It wasn’t easy to move a loved one to a nursing home, but it may have given you comfort to know that there was still a full life ahead for them. Nursing home residents often pick up new hobbies, form new friendships, and participate in vibrant activity programs.
You trusted the facility to provide the kind of warm and nurturing environment where your loved one could thrive. If their life was cut short due to a nursing home’s negligence, you deserve answers. Our nursing home shortened life expectancy lawyers in Smyrna can help.
Schenk Nursing Home Abuse Law has recovered millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards on behalf of Georgia families. Nursing home abuse and neglect law is all we do. Call for your free consultation and learn how our Smyrna nursing home abuse lawyers can assist you.
How to Recognize Signs of Shortened Life Expectancy
Nursing home residents often have serious health issues. However, if you believe poor care led to an early death, you may have a case against the home. Failure to provide adequate care is a form of neglect.
Some warning signs of nursing home abuse or neglect can include:
- A rapid decline in health rather than the steady decline that typically accompanies aging
- Frequent or unexplained injuries, falls, or wounds
- Poor facility conditions
- Lack of communication from staff members responsible for their care
- Frequent hospitalizations
If you noticed any of these issues in the time leading up to your loved one’s passing, contact our team today. Our nursing home shortened life expectancy attorneys in Smyrna can help determine whether negligence may have played a role in a premature death.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home shortened life expectancy lawyer serving Smyrna, call
Common Causes of Reduced Life Expectancy
Our team will investigate the cause of your loved one’s harm to determine if it constitutes nursing home abuse or neglect under Georgia law.
Any of the following can point to signs of neglect on the part of staff who are supposed to care for residents:
- Failure to provide medications or treatment
- Evidence of malnutrition and dehydration
- Bedsores
- Frequent falls and injuries
- Infections due to poor hygiene
These issues are avoidable in most situations. When they do happen, the home should implement a plan of care to avoid similar issues in the future. If the neglect continues and leads to death, you may have the right to pursue legal action.
Smyrna Nursing Home Shortened Life Expectancy Lawyer Near Me (678) 823-7678
How to Prove a Nursing Home Shortened Life Expectancy Claim
Successfully proving a nursing home’s actions or inactions led to a shortening of your loved one’s life in a wrongful death case can result in recovering damages such as medical expenses, loss of companionship, and funeral costs.
Proving liability requires four elements.
Establishing Duty of Care
Nursing homes have a legal duty to their residents to provide an appropriate standard of care. This means providing for all aspects of a resident’s needs.
Breach of Duty
The home may breach that duty of care if employees, management, or third parties engage in negligent or illegal behaviors. This may involve insufficient care or even intentional misconduct.
Causation
Negligence isn’t enough. You must also show that the facility’s actions or inactions directly resulted in harm to your loved one and led to their passing.
Damages
Finally, to hold the home or its personnel liable and recover compensation, you must show actual damages, such as medical expenses.
What to Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Neglect
If you believe the nursing home is neglecting to care for your loved one and their health is suffering because of it, the time to take action is now.
Consider the following steps to protect their health and the other residents in the facility:
- Document evidence: Keep track of everything related to your concerns, especially correspondence with the facility.
- Report to authorities: You can file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Community Health, which will investigate your concerns and take action if needed.
- Seek medical evaluation: Request an evaluation by the physician in charge of the facility, or your own private physician if allowed.
- Contact a lawyer promptly: Our Smyrna nursing home shortened life expectancy lawyers will help you understand your rights and options.
Consult With Our Nursing Home Shortened Life Expectancy Lawyer in Smyrna
Many people have the wrong idea about nursing homes. Of course, residents move in because they require a specific level of care that it would be hard or impossible to provide at home. However, the goal isn’t only to help them survive, but to thrive to the best of their ability.
Good facilities put a great deal of effort into providing a high quality of life for their residents. If your loved one instead suffered because of the home’s negligence, you can take action. Our nursing home shortened life expectancy lawyers in Smyrna can help hold them accountable.
When the nursing home you trusted lets you down, our team at Schenk Nursing Home Abuse Law is here to stand up for your rights and protect the memory of your loved one. Call today to schedule your free consultation and tell us what happened.