| Florida and Texas have the most nursing home abuse | | | | distorted by several lawyers who profit from what is |
| lawsuits in the country, which is why you'll see | | | | now an industry. As you walk down the streets of |
| advertisements for many Florida nursing home abuse | | | | Tampa Bay, which are flooded for ads for attorneys |
| lawyer all over billboards, park benches and buses. | | | | to represent you in nursing home cases, you can see |
| Lawyers specializing in nursing home abuse are on the | | | | that there is clearly a dollar to be made. |
| rise, but so are lawsuits. | | | | What does all this mean for nursing homes? |
| However, though this scenario could seem like an | | | | As the number of lawsuits increase, so does the cost |
| example of American litigation-frenzy gone | | | | of insurance and legal fees for nursing homes. This |
| overboard, it's also led to major changes in the Florida | | | | can put a nursing home in financial jeopardy or in a |
| nursing home industry. Nursing homes are literally | | | | position where they are unable to obtain the |
| shaking in their boots as they clean up their acts and | | | | insurance coverage they need to operate. |
| make significant improvements to their levels of care. | | | | What does all this mean for nursing home residents? |
| Instances of reported abuses are down and state | | | | The greatest impact on residents is that Florida |
| homes are scoring higher on inspections. | | | | nursing homes are increasingly more aware of |
| So, why are the number of lawsuits still going up? | | | | industry standards and protecting residents against |
| Until changes are made to the laws in Florida, the | | | | potential abuse. Unfortunately, the high costs of |
| number of abuse, negligence and accident lawsuits | | | | lawsuits, litigation and insurance premiums is often |
| filed on nursing homes will continue to rise. As a | | | | passed on to residents and their families. |
| result, nursing home operators and workers must be | | | | What is the importance of Chapter 400? |
| extra diligent to avoid any form of potential lawsuit. | | | | Chapter 400 is a Florida statute designed and written |
| To do so, they're making significant improvements. | | | | to protect the residents of retirement and nursing |
| So, if improvements are being made in senior care, | | | | homes. It's essentially a clear list that safeguards a |
| then why are lawsuits on the rise? One significant | | | | resident's rights such as financial rights, civil rights, |
| factor is the recent passage of several Florida state | | | | religious rights and privacy rights along with freedom |
| statutes that permit a Florida nursing home abuse | | | | from abuse and other personal infringements. |
| lawyer (the plaintiffs' attorney) to be awarded their | | | | Chapter 400 is clearly a necessary statute to protect |
| legal fees if a nursing home or assisted living facility is | | | | elderly residents from abuses. It should be read and |
| found to have violated a senior resident's rights. | | | | understood by every Florida nursing home abuse |
| And though these laws were passed with the best | | | | lawyer, along with all nursing home operators and |
| intentions as a way to protect seniors and ensure | | | | employees in the state. |
| they receive proper representation, they have been | | | | |