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In addition to being among the most popular places to retire in the United States, the state of Florida is also home to over 700 registered nursing homes. Most of these assisted living facilities provide quality care to their residents day in and day out. Unfortunately, sometimes these communities do not adequately care for their residents, causing grievous harm to hundreds of vulnerable people each year.
If you suspect a loved one has suffered any kind of neglect or abuse because of their assisted living home, you should contact a Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible. In addition to helping you remove your family member from a dangerous situation and ensure their long-term wellbeing, our dedicated personal injury attorneys could also work with you to pursue financial compensation for their losses.
Rights of Nursing Home Residents in Tampa
While nursing home residents are typically in need of daily medical observation and assistance with every day tasks, they still have numerous rights provided to them by law. These laws state rules by which every facility employee and owner must abide. Specifically, Florida Statutes §400.022 lists all of the following and more to be inalienable rights of assisted living home residents:
- Freedom to practice their own religion and exercise civil liberties like voting
- Private and uncensored communication with anyone they wish inside or outside the facility
- Access to their own preferred healthcare providers and treatment plans
- Accurate information about their own medical condition
- Management of their own financial affairs
- Clean and sanitary living conditions
- Proper physical nutrition and social opportunities
- Privacy within their own living space
- Absolute freedom from physical, verbal, or emotional abuse, including corporal punishment and unreasonable use of physical or chemical restraints
It is also required that nursing home staff members clearly communicate these rights to each resident and facilitate each person to exercise of their rights to the fullest extent possible.
Any time resident’s rights at an assisted living community are violated in any way, family members may have grounds to file suit and seek restitution for their loved one’s losses. Our nursing home maltreatment attorneys in Tampa could explain all these rights in more detail and provide crucial assistance with addressing unlawful mistreatment.
What Damages Could Be Recoverable after Assisted Living Negligence?
Like other injury claims, the foundation of a case like this is a physical injury requiring professional medical care that stemmed directly from neglect or abuse. Once these criteria are met, a plaintiff in Tampa, or their assisted living facility abuse attorney acting on their behalf, may demand restitution for any negative effects that injury has in both the short and long terms.
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Someone hurt because of someone else’s conduct could file for recordable, economic damages and subjective non-economic damages. Depending on the circumstances, recoverable losses may include additional medical bills, personal property damage, physical and emotional suffering, lost enjoyment/quality of life, and other effects of newfound disability or disfigurement.
Punitive Damages
In cases where there is compelling evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence, FL Stat. §768.72 grants civil courts the authority to impose punitive damages against the defendant in addition to whatever compensatory damages are appropriate for the plaintiff’s specific losses.
Connect with a Tampa Nursing Home Abuse Attorney to Help Now
No two assisted living communities are exactly alike, and lawsuits over mistreatment vary drastically according to each individual case. Even if you have substantial evidence showing that a facility violated your family member’s rights, turning that evidence into a fair claim can be challenging without professional legal guidance.
Fortunately, you have access to the help you may need from our compassionate Tampa nursing home abuse lawyers who get you real results. Call our office today for a private consultation.