Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Abuse

The attorneys at Williamson & Lavecchia, L.C. represent victims of elder abuse and neglect at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We invite you to visit the Williamson and Lavecchia Online Guide to Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect, addressing the top concerns of those seeking care for an aging loved one, including types of care centers available to you and the types of abuse our elders suffer while in the care of the worst nursing homes. For families who are in the process of seeking a living facility for a loved one, we also provide information that addresses the warning signs and symptoms of poorly maintained and inadequate elder care and nursing homes.

The legal team, led by Carolyn Lavecchia, an experienced nurse and attorney, brings a wide range of case and trial experience in nursing home abuse and medical malpractice law to the aid of Virginia's elderly. Attorney Josh Silverman and our staff of paralegals and legal assistants are committed to making the respectful treatment and care of elders a right and guarantee in Virginia.

Our legal team will listen to you. We want to learn as much as possible about your loved one and what happened to him or her. We will need to know about his or her health, work history, and family. We will listen to you to learn what happened at the adult home or nursing home. Equally important, we will take the time to answer your questions. You may want to learn more about our background and experiences.

While we can not guarantee specific results, we can discuss your legal options and our opinions on how your case will be resolved. If we believe that we can be of assistance to you and you choose to hire us, we will each sign a retainer agreement.

Once a retainer agreement is signed we can begin working for you. We will request copies of all the relevant medical records and the records of the adult home. In most cases we will obtain via the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) all recent reports of abuse and neglect at the adult home or nursing home. We will also search court records to see if there have been similar cases against the adult home.

If appropriate, we will interview former employees of the adult home or nursing home to get a better picture of the facility. We have found that former employees often paint a vastly different picture of the adult home or nursing home than what is reported to the government investigators.

After conducting an initial investigation, we will share with you our recommendations. In many cases we recommend filing a lawsuit. Only upon filing a lawsuit will we have an opportunity to obtain and review internal documents and to question the staff and owners of the adult home or nursing home. We also believe the best settlements are obtained after filing a lawsuit. Usually the trial is scheduled 10-12 months to a year after filing the lawsuit.

Click here to visit the Williamson and Lavecchia Online Guide to Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect .

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Blog for Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Abuse

• 1/3 of Nursing Home Residents Given Wrong Medication
• At least 1 out of every 3 Nursing Home Residents Suffer Malnutrition
• Poor hygiene is sign of nursing home neglect
• How do you file a complaint against a Virginia Nursing Home?
• Uplifting Story About a Nursing Home Patient Getting Excellent Care
• Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
• Woman Sexually Assaulted in Hampton Nursing Home
• Medication Errors in Nursing Homes
• Civil Penalties Against Assisted Living Facilities
• Virginia Ranks No. 2 in Nation in Assisted Living Facility Beds
• How you do investigate complaints against nursing homes?
• Resident on Resident Violence in Nursing Homes
• Nursing Home Patients Abused by Other Patients
• What are the chances that you will become a nursing home patient?
• Ever wonder what life is like in a nursing home? Read this
• New Nursing Home Guidelines Focus on Quality of Life
• CNAs are Underpaid and Overworked
• Video Surveillance in Nursing Homes
• Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act
• Should surveillance cameras be permitted in nursing homes?

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Library for Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Abuse:

• Revised Guidelines for Nursing Home Inspections [PDF]   
  Description: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued new guidelines for nursing home inspections focus on improving the quality of life for nursing home patients.

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Frequent Questions for Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Abuse:

• How do I file a complaint against a Virginia Nursing Home?

• Where can I learn more about nursing home abuse and neglect?

• How can I find out if a nursing home has been cited by the Department of Health?
• How can the nursing home lawyers at Williamson & Lavecchia assist me?
• Are nursing homes required to have written policies and procedures and do I have a right to review them?
• What are the key questions to ask when visiting a nursing home or adult home?
• How can I select the right nursing home?
• Can I file a lawsuit on behalf of a family member who was injured at an adult home?
• Is there a time limit for filing suit against an adult home?
• Is there a cap on damages that may be collected against adult homes?
• What rights do residents have in an adult home?
• Should an adult home be restraining its residents?
• Is an adult home legally responsible for crimes committed against its residents?
  
• What questions are important to ask when selecting an attorney to represent a loved one abused or neglected at an adult home?
• What is the difference between residential living and assisted living at an adult home?
• What is the difference between a nursing home and an adult home/assisted living facility?
• Who regulates adult homes?

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Case Results for Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Abuse:

• $710,000 Settlement of Nursing Home Wrongful Death Suit

Awarded: $710,000 Nursing Home Settlement

• Fatal Medication Error at an Assisted Living Facility

Awarded: $511,000 Confidential Settlement

• $450,000 Personal Injury Settlement with Assisted Living Facility

Awarded: $450,000 Personal Injury Settlement

• Settlement of Wrongful Death Case Against Assisted Living Facility

Awarded: $345,000 Assisted Living Facility Settlement

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Web Resources for Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Abuse:

• Involuntary Transfer and Discharge of Nursing Home Patients

  Description: The Nursing Home Reform Law of 1987 protects nursing home patients from involuntary transfer and discharge. Patients can only be transferred or discharged from a nursing home under limited circumstances. In most cases the nursing home must give the patient at least 30 days notice. The National Consumer Voice for Long Term Care provides a useful guide to the rights of nursing home patients against involuntary transfer or discharge. If you believe a loved one has been wrongfully transferred or discharged from a nursing home, please call us at (804) 288-1661 to discuss your legal rights.

• Types of Abuse in Nursing Homes

  Description: Williamson & Lavecchia, L.C. has created a website devoted to the rights of nursing home patients and assisted living facility residents. This link provides valuable information about the signs and symptoms of the most commonly types of abuse committed against the elderly.

• Rules and Regulations for Virginia Nursing Homes

  Description: This link takes you to a list of the rules and regulations nursing homes are required to follow in Virginia.

• Virginia Department of Health - Nursing Home Complaint Form

  Description: If you believe a loved one has been mistreated in a nursing home you can file a complaint with the Virginia Department of Health.

• Regulations Restricting the Use of Restraints in Nursing Homes

  Description: The Virginia Department of Health bans the use of physical and chemical restraints of nursing home patients except in limited circumstances. This link provides an overview of patient rights to be free from restraints.

• Virginia Assisted Living Facility Inspection Reports

  Description: The Virginia Department of Social Services inspects and licenses assisted living facilities. At this website you can learn how individual assisted living facilities performed at their recent inspections and whether the facility has been recently sanctioned.

• Williamson & Lavecchia, L.C. Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Website

  Description: Williamson & Lavecchia, L.C.'s Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect website provides information about legal remedies against nursing homes and assisted living facilites that abuse and neglect the elderly. On this website you can learn more about our attorneys' experience in representing victims of elder abuse and neglect as well as the laws governing nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

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