How We Investigate Negligent Nursing Homes

Our law firm will help protect your family's dignity

If your loved one has been injured in a nursing home, money is probably the furthest thing from your mind. Before you take any action at all, you want to know what happened, and why. Unfortunately, getting that information out of a negligent nursing home can be difficult. The nursing home will likely deny any wrongdoing, and they may alter, conceal or destroy records in an attempt to protect themselves from legal action.

To pursue justice for your family after a case of nursing home abuse or neglect, you need the facts of what happened, and you need a nursing home negligence lawyer on your side to get that critical information. That's why you should contact Johnson Greer Law Group right away.

Obstacles in nursing home abuse investigations

Investigating nursing home abuse is full of challenges, making the ordeal for families not only emotionally draining but also complex from a legal standpoint. Experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys understand what it takes to successfully obtain, protect, and analyze financial, medical, and employment records - even when staff don’t want them to do so. Here are some common obstacles you might run into during a nursing home abuse and neglect investigation:

Uncooperative staff. Nursing homes facing allegations of abuse or neglect often adopt a defensive posture. Their primary goal shifts to protecting the institution from legal repercussions, leading to a lack of cooperation with investigation efforts. They might deny any negligence, attribute injuries to unavoidable accidents, or claim that injuries resulted from the resident's health condition.
Manipulated records. Another significant hurdle is the potential manipulation of records. Facilities might alter, hide, or even destroy medical records, medication logs, inspection records, or staff records to cover up any trace of negligence or abuse. Our attorneys know what documents and information must be provided and are well equipped to spot tampered documents.
Witness challenges. Reliable witnesses are hard to come by in nursing home settings. Many residents have conditions like dementia or Alzheimer's that impair their memory and communication abilities. Even when capable of providing information, residents may fear retaliation if they speak out. A lawyer can alleviate fears, explain their rights, and fight to protect them.
Complexity of medical and financial records. Understanding and proving abuse or neglect often requires analyzing intricate medical and financial documents. Establishing that a resident was overcharged, billed for undelivered services, or given incorrect medication doses requires expertise not only in legal matters but also in nursing home operations and healthcare documentation. These attorneys are adept at acquiring and analyzing financial, medical, and employment records, even when facilities are uncooperative.

Lawyers focused on nursing home abuse understand how to probe beyond surface-level information. Such investigations often involve scrutinizing hiring practices, training programs, and the supervisory chain within the facility to uncover neglect or abuse patterns. Experienced Georgia nursing home abuse attorneys possess the necessary skills to interview witnesses, empathizing with and encouraging nursing home residents to share what they’ve seen or experienced, despite the challenges involved.

Nursing home investigations are often time-consuming and labor-intensive

Time is of the essence in nursing home abuse cases. The longer the delay, the greater the risk of evidence being lost, destroyed, or manipulated. Eyewitnesses memories often fade quickly too. Experienced lawyers understand the urgency and have the resources to act swiftly and efficiently, preserving evidence and gathering testimonies. Investigations can take significant time—sometimes months or even years, depending on the complexity of the case, the availability of evidence, and the level of cooperation from the nursing home.

Contacting a nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer as soon as suspicions arise gives your loved one the best chance for a happy, comfortable life. At Johnson Greer Law Group, we get right on the case. We initiate a thorough investigation and flag potential legal obstacles inherent in nursing home abuse cases> Our approach significantly increases the likelihood of bringing negligent parties to justice. We can provide the legal support abused nursing home residents and their families need.

We know how to investigate negligent nursing homes

Getting relevant information out of a nursing home is rarely easy, but our attorneys know how to ask the right questions and find the details your family needs. Some of the steps we take to investigate nursing home abuse and neglect cases include:

Review hiring and supervision records. We may find that the nursing home failed to conduct a background check and hired a staff member who had a history of abusive or negligent conduct. Or we may find that staff members were not properly trained and issues went unaddressed, allowing a pattern of abuse to continue.
Investigate financial records. Financial exploitation is an often overlooked - but very serious - form of nursing home abuse. Our review of medical records could find that your loved one was double-billed, overcharged or billed for services not actually rendered. Discrepancies in the financial records could also reveal other forms of abuse or neglect, depending on the circumstances.
Examine medication and treatment records. Nursing homes are required to document each dose of medication that residents receive as well as any other medical procedures or therapies. We may find discrepancies in these records or evidence that they were altered to hide an error that caused injury.
Interview witnesses. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of our investigation. Nursing home residents may have difficulty remembering or communicating what they've seen. They may suffer from illnesses such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease that make it difficult to serve as witnesses. We know how to approach and overcome these challenges to find out what really happened.

Finding this information takes time. That's why it's so important to contact us right away. As time passes, evidence disappears. Witnesses may have more trouble remembering what happened. The nursing home may take action to cover up critical information and prevent you from pursuing justice for your family.

The sooner we can start our investigation, the sooner we can hold negligent parties responsible. Call (866) 904-6653 today for your free consultation.