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Nursing home neglect and abuse are serious issues that, sadly, are far too common. If you or a loved one is a victim of neglect or abuse in a Florida nursing home, you are not alone—and help is available. A Fort Myers nursing home abuse attorney at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. can guide you forward, and if warranted, we can take legal action against the nursing home on your behalf.

5 Important Steps to Prove Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse

Holding nursing homes accountable for neglect and abuse requires proof of what happened. Sadly, nursing homes rarely admit to their mistakes, and more often than not, they will deny that their residents have been mistreated. As a result, it is up to residents and their families to take action, and this starts with doing what they can to document the neglect or abuse that has occurred.

With this in mind, here are five important steps for proving nursing home neglect or abuse:

1. Seek Medical Treatment if Necessary

First and foremost, if you or your loved one needs medical treatment, you should seek help immediately. Nursing home residents have the right to choose their healthcare providers under Florida law—their nursing homes cannot prevent them from seeking treatment or tell them where to go.

Bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, physical injuries, and physical trauma consistent with sexual assault are all potential signs of nursing home neglect or abuse. They are also all conditions that require medical care. By seeking treatment promptly, nursing home residents can get the care they need while also documenting the effects of the neglect or abuse they have endured.

2. Take Detailed Notes

When dealing with the effects of nursing home neglect or abuse, it is also important to take detailed notes. Residents or their loved ones should do their best to write down as many details as possible. While it is important to stick to the facts (and not make assumptions or pass judgment at this stage), if you are not sure about a particular detail, you should still write it down to discuss with your family’s Fort Myers nursing home abuse attorney at Spivey Law Firm.

Some examples of the types of details residents and their loved ones should try to record in these cases include:

• Where and when did the incident (or incidents) occur?
• What exactly happened (if you know)?
• Who was involved?
• When did you first start to suspect neglect or abuse?
• How has the nursing home responded (if at all)?

Again, these are just examples. Any details you can write down will be helpful at this stage. The more information you can provide to your family’s attorney, the more insight this will provide into what other forms of proof might be available.

3. Take Photos or Videos (or Both)

Photos and videos can also serve as proof of nursing home neglect or abuse. Depending on the specific type of neglect or abuse you or your loved one has endured, it could be helpful to take photos or videos to document things like:

• Your (or your loved one’s) living conditions
• Trip hazards in common areas
• Physical injuries
• Loose-fitting clothing or bodyweight measured on a scale
• Beds without guardrails or with unlawful restraints

Here, too, these are just examples. If you believe that anything else might be relevant to document for purposes of proving neglect or abuse in a Florida nursing home, you should not hesitate to take photos or videos (or both).

4. Keep Any Relevant Documents and Other Potential Evidence

Along with taking notes, photos, and videos, you should also try to keep any documents or other potential evidence of the neglect or abuse. Some examples of things your family’s Fort Myers nursing home abuse attorney might be able to use to prove neglect, abandonment, physical abuse, or sexual abuse include:

• Clothing or bed sheets with blood stains
• Emails or other communications from the nursing home
• Medical records
• Pill bottles with missing pills
• Photographs of bedsores (pressure ulcers) or other injuries

These are also just examples, and if you do not have any of these, that is completely fine. When it comes to proving neglect or abuse in a Florida nursing home, no single type of evidence is strictly required. You should try to collect what you can, but you should not be overly concerned with making sure you have any specific form of documentation or other evidence at this stage. Once you hire an attorney with Spivey Law Firm, your family’s attorney will be able to use his or her experience and capabilities to determine what evidence is available.

5. Hire an Attorney to Help You

If you are dealing with the consequences of neglect or abuse in a Florida nursing home, you should not try to deal with your situation alone. Instead, you should hire an experienced Fort Myers nursing home abuse attorney at Spivey Law Firm to help you. This should not cost you anything out of your pocket.

Once you hire an attorney to represent your family, he or she will be able to work quickly to locate and preserve any proof that is available. Your family’s attorney can also assist with collecting medical records and any other relevant documentation. Your family’s attorney can communicate with the nursing home on your behalf as well, and if warranted, your family’s attorney can work to hold the nursing home accountable for the harm you and your family have endured (and may continue to endure in the future).

Get Help from Fort Myers Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Randall L. Spivey

If you need help proving neglect or abuse in a Florida nursing home, we encourage you to contact us right away. Fort Myers nursing home abuse attorney Randall L. Spivey can explain everything you need to know, and he can act quickly to help protect you or your loved one if necessary. To arrange a free and confidential consultation as soon as possible, call the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. at (239) 337-7483 or toll-free at 888-477-4839 or send us your contact information online at SpiveyLaw.com now.