Imagine showing up to the nursing home where your loved one is staying only to find your relative sitting in their room with a large bruise on their face or another area of their body. The first thought that likely comes to mind is “he/she has been mistreated by the staff or wasn’t being supervised and fell.” But, before you can go around making accusations, you need to first see if you can get to the bottom of the matter and find out what happened.
So, where do you start?
Well, if your loved one is able to communicate with you, see if they can provide you with an explanation for how the bruise developed. If they don’t want to tell you or seem nervous or confused, this might be an indicator that someone harmed them and they are scared to tell you. In the event your relative informs you that a staff member hit, slapped, or pushed them which led to them sustaining a bruise, you should report your family member’s claims to the facility administer as well as contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. to speak with a Chicago, IL nursing home abuse lawyer
After being informed that there may be a potential case of abuse, the nursing home should conduct an investigation into the matter to determine if your loved one’s claims are valid. In the event they find that someone did injure your relative, the facility is required to contact the local authorities and report the incident. After the incident is reported, the police department will conduct an investigation of its own and determine if any charges should be filed against the staff member.
In the meantime, the nursing home abuse attorneys at our law firm are here to help you become more informed on what your loved one’s legal rights are and even get them relocated into a safer facility in Chicago.
Important: If your loved one suffers from dementia or another medical condition that affects their ability to communicate with you, it is best you speak with the head nurse or the facility administrator regarding the bruise. If the staff member is brushing off your concerns or cannot seem to provide you with a feasible explanation as to how the bruise got there, then you are going to want to contact our Chicago, IL nursing home abuse law firm immediately. Our skilled attorneys will be able to tell you what your next steps should be.
What will happen after a nursing home abuse complaint is filed with the local authorities?
In the event a staff member is guilty of mishandling or mistreating your loved one and either you or the facility reported the incident to the local authorities, a number of different things might happen. To give you an idea of the events that might unfold, read on below about an incident that involved a grandson who filed a complaint after noticing bruising on his 90-year-old grandmother’s face [Source: Syracuse.com].
After a nursing home resident’s grandson filed a complaint regarding the bruising he noticed on his grandmother’s face, a local police department initiated an investigation. After police began looking into the incident that occurred on October 19, 2019, it was determined that a nursing home worker slapped the 90-year-old in the face with a wet cloth which resulted in her suffering a bruise. Police uncovered enough evidence to arrest the certified nurse aide on November 25th, 2019. The employee, identified as 29-year-old Cania Williams of Syracuse, was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor as well as harassment in the second degree.
Officer Joe Commisso, who is the spokesman for the police department, said that “the injuries were not severe enough to charge Williams with assault.” Although Williams entered a not guilty plea, she could still be convicted of the charges which would result in her having to serve a prison sentence of up to one year as well as serve three years on probation. She would likely face hefty fines as well.
What form of action did the nursing home take?
Although the facility suspended Williams after the incident, she later resigned from her position. Syracuse.com also reported that the facility suspended two other employees after learning that they may have known of the incident. A spokesperson for the facility said that “the nursing home has re-educated employees on abuse reporting, identifying abuse, resident rights, and handling residents with dementia.”
Now, if you suspect that your loved one has been injured or harmed by a nursing home worker and would like to speak with a nursing home abuse lawyer in Chicago, IL who can help you take legal action against the facility and/or the employee, contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. today for assistance.
You can contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at:
221 North La Salle Drive, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 1-312-384-1920
Website: www.dinizululawgroup.com
