. On a daily basis, this may include helping a patient get dressed or bathed, assisting with meals, providing medication on time, and ensuring that a resident sees a physician whenever necessary.
Additionally, residents have the right to be safe and secure in their nursing homes. This means that residents should be free from unnecessary or unreasonable risk of harm that presents either within the home or from the outside. Residents should not have to worry about whether employees will make sure they are moved often enough so that they do not develop bedsores and they should not have to fear those who are hired to provide them care.
Additional rights may belong to residents of nursing homes depending on their situations and the ailments which require assistance. In simple terms, residents should be cared for in an appropriate manner, regardless of the nursing home in which they reside.
Unfortunately, every year there are incidents of nursing home abuse and neglect that happen in the greater Phoenix area and that leave some of the most vulnerable members of our community injured, or in even worse cases, killed. When these incidents happen, it is important to understand the rights that exist for those victims and the victims’ family members so that relief can be obtained, if possible, and a family can move beyond the harm that they have faced. Of course, no amount of compensation can ever erase the loss of a family member but payment can help ease some of the financial burden left behind.
Nursing home abuse victims have the right to bring a civil claim for their injuries against those who are responsible whether they are employees of the home, owners, operators, managers, or even contractors who worked at the facility. A typical claim may seek payment for all the suffering that resulted from an incident which often includes medical and surgical expenses, pain and suffering, and any disability that may result.
If you have questions about your rights, consider speaking with a personal injury attorney who works in the Phoenix area so that you can be fully informed before you decide to take action.
The law firm of Abels & Annes, P.C. is comprised of personal injury attorneys who have experience representing nursing home victims and their loved ones, and if you suspect wrongdoing in a nursing home incident, we want to represent you. We offer a free, no-obligation case consultation to those who call us toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 and we keep a lawyer available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we believe in helping those who have been hurt by the actions of others and we are ready to help you today.
Prior Blog Entry:
What Relief is Possible after a Phoenix Car Accident?, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 3, 2015.
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