Is your loved one suffering from neglect or abuse at a Jesup nursing home? If so, know that they are not alone. Neglect and abuse occur often in Georgia nursing homes. Which is why at Schenk Smith we have dedicated all of our efforts, skills, and resources to nursing home law. We are passionate about representing elderly residents who suffered from nursing home malpractice. After you’ve had the chance to check out our site, please give us a call so that we can discuss your case. We’re here to help you.
Neglect is different from abuse, because it is usually an unintentional act that ends up with the resident being injured. When a staff member fails to follow the diet set forth by a resident’s physician, they have committed an act of neglect. Abuse on the other hand is an intentional act that is done with the intent to harm. Abuse can come from either a staff member or another resident. Neither neglect or abuse should ever occur in any nursing home.
Why sue a nursing home for neglect?
Nursing homes are required by Georgia law to provide a reasonable standard of care. So when neglect occurs, a nursing home is essentially breaking the law. This is why it is within a resident’s right to pursue a lawsuit, when they have been injured due to an act of neglect.
Bedsores for example, are very common in nursing homes, even though they are easy to prevent. Which is why when a bedsore forms, and it is not taken care of, illnesses such as septic shock will happen as a result, which then leaves the nursing home liable for any pain, suffering, and hospital/medical treatment needed.
If your loved one has suffered from neglect, it is in your best interest to contact a nursing home attorney immediately, so that the neglect can stop. Otherwise, the neglect may continue, with your loved one feeling the burden.
Will a lawsuit be expensive?
A lawsuit can prove to be expensive if you hire an attorney who works off an hourly fee. This is why it is important to retain an attorney who will work off a contingency fee. What contingency fee means is that the attorney will only collect payment (which is an agreed upon amount before settlements or trials take place) if a verdict or settlement is reached in their client’s favor.
If your case goes to trial, there might be other fees such as court fees, and fees for medical experts who in exchange will give their testimony. If your attorney is working off a contingency fee, then they will cover these costs for you, and recoup their payments after the trial or settlements are finished. This is why it is important to retain an attorney who will work off a contingency fee. They essentially will have ‘skin in the game’ which means that they won’t collect their payment unless you see the outcome you want.
We are Schenk Smith, your Jesup nursing home lawyers.
At Schenk Smith we are 100% dedicated to helping elderly residents who have suffered from nursing home neglect or abuse. We don’t practice any other form of law, nor do we represent any other type of clients. We focus solely on helping elderly residents recoup what is rightfully theirs.
Our passion for nursing home cases comes from our founding attorney Schenk Firm. Before becoming an attorney, Schenk Firm served as a Marine, and as a CNA in Georgia nursing homes for nearly a decade. His discipline and passion resonates throughout our firm, which is why we are so passionate about nursing home law.
When you visit our site, you will come across plenty of online resources. We have many videos, podcast episodes, and blog articles that are all dedicated to nursing home law. Once you’ve checked out our site, please give us a call so that we can schedule you a free consultation to discuss your case. It doesn’t matter to us where you live by. Whether you’re by the Pierce County Heritage Museum & Depot, the Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park, or Sapelo Island Estuarine Sanctuary, we’ve got you.
Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect in Jesup, Georgia – What you need to know.
Jesup, Georgia is located in Wayne County, and has a population of 10,145 residents. Of those residents, 13% are aged 65 and older. Like in other nursing homes around the state of Georgia, neglect and abuse occur frequently.
Does reporting neglect put my loved one at more risk?
We are often asked this question. A families concern about revenge enacted against their loved one is usually the number one reason why abuse goes unreported. Neglect and abuse will usually continue until some form of action is taken.
This is why retaining a nursing home neglect lawyer is important, so that they can shed some light on the situation, which in essence will protect your loved one. The attorney you retain, will do three things:
- Watch
- Investigate
- Report
When an attorney is present and actively investigating, the nursing home staff will find it much harder to perform acts of negligence or abuse against elderly residents.
What is sepsis? Is it the nursing home’s fault?
Sepsis is a complication of an infection that has become life-threatening. Usually the final stage of sepsis is septic shock, at which point the infection has become either so severe or so widespread that it causes organ failure and low blood pressure. Sepsis and septic shock are both critical conditions that require immediate medical attention.
Sepsis most commonly stems from pneumonia and abdominal, kidney, or bloodstream infections. A person with sepsis will usually suffer from:
- Fever
- Confused Mental State
- Breathing Difficulties
- Low Blood Pressure
- Fast Heart Rate
Sepsis if often preventable, so if your loved one forms it at a nursing home, then you may be able to sue the nursing home for neglect. If a nursing home fails to treat a bedsore, often that bedsore can then lead to illnesses which can lead to infection, which usually becomes sepsis at its critical state. It is important to retain a nursing home attorney immediately if your loved one has developed sepsis.
Is the nursing home’s inspection record available online?
Nursing homes will usually have reviews from loved one’s who had family members stay at their nursing home. These reviews are a great tool to see exactly how a nursing home operates. Another tool that is valuable is the Georgia Department of Community Health. Within this department lies a division known as the Healthcare Facility Regulation which licenses, oversees, and inspects Georgia’s health care facilities.
Within the HFR lies the Office of Facility Licensure, which is responsible for licensing, certifying, and overseeing over 15,000 healthcare facilities, including nursing homes. The HFR also has a comprehensive list of licensed nursing homes in Georgia, which will usually show valuable information such as inspection reports.
For a free legal consultation with a Nursing Home Abuse lawyer serving Jesup, call (678) 823-7678
My loved one was hurt in a Jesup nursing home – What do I do next?
If your loved one has been injured, abused, or has passed away at a Jesup, 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 Healthcare Facility Regulation, which as we mentioned before is part of the Georgia Department of Community Health, investigates cases of nursing home neglect and abuse against elderly residents. This 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 group aim to resolve nursing home cases of abuse and neglect against elderly residents. They are also authorized by Georgia law to enter nursing homes and ask questions, in order to seek answers.
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 was injured as a result of an assault at a Jesup nursing home, then we advise you to file a police report immediately. Depending on the severity of the crime, criminal charges may be brought against the perpetrator by the District Attorney’s Office: Brunswick Judicial District.
For abuse occurring in a Jesup, Georgia nursing home, report the crime to the Police Department of Jesup, Georgia or the Wayne County Sheriff.
Police Department of Jesup, Georgia
642 E Plum St
Jesup, GA 31546
Telephone: (912) 427-1300
Wayne County Sheriff’s Office
266 E Walnut St
Jesup, GA 31546
Telephone: (912) 427-5970
Wayne County District Attorney’s Office
174 N Brunswick St
Jesup, GA 31546
Telephone: (912) 427-5930
Find another facility for your loved one.
If your loved one is currently suffering from neglect or abuse at a Jesup nursing home, then it is in your best interest to find a new facility for them. When you begin your search for a new facility, it is important to conduct walkthroughs. During these walkthroughs, it is important to ask as many questions as possible, in order to get a feel for the facility and the staff. The Nursing Home Compare website, which is operated by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is another tool you can use. This site offers ratings for every nursing home in the county that receives federal funding. These ratings are based off several factors including quality, nurse-to-resident ratio, and inspection scores.
Click here to go to the Nursing Home Compare Website.
For your convenience, a list of all nursing homes located in Jesup, 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 was injured at a Jesup nursing home, it is important to obtain their medical records immediately. Nursing homes will usually stop at nothing to place the blame of an injury on a resident rather than accepting responsibility. For example, if your loved one suffers a broken bone due to a slip and fall over a wet floor, the nursing home will likely try to claim that the bone was broken before the fall, even if the medical records show that wasn’t the case.
To help protect your loved one’s rights, you’ll need their medical records which will show valuable information about the hospital visit, such as who the primary physician was. It is also important to obtain the medical records from the nursing home, since those at times will show signs of neglect or abuse.
Federal and State privacy laws prevent third parties from obtaining medical records without the proper written authorization form. This form will usually be either a power of attorney, guardianship paperwork, or a healthcare directive.
If your loved one was injured at a Jesup nursing home, then chances are their medical records will be located at the hospital listed below. Once you’ve obtained the proper written authorization form, 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 an Estate in the event of their death. For example, the plaintiff will go from being “John Doe” to “The Estate of John Doe”. For the lawsuit to be filed, an Estate must first be established. This means 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 situation, it’s 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 representative will then act on behalf of the Estate, and will make all the decisions with regards to the lawsuit.
Wayne County Probate Court
359 E Walnut St
Jesup, GA 31546
Jesup Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (678) 823-7678
Nursing Homes in Jesup, Georgia
Every nursing home is different, as each have their own pros and cons. Below are the nursing homes located in Jesup, Georgia, along with relevant information about them. This information is taken from CMS’ Nursing Home Compare Website.
| Harborview Health Systems Jesup 1090 W Orange St | Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average) Number of Beds: 90 Number of Residents: 82 RN hours per resident per day: 20min (GA Avg: 24 min) |
| Health Inspections Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average) Staff Rating: 2 out of 5 (Below Average) Quality Measure Rating: 3 out of 5 (Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 08-17-2017 Number of Health Citations: 1 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting citation: 0 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 0 | |
| Altamaha Healthcare Center 1311 West Cherry Street | Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average) Number of Beds: 62 Number of Residents: 54.4 RN hours per resident per day: 9min (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: 5 out of 5 (Much Above Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 09-17-2017 Number of Health Citations: 0 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 | |
| Jesup Health And Rehab 3100 Savannah Highway | Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average) Number of Beds: 72 Number of Residents: 61.7 RN hours per resident per day: 23min (GA Avg: 24 min) |
| Health Inspections Rating: 5 out of 5 (Much Above Average) Staff Rating: 1 out of 5 (Much Below Average) Quality Measure Rating: 4 out of 5 (Above Average) Most Recent Health Inspection Date: 07-07-2017 Number of Health Citations: 0 Average Number of Health Citations in Georgia: 3.2 Number of Complaints in previous 3 years resulting citation: 0 Federal fines in previous 3 years: 0 | |
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Why Choose Schenk Smith as your Nursing Home Lawyers?
When you first begin your search for an attorney, you will encounter plenty of options to choose from. Even though you have many options, we would like for you to consider us as the top choice. Here are a couple reasons why we think we’d be the best fit to represent you and your loved ones:
- Highly Reviewed: Our attorneys have been selected as Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Stars, which is just one reason as to why we are the best Google reviewed law firm in the state of Georgia. Our clients hold us in high regards. Don’t take our word for it, check out our client testimonials, and see for yourself, why we’d be a great fit for you and your family.
- Resourceful: When you visit our site, you will come across over 200 videos, over 100 podcast episodes, and countless blog articles that are all dedicated to nursing home law. Our attorneys also attend and lead legal education seminars dedicated to nursing home cases.
- Results Driven: Even though we offer free consultations to everyone, we are very selective with the cases we choose to represent. But this means that we are ready and willing to see your case to trial. This has been a successful recipe for our clients, as we’ve had million in verdicts and settlements in the past two years.
If your loved one was injured or died in a Jesup, 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