Nursing Home Lawyer Washington, D.C
If you or a loved one has been neglected or abused in a nursing home, you might be wondering how you can show undeniable proof. Having the right nursing home lawyer Washington D.C. trusts on your side will be the first step to building a strong case. A good lawyer will know the laws, rules, procedures, and how to gather evidence.
Medical records are certainly one way to show proof of abuse or neglect in a nursing home. In fact, sometimes family members will ask the facility to review the records when they suspect something is going on, but have not taken any formal action. This can be useful, but it might also provoke various concerns from family or staff. Furthermore, it is possible for medical records to be altered so as to hide any malpractice, abuse, neglect, poor standards of care, and so forth. This is why a Washington D.C. nursing home lawyer will not only use medical records to build a case, but may also turn to witnesses, photographic evidence, video surveillance footage (when applicable), private investigators, and expert witnesses.
The Dilemmas and Issues with Medical Records
Saving Face – As a nursing home lawyer in Washington D.C., it is common for family members to explain how the nursing home staff put on “their best face” while they were present (also state investigators discuss this). Other staff members may provide half-truths about how the elder is being cared for.
Contradicting Records – Medical records and other official documents can help to provide some of the story, and back up an allegations. However, in some cases, the medical records contradict what staff have told loved ones.
Alterations in the Records – In other situations, there are concerns of the medical record being altered, or written in a way that makes the nursing home staff look as if they are doing things the right way – or better than they actually are. Alternatively, the medical records may be ineligible or written in medical coding making them impossible to understand without a medical background.
Raised Concerns – When a family member asks to review the medical records, all of the above, could be a potential, as a nursing home lawyer in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, they usually have to pay for a copy; which could cost $1 per page, or more. After a family member asks for the medical records of their elderly loved one, it is possible for the staff to become suspicious about something being investigated.
All of these issues can make a family member uncomfortable, or even concerned about how their loved one will continued to be treated. For this reason the use of security cameras in nursing homes has became a popular topic, and also debate, in the industry.
Do You Believe Your Loved One Has Been Abused or Neglected While Living in a Nursing Home?
If you suspect any form of abuse or neglect is taken place, there is not a moment to lose. You should find out what your options are by talking with a nursing home lawyer Washington D.C. residents trust from Brown Kiely LLP as soon as possible.