A Florida nursing home is under fire for neglect and elder abuse after an 86-year old resident was beaten by another resident. Security footage shows the victim was attacked for nearly two minutes and there was no staff member attending to the residents in that vicinity and no one was monitoring the surveillance system at the time. A staff member did not get on the scene until thirty seconds after the elder abuse stopped. This facility has a long violation history and has been sanctioned 17 times in the last five years and been charged approximately $73,750 over this time period. The state Agency for Health Care Administration reported that this facility failed at providing a decent living environment for the residents and they did not provide adequate supervision for those who were in need of medical attention. The nursing home finally was shut down this month after several other patient violations.
Elder abuse is defined as “a single, or repeated act, or lace of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.” Hundreds of elderly residents in nursing homes are victims of neglect and elder abuse each year. This is scary and infuriating for those that cannot help or defend themselves. Elder abuse does not necessarily come from staff members at a facility but as this case in Florida shows; it can also come from other residents. However, the facility is still responsible for the welfare of their residents and has an obligation to provide quality care and appropriate supervision to those that reside in their homes. Contact a qualified attorney if your loved ones have suffered due to elder abuse. A personal injury attorney will instrumental in helping your loved one get quality care and compensation for any injury they have sustained due to elder abuse.
The attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC have a proven track record in helping those who have sustained injuries due to elder abuse. We understand that this is a difficult time not only for the victim but their loved ones as well. We work diligently to provide outstanding communication and legal services to each of our clients. We offer free no-obligation consultations at our downtown St. Louis office. Please call us today to make your appointment and let us help get your love one the compensation they deserve.