Skilled Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse Attorneys in South Carolina

In Need of a Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer in SC?

At the David W. Martin Accident and Injury Lawyers, our South Carolina nursing home negligence lawyers know that while most convalescent homes and skilled nursing facilities provide services our loved ones can trust, it only takes a single oversight to cause serious injuries or tragic deaths.

Over the past five years, South Carolina nursing homes have been fined more than $5 million in penalties for providing substandard care, hazardous conditions, and negligent treatment to their residents.

Because nursing home residents are some of society’s most vulnerable populations, they are easily preyed upon by inexperienced, inattentive, and careless employees. Since they are often defenseless — due to age, illness, or both — and often embarrassed by the circumstances, nursing home residents rarely report abusive or neglectful behavior.

This requires family members and other loved ones to pay close attention to their elders’ appearance and behavior to ensure the staff and facility are providing the care they deserve.

When they fall short, either through negligent hiring practices, physically or emotionally abusive or neglectful behavior, our South Carolina nursing home negligence attorneys are dedicated to pursuing justice for both you and your loved one.

Why is Nursing Home Negligence So Common in South Carolina?

Nursing home abuse and neglect are shockingly common in South Carolina, and throughout the rest of the country.

A survey of 2,000 nursing home residents, conducted by the National Center on Elder Abuse stated:

• 44% reported that they had been abused
• 95% reported that they had been neglected or seen other residents be neglected

A second study, conducted by the same organization, surveyed 2,000 nursing home employees, reporting:

• Over half of the nursing home staff surveyed admitted that they had mistreated residents either through physical violence, mental abuse, or neglect in the past 12 months
• 17% of Certified Nursing Assistants said they had pushed, grabbed, or shoved a nursing home resident over the same period

When these facilities hire inexperienced staff, are understaffed, or engage in negligent hiring practices, they too are responsible for the harmful circumstances that take place. At the David W. Martin Accident and Injury Lawyers, our nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys in South Carolina take exception to any circumstances where our aging community is mistreated and will aggressively pursue each person or party responsible for your loved one’s injuries.

South Carolina Nursing Home Residents Have Rights and Should Be Protected

Both local and national laws are in place to protect nursing home residents, including our South Carolina Adult Protection Act, and the Federal 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act.

The Nursing Home Reform Act grants all nursing home residents several important legal rights, including:

• The right to make individual lifestyle decisions
• Full information regarding living arrangements
• Flexible visitation time with family members
• The right to privacy
• Reasonable participation in decisions regarding medical treatment
• Freedom from any form of discrimination
• Freedom from all forms of abuse and exploitation
• The right to dignity and respect
• The ability to voice complaints without fear of retribution

When nursing home resident’s rights are violated in any way, other protections will begin to crumble, leading to negligent conditions and abusive treatment.

If you believe your loved one is being mistreated in any way, contact our skilled nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys in South Carolina today to get the help they need, and to stop the facility from harming any other patients.

What Should I Do if I Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect in South Carolina?

At David W. Martin Accident Injury Lawyers, we understand how difficult it is to entrust a private or public facility with your loved one’s care. The decision to place your loved one in a nursing home is hard, and if something should go wrong, the guilt can be overwhelming.

You are not alone. We are here to help.

If you believe that your vulnerable loved one is being abused in a nursing home, act immediately to ensure their safety is the only priority.

Nursing home abuse is notoriously difficult to catch and can be easily waived off by the facility’s employees as a misunderstanding — or worse, a lie. When vulnerable residents are suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other illnesses that can affect their judgment, excuses from the staff can come easily.

Trust your gut. You owe it to your loved one to follow up on any reasonable suspicions that any type of mistreatment is occurring.

If you believe abuse or neglect is ongoing, report the issue to the South Carolina Department of Social Services. They have the necessary resources to help put an immediate stop to any abuse or neglect issues by launching an investigation into the facility’s staff, management, and operations.

If the abuse or neglect has caused a serious injury, or the circumstances are urgent, call 911 right away and file a police report.

Once the immediate threat to your loved one’s safety has been recognized and reported to local, state, or federal authorities, contact our skilled nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys to take the lead in your case.

Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other services that care for our most vulnerable residents must provide a safe place, free from harm and mistreatment, so they can enjoy the quality of life they are entitled to.

When they fail to provide that standard of care, they must be held fully accountable for any damages that they have caused, and our skilled nursing home abuse attorneys in South Carolina can help ensure they are, so you and your loved one can rest knowing the threat to their safety is over.

Contact Our Experienced Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Attorneys in South Carolina Today to Schedule a Consultation

If you believe your loved one is being neglected or abused in their nursing home facility, contact our South Carolina personal injury attorneys at David W. Martin Accident and Injury Lawyers today by calling 803-258-6199. We provide consultations for all South Carolina residents, and never charge any legal fees unless we deliver a positive outcome for your unique case.