Documentary Evidence For Nursing Home Abuse Claim

Your evidence's strength determines whether you win a nursing home abuse claim. The evidence also determines your settlement or judgment. Documentary evidence is among the valuable forms of evidence you can use for such a case. Below are some forms of documentary evidence to use.

Photographs

Photographs are some of the best evidence for injury cases, including nursing home negligence cases. You can use photographs of:

• Dangerous conditions in the nursing home, such as broken railings
• Your loved one's body, such as bruises
• The nursing home's meals
• Unhygienic nursing home environments

In short, any photograph that shows injury or neglect risks in the nursing home can help. You have an even stronger case if you can link the photograph to your loved one's injuries.

Medical Records

The effects of nursing home neglect vary; some require treatment while others don't. For example, your loved one may need treatment after physical abuse but not after financial abuse. Medical records are strong evidence of injuries or neglect that necessitated medical treatment. For example, medical records can prove your loved one's treatment cost.

Nursing Home Records

Like other businesses, nursing homes have records for different services or operations. Examples include records of:

• Employee hiring, training, and retention
• Past injuries, neglect, and complaints
• Maintenance and repairs

These records can help you prove a nursing home's negligence and link it to your loved one's injury. Consider a case where maintenance records show a defective and dangerous staircase that needs repair but hasn't undergone it. If your loved one slipped and fell on the stair, you can use the maintenance records to prove the nursing home's liability.

Financial Records

As mentioned above, nursing home negligence has multiple forms, including physical, emotional, and financial abuse. Financial abuse takes many forms, but they all boil down to unauthorized use of a nursing home resident's finances. Financial records, such as credit card and bank statements, are great evidence of financial abuse.

Local Government Records

Nursing home residents are vulnerable to multiple risks and require protection from different quarters, including the government. The government regulates nursing homes, for example, through licensing and inspections. Many local governments have ombudsman programs to resolve disputes between nursing homes and their residents.

Thus, government records are useful for proving nursing home injuries. For example, you can use past inspection reports and ombudsman complaints to prove a nursing home's propensity for negligence.

A personal injury lawyer can help you gather evidence and prove your case in court. Most lawyers offer a free initial consultation to evaluate your case and determine the way forward.

For more information, contact a personal injury lawyer near you.