New Updates To Help Prosecute Nursing Home Abuse Cases

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Do you have a question about a nursing home abuse case in Rhode Island? For many years, I have successfully represented nursing home abuse victims and their families.  These are tough cases that require experience and knowledge. We have been able to recover substantial sums of money for the victims and help make meaningful safety changes. Today, I wanted to blog about a recent article in the Wall Street Journal on this important topic.

When you call us at the Bottaro Law Firm, LLC about a concern with a nursing home, time is important and investigation is important.  The best Rhode Island nursing home abuse lawyers know this to be true. Did you know that Nursing Home Compare, the online database used to compare nursing homes throughout the country, has been updated to include a small red circle with a white hand inside – which can be found on the names of facilities recently cited for abuse or neglect?

These icons are given to homes that government investigators have either found evidence of nursing home abuse that led to harm of a resident within the past year and/or abuse that could potentially lead to harm of a resident in the past two years. The icons will be updated monthly and rolled off as the flagged facilities go without any citations for a year.

This is great news for what we do on the civil side, which is prosecuting nursing homes (many of them large, national corporations that have bought up the RI mom and pop shops) for money damages.

In the recent news article, Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, states, “families facing the decision to put a loved one in a care facility or nursing home deserve to have reliable tools to help make the best choice possible…they shouldn’t have to worry that their loved one will be abused at the hands of a caregiver.”

Despite the new transparency given to everyone, nursing home industry executives have criticized the new icons, believing the icons are misleading and could unfairly damage a facility’s reputation if they are affected.

In my experience, these “executives” are often interested most in their profit margins, placing profits over people. God forbid, objective standards shine a light on dangerous, subpar facilities.

By the way, nursing home complaints have climbed in recent years – reaching approximately 52.3 per 1,000 residents in 2018, compared to 32.7 per 1,000 residents in 2011. Nearly half of the complaints were considered high-priority because the described circumstances caused or could have caused actual harm to the residents.

Take Action Against Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Many victims of nursing home mistreatment are afraid to speak up because they believe they will not be taken seriously. While statistics show that this treatment may be on the ride, it does not make it right to abuse residents. Myself, my wife Laura, and our dedicated team know nursing home laws in Rhode Island, and our experienced legal team is ready to assist your family.  You can contact us 24/7 for a free confidential consultation.

It’s Good To Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Personal Injury Help

At the Bottaro Law Firm, LLC, we handle all types of personal injury cases every day. Honesty. Integrity. Results. Our experienced legal team is here to fight for your rights. Contact us in any method you prefer 24/7 for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call: 401-777-7777 or fill out our free and confidential online form.