Losing someone you care about is never easy. However losing someone when you have entrusted that individual’s care to a responsible professional organization has the potential to be even more distressing. Luckily, California law would offer you some recourse should the unthinkable happen to a relative of yours in a nursing home.
The California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform list a number of ways in which senior citizens might be abused in the state, any one of which could conceivably lead to the wrongful death of one of your loved ones. These elder abuse situations include, but are not limited to:
- Isolating an individual
- Neglecting to provide physical necessities
- Physically or mentally abusing the individual
Even if you are diligent in finding the best care you can for your aging family members or loved ones, there is often a valid assumption that any licensed senior care facility in the state provides adequate service.
If you were to lose someone in this manner, the most beneficial initial course of action would probably be to explore legal options. While it is true that you might receive monetary compensation from a wrongful death suit, it would probably be more important to make sure that others in California avoided your loved one’s unfortunate fate. Monetary penalties, settlements out of court, a record of civil charges and criminal convictions all make it much more difficult for negligent or unethical caregivers to operate their deadly businesses in the state.
Filing suit has the potential to make the state safer for you and your loved ones. However, every case is different. Therefore, this article should not be taken as legal advice. Please review it as educational material only.
