The high rates of neglect and abuse in nursing homes are deeply troubling. When facilities cut costs, quality of care also suffers. This website is designed as a resource to guide you if someone you love has been injured due to abuse or neglect in a long-term care facility. Feel free to call us as well to discuss the details of your specific situation.
If a facility employee has caused an injury to your loved one, they are guilty of nursing home abuse or neglect. Abuse occurs when an employee of the nursing home knowingly harms a resident, either physically, financially, emotionally, or sexually. Neglect, in contrasts, stems from an employee failing to do something that would have protected a resident from harm. Whether they suffered abuse or neglect, your loved one’s rights were violated.
Filing a suit on behalf of your loved one.
You may be wondering whether you should file a lawsuit for a case of neglect or abuse. While this decision is unique to every family, a lawsuit can help discern how much money the nursing home owes you, as this amount is decided by a jury. Even better, the court will make sure that the facility pays you.
If you are not already authorized to act on your loved one’s behalf, you will need to file paperwork—either power of attorney, conservatorship, or guardianship–to be eligible to file a lawsuit.
Should you decide to file a lawsuit, we have the expertise to help you every step of the way.
What are your fees to sue the nursing home?
Cost is a primary concern for many people considering whether to hire a lawyer to help their loved one. We don’t get paid unless we win your case, which is known as contingency. Should you decide to go the lawsuit route, we will decide on the percentage we’ll receive in the event of a successful suit.
You should know that other significant costs will be involved with filing a lawsuit apart from our fees. Securing complete medical records, sometimes from multiple facilities, and other services such as expert testimony, can add up to thousands of dollars. You’ll also need to factor in arbitration and court fees. We will cover these costs on the front end, and you can reimburse them upon winning the suit.
We are Schenk Smith, your Grovetown nursing home lawyers.
We at Schenk Smith have chosen to specialize in nursing home law rather than dividing our attention among multiple legal areas. We only take cases of nursing home abuse and neglect–our passion for protecting the elderly is genuine.
Founding attorney Schenk Firm was a certified nursing assistant working in Georgia nursing homes for nearly ten years prior to becoming a lawyer. He knows firsthand the procedures long-term care facilities must follow to keep residents safe. This inside knowledge of nursing home environments has made Smith Schenk committed to prosecuting nursing homes that fail to protect your loved ones. Whether you live near the Grovetown Museum, up the street from the Woodrow Wilson Home, or close to the Redcliffe State Historic Site, we’ve got you covered.
Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect in Grovetown, Georgia – What you need to know.
Grovetown, Georgia is located in Columbia County and has a population of 12,148 residents. Of those, 5.4% are aged 65 and older. In Grovetown as in other Georgia cities, neglect and abuse are frequent.
I want to sue on behalf of my loved one—How?
Your lawyer will first put together a demand package, which explains the charges and includes any documentation and evidence relevant to the claim. It will include medical records, witness statements, and expert testimony, as well as the amount of money the client is asking for.
Once the facility reviews the package and conducts an investigation of their own, they assess whether it will be worthwhile to them to settle rather than go to court. If the value of the potential lawsuit is less than the amount requested, both sides will likely try to reach a settlement. If not, the case will proceed to court.
Most lawyers in this area work on contingency rather than charging by the hour, meaning that they will not get paid unless they win your case. This makes hiring a lawyer to help with your case a less risky option that it might be otherwise.
What are some common measures taken by nursing homes to prevent falls?
Falls are the most injuries in long-term care. One of the keys to making sure residents don’t fall is recognizing that fall risks are individual to each resident. A personalized care plan should be made for each resident living in a nursing home, and it should include measures to minimize falls. If a patient is weak or prone to dizziness, for instance, they should be supervised and assistaned when moving to the bathroom. Providing walkers for safe movement and making beds safer by installing guardrails will be essential for many residents.
It’s also important to prevent fall risks in the wider facility environment. Slippery floors in common areas can be very hazardous, as can low lighting. Making sure that lightbulbs are replaced when needed and that residents are guided away from recently cleaned floors is imperative.
All of these precautions are more likely to be effectively implemented when a facility is properly staffed and trained. Some patients are extremely unstable in their movements, requiring nearly constant supervision. When a nursing home cuts corners in staffing, it may simply not be possible to give the kind of attention that will put a stop to fall-related injuries. Training is also key. Staff who do not know what to look for will not be able to act instinctively to avert falls.
How do I research nursing homes online?
FAQ 4 paragraphs here
For a free legal consultation with a Nursing Home Abuse lawyer serving Grovetown, call (678) 823-7678
My loved one was hurt in a Grovetown nursing home – What do I do next?
If your loved one was severely injured or passed away at a Grovetown, Georgia nursing home, then we recommend that you act as soon as possible to protect your loved one’s rights.
First, report the incident to the appropriate Georgia authorities
Georgia Department of Community Health
The Georgia Department of Community Health’s Healthcare Facility Regulation investigates nursing homes for neglect and abuse. Their offices also regulate and certify nursing homes in 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
Ombudsmen help resolve conflicts between nursing homes and residents. They are authorized and trained to enter nursing homes at either party’s urging to resolve conflicts.
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:
135 Hoyt Street
Athens, GA 30601-2646
Telephone: (706) 549-4850
Fax: (706) 227-8337
You may also report physical assault or abuse to local law enforcement
If your loved one was the victim of neglect or abuse at a nursing home, you may file a police report. If the facility is found to be responsible, they may have charges brought against them by the Augusta Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
For abuse occurring in a Grovetown, Georgia nursing home, report the crime to the Police Department of Grovetown or to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department.
Police Department of Grovetown
306 E Robinson Avenue
Grovetown, GA 30813
Telephone: (706) 863-1212
Columbia County Sheriff’s Department
2273 County Camp Rd
Appling, GA 30802
Telephone: (706) 821-2300
Augusta Judicial District Attorney’s Office
535 Telfair St
Augusta, GA 30901
Telephone: (706) 821-2300
Find another facility for your loved one.
You’ll certainly want to find a new facility for your loved one if you learn that they’ve suffered abuse or neglect. Spend the time to do research and talk with friends. Learn which nursing homes take Medicare and Medicaid, which have stellar client reviews, and which are most conveniently located. Compare potential nursing homes using the US Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) website, which ranks every federally funded facility in the country and according to various criteria.
Click here to go to the Nursing Home Compare Website.
For your convenience, a list of all nursing homes located within Grovetown, Georgia is located below, along with their contact information and inspection scores.
Get the medical records from the hospital and the nursing home.
You will have to procure your loved one’s medical records in order to prove that the facility was at fault for their injuries. These may include records from the medical facilities as well as the nursing home itself. Because privacy law prevents access of patient information without authorization, you will need guardianship, healthcare directive, or power of attorney rights to get the records.
If the resident was harmed at a nursing home in Grovetown, Georgia, they were likely treated at an area hospital. You can contact the medical records request department for hospitals in the Grovetown area using the following information:
Begin the probate process if your loved one has passed away.
A person’s rights do not vanish because they have passed away. If your loved one was abused or neglected at a nursing home, resulting in their death, you can still take legal action on their behalf through an estate. To do so, you’ll need to petition the probate court in the county where the nursing home was located.
An estate needs an executor to make decisions on behalf of the person who passed away. This person—usually a relative—will handle all legal decisions for the person following their death. If your family has not already designated an executor, you will need to do so at this point.
Click here to begin the probate process with the Columbia County Probate Court.
Columbia County Probate Court
1956 Appling Harlem Rd
Appling, GA 30802
Telephone (706) 541-254
Grovetown Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (678) 823-7678
Nursing Homes in Grovetown, Georgia
When looking for a new facility for your loved one, you’ll want to find one that’s trustworthy, has a good reputation, and is conveniently located. You’ll also need to verify that they take Medicare and Medicaid. Take some time compare facilities using the website created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which rates every federally funded nursing home in the country. You’ll find nursing homes in your area ranked by criteria such as staff-to-resident ratio, inspection scores, and quality of care.
Click here to go to the Nursing Home Compare Website.
When you’ve found a facility you’re interested in, pay them a visit prior to making any decisions. Speak with the staff and residents, if possible, to get a read on the environment. Ask for a tour so you can see as much as possible of the facility. If personnel seem unwelcoming or unwilling to answer questions about patient safety, consider a different facility.
The following is a list of nursing homes in Grovetown, Georgia, along with details on each. This information is taken from CMS’ Nursing Home Compare Website.
| Windermere Health and Rehabilitation Center 3618 J Dewey Gray Circle Augusta, GA 30909 | Overall Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Number of Beds: 120 Number of Residents: 108 RN hours per resident per day: 20min (GA Avg: 34min) |
| Health Inspection Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Staff Rating: 2 out of 5 (Below Average) Quality Measure Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 02-02-2018 Number of Health Citations: 9 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting in citation: 19 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 1 ($418,893 on 08-05-2016) | |
| Brandon Wilde Pavilion 4275 Owens Road Evans, GA 30809 | Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 (Below Average) Number of Beds: 50 Number of Residents: 54 RN hours per resident per day: 19min (GA Avg: 34min) |
| Health Inspection Rating: 2 out of 5 (Below Average) Staff Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Quality Measure Rating: 5 out of 5 (Much Above Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 09-03-2017 Number of Health Citations: 1 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting in citation: 3 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 1 ($2,013 on 06-03-2017) | |
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Why Choose Schenk Smith as your Nursing Home Lawyers?
We know you have many options when choosing an attorney for your nursing home neglect or abuse case. What makes us special?
- Not Just Lawyers. Our mission to help improve the long-term care system doesn’t stop with our legal work. We also advocate for nursing home residents through our weekly video podcast. Our advocacy work has landed us with a Rising Stars designation from the Super Lawyers legal recognition program.
- It’s All We Do. Some law firms spread themselves thin, tackling everything from fraud to DUIs. We focus in one area and one area only: nursing home abuse. Helping you get justice for a wrong your loved one suffered is our sole mission.
- Our Clients. We have a great reputation with our clients and are currently the best Google-reviewed law firm with focusing solely on nursing home abuse in Georgia. Our reviews speak for themselves.
If your loved one was injured or died in a Grovetown, 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