If your loved one has suffered from some form of nursing home neglect or abuse in Dublin, Georgia, know that they are not the only ones who have suffered. Neglect and abuse occur in various nursing homes across the state of Georgia. That’s why we have dedicated our firm and our site to help elderly residents and their loved ones pursue lawsuits against nursing homes that have committed acts of neglect or abuse. After you’ve had the chance to visit our site, please give us a call so that we can discuss your case. We’re here to help you.
Neglect and abuse occur quite often in nursing homes. Neglect usually stems from an unintentional act that results in an elderly resident being injured. It could be something as simple as the nursing home staff member forgetting to follow the proper diet set forth by a resident’s physician. Abuse on the other hand is an intentional act done by a staff member or a resident with the intent to harm and injure. Neither neglect or abuse should ever be tolerated in any nursing home.
What is the value of a nursing home case?
The value of a nursing home case will depend on a variety of factors. Some of these factors will include the permanency of the injuries, the amount of any lost wages and medical procedures, and the affect that the pain has had on day to day activities. These factors are thrown into a calculation, that will then determine the value of the case.
One of the most important factors is the permanency of the injury. In severe cases of bodily injury, such as a loss of a limb, or some serious disability, then the value of the case will be much larger. Where there are long lasting physical affects, the value of the case may increase by large increments. Also, the more involved and protracted the treatment is, the higher the value of the case may be. Another factor to consider is what level of change has been brought to the victim’s life, such as missing weddings, births, graduations, or some other important life event due to the pain or incapacitation.
How much is a nursing home case worth?
There are a couple of factors that will drive the case worth which are, liability, causation, and damages. Cases that are high in value tend to have a substantial evidence that support all three. Liability simply means, if the nursing home’s actions or inactions fall below the standard of reasonable care that is required by Georgia law. For example, if a nurse fails to clean the wounds of a resident at certain intervals, and as a result an infection occurs, then the nursing home may be held liable, and this will ultimately increase the value of the case.
Causation is whether the action of the nursing home directly or proximately caused an injury. So if the nurse fails to clean the wound of a resident and an infection occurs, then the actions of the nurse essentially caused the injury. The most important component of nursing home case value is the type of damages. Depending on how severe the damages are, will ultimately play a big role in determining the value of the nursing home case.
We are Schenk Smith, your Dublin nursing home lawyers.
At Schenk Smith we are completely dedicated to helping elderly residents who have suffered from nursing home neglect or abuse. We do not represent any other type of clients, nor are we interested in doing so. By practicing one form of law, we are dedicated to helping elderly residents recoup what is rightfully theirs.
Our passion ultimately stems from our founding attorney Schenk Firm. Before becoming an attorney, Schenk Firm was a Marine, and a CNA in Georgia nursing homes for nearly a decade. His discipline and passion for nursing home residents truly resonates throughout our firm.
When you visit our site, you will encounter plenty of videos, podcast episodes, and blog articles. All these tools are dedicated towards helping elderly residents and their loved ones. Once you’ve had the chance to check out our resources, please give us a call so that we can schedule you a free consultation to discuss your case. It doesn’t matter where you live. Whether you’re by the Dublin-Laurens Museum, the Little Ocmulgee State Park, or the Black History Museum of Dublin, we’ve got you.
Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect in Dublin, Georgia – What you need to know.
Dublin, Georgia is located in Laurens County and has a population of 16,189 residents. Of those residents, 15.70% are aged 65 and older. Like in other nursing homes around the state of Georgia, neglect and abuse occur frequently.
Can I act on behalf of my loved one?
If your loved one is unable to make decisions for themselves, and are unable to act on their own behalf, then another person, which in most cases is a spouse or child, will be able to act on their behalf. Generally, but not always, a resident will have named another person to act on their behalf through a legal document. There are different types of documents that will provide you with various powers. Whether you’re able to bring a lawsuit on behalf of your loved one, will ultimately depend on the document you have, and the powers granted in those documents.
A power of attorney will authorize you to bring lawsuits, enter contracts, sell property, and other actions that your loved one is no longer able to do. Sometimes though, the Probate court will officially designate a guardian or a conservatorship over a resident. If you happen to be that designated guardian, then you’ll have the power to bring suits on behalf of your incapacitated loved one.
Is the nursing home required to prevent all falls?
No nursing home can prevent every fall from ever taking place at their facility. Falls are actually very common among senior citizens. Studies show that one third of adults over 64 years of age fall each year. That’s why nursing home residents are almost three times more likely to fall than senior citizens living in private residences.
With these high statistics, it is impossible for a nursing home to prevent all falls, but there are many steps that can be taken in order to reduce the risk, and the number of injuries. A fall risk assessment should be performed on each and every resident. In these assessments, risk factors will be assigned a value. So a high number will mean that the nursing home must closely monitor that specific resident, while also making sure to coordinate daily activities accordingly.
How do I find another nursing home?
There are various ways to find a better suited nursing home for your loved one. The first way is to ask around other people who have family members in different nursing homes. Word of mouth is one of the strongest methods to scope out potential new facilities for your loved one. Most nursing homes receive ratings and detailed reviewed from family members of current or previous residents, which is why it is best to ask around.
Another tool to use is the Georgia Department of Human Services website, where you’ll be able to find a nursing home that fits the needs of your loved one. When you’ve been able to narrow the list down to a couple of potential new locations, it is important to conduct walkthroughs in order to find out as much as possible. Finding out different things about the nursing homes such as the nurse-to-resident ratio, the quality of the living arrangements, the quality of food, and the daily routines/activities for the residents are important factors to consider.
For a free legal consultation with a Nursing Home Abuse lawyer serving Dublin, call (678) 823-7678
My loved one was hurt in a Dublin nursing home – What do I do next?
If your loved one has been injured, abused, or has passed away at a Dublin, Georgia nursing home, then we highly advise you to act immediately, in order to protect their rights.
First, report the incident to the appropriate Georgia authorities.
Georgia Department of Community Health
The Georgia Department of Community Health has a division known as The Healthcare Facility Regulation. This division investigates cases of nursing home neglect and abuse against elderly residents. This same division also regulates and certifies nursing homes in the state of Georgia.
You can file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Community Health, Healthcare Facility Regulation online by clicking this link. Here is additional contact information:
Georgia Department of Community Health, Healthcare Facility Regulation
Complaint Hotline: (800) 878-6442
Complaint Fax: (404) 657-5731
Georgia Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Another route to take is through The Georgia Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman program consists of a group of individuals who are dedicated towards resolving cases of nursing home neglect and abuse against their residents. The Ombudsman Group is also authorized by law to enter nursing homes and ask questions.
You can file a complaint with the Georgia Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman online by clicking on this link. Here is additional contact information:
Middle Region – Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
239 NE Park Avenue, Suite C-1
Baxley, GA 31513
Telephone: (912) 367-4866
Fax: (912) 367-3849
You may report physical assault or abuse to local law enforcement
If your loved one has been injured from the result of an assault from a nursing home staff member or resident, then you should immediately file a police report on their behalf. Depending on the severity of the crime, criminal charges may be brought against the perpetrator by the District Attorney’s Office: Dublin Judicial District.
For abuse occurring in a Dublin, Georgia nursing home, report the crime to the Police Department of Dublin, Georgia or the Laurens County Sheriff.
Police Department of Dublin, Georgia
346 S Jefferson St
Dublin, GA 31021
Telephone: (478) 277-5023
Laurens County Sheriff’s Office
511 Southern Pines Rd
Dublin, GA 31021
Laurens County District Attorney’s Office
101 N Jefferson St
Dublin, GA 31021
Find another facility for your loved one.
If your loved one has suffered from nursing home neglect or abuse, then it is in your best interest to find a better suited facility. When you begin your search for a new facility, it is important to conduct walkthroughs and ask as many questions as possible. This way you can get a feel for the facility and the staff itself. Another tool to use is the Nursing Home Compare website which has been created by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This site has ratings for every nursing home in the county that has received federal funding. The ratings are based off several factors including quality, nurse-to-resident ratios, and inspection scores.
Click here to go to the Nursing Home Compare Website.
For your convenience, a list of all nursing homes located in Dublin, Georgia is located below, along with their contact information and inspection scores.
Get the medical records from the hospital and the nursing home.
If your loved one has been injured as a result of nursing home neglect or abuse, then it is very important to obtain their medical records immediately. The reason this needs to be done as soon as possible is because nursing homes will usually stop at nothing to place the blame on the injury solely on your loved one. For example, if your loved one suffers a broken bone due to a slip and fall over a wet floor, then chances are the nursing home will try to claim that the bone was already broken before the fall – even if all the evidence is stacked against their claim.
In order to protect your loved one’s rights, you need to obtain their medical records, because those will show who the primary physician was, plus it’ll contain information on their hospital visit. It is also important to obtain the nursing home’s medical records, because those will sometimes show signs of neglect or abuse. State and federal privacy laws usually prevent third parties from obtaining those records unless you have the proper written authorization form. These forms will usually be either a power of attorney, a healthcare directive, or guardianship paperwork.
If your loved one has been injured at a Dublin nursing home, then their medical records will most likely be located at one of the hospitals listed below. After you’ve obtained the proper written authorization, your next step will need to be to make a request to the Release of Information Department of the hospital.
Begin the probate process if your loved one has passed away.
If your loved one has passed away, they still have the right to pursue a lawsuit. A deceased person’s right to pursue a lawsuit is handed over to the Estate. For example, the plaintiff will go from “John Doe” to “The Estate of John Doe”. Before a lawsuit can be filed, the Estate first needs to be established. This means that the surviving spouse, child, or relative will need to petition the Probate Court of the County in which the deceased has passed.
If you’re currently dealing with this same situation, then it is important to setup an Estate immediately. In doing so, you will need to appoint a personal representative, who is often referred to as an Executor or Administrator. This personal representative will then act on behalf of the Estate, and will make all the decisions with regards to the lawsuit.
Click here for the Probate Court of Laurens County.
Laurens County Probate Court
101 N Jefferson St
Dublin, GA 31021
Dublin Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (678) 823-7678
Nursing Homes in Dublin, Georgia
Each nursing home has their own benefits, making them different. Below are the nursing homes located in Dublin, Georgia, along with pertinent information about them. This information is taken from CMS’ Nursing Home Compare Website.
| Southland Healthcare And Rehab Center
606 Simmons St |
Overall Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average)
Number of Beds: 126 Number of Residents: 98.4 RN hours per resident per day: 13min (GA Avg: 24 min) |
| Health Inspections Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average)
Staff Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Quality Measure Rating: 2 out of 5 (Below Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 02-15-2018 Number of Health Citations: 4 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting citation: 5 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 1 ($13,845 fine on 07-14-2016) |
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| Premier Estates Of Dublin, LLC
1634 Telfair Street |
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 (Average)
Number of Beds: 105 Number of Residents: 96.4 RN hours per resident per day: 16min (GA Avg: 24 min) |
| Health Inspections Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average)
Staff Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Quality Measure Rating: 3 out of 5 (Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 04-14-2017 Number of Health Citations: 2 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting citation: 2 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 0 |
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| Dublinair Health & Rehab
300 Industrial Blvd |
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average)
Number of Beds: 149 Number of Residents: 124.6 RN hours per resident per day: 12min (GA Avg: 24 min) |
| Health Inspections Rating: 3 out of 5 (Average)
Staff Rating: 3 out of 5 (Average) Quality Measure Rating: 5 out of 5 (Much Above Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 10-26-2017 Number of Health Citations: 2 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting citation: 2 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 0 |
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Why Choose Schenk Smith as your Nursing Home Lawyers?
When you conduct your search for an attorney you will encounter plenty to choose from. We understand you have options. But we would like for you to consider us as the best choice to represent you and your family. Here are a couple reasons why we feel we’d be the top choice:
- Highly Regarded: Schenk Smith is the best Google reviewed law firm in Georgia that focuses on nursing home cases. Our attorneys have also been selected as Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Stars. These are just a couple reasons why our clients have left outstanding testimonials on their experiences with us.
- Singular Focus: We do not practice any other form of law, nor are we interested in doing so. Practicing one type of law also makes us more knowledgeable on any changes that may pertain to nursing home law. This knowledge along with our tools and skills, has driven results as we’ve had millions in verdicts and settlements in the past two years.
- Dedicated: Not only do we focus solely on nursing home cases, but our attorneys attend and lead legal education seminars dedicated to nursing home cases. Our attorneys are also members of senior citizen advocacy groups, which truly shows our passion for representing nursing home residents.
If your loved one was injured or died in a Dublin, Georgia nursing home, please call us at Schenk Smith (678) 823-7678 for a free consultation. You can also check out hundreds of video FAQs on our website.
Call or text (678) 823-7678 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form