Patient Risk For Elopement From Michigan Nursing Home
Buckfire & Buckfire P.C. nursing home injury lawyers represent residents and their families for injuries suffered due to wandering, or elopement from a Michigan nursing home or assisted living facility. Elopement is when a resident experiences walking in an unsupervised and unsafe area. When a resident successfully leaves the nursing home or assisted living facility the possibility of entering into harm’s way is large, and many of times serious injury or even death can result. Claims for injuries or even death suffered during wandering and elopement will be brought against the responsible nursing home or assisted living facility. Our experienced nursing home injury attorneys have an in-depth understanding of lawsuits involving wandering and elopement cases against Michigan nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
Nursing homes are accountable for upholding a safe environment. Unfortunately, many times these facilities fall short and a resident suffers a serious injury, or even death, due to wandering and elopement in a Michigan nursing home. When poor care and oversight is happens the facility should be held accountable.
Decrease Patient Elopement From Michigan Nursing Home
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Michigan can decrease the risk of wandering and ensure the safety of residents by establishing policies and procedures that require assessing residents on admission and reevaluating their behaviors frequently to identify potential wanderers. In fact, nursing homes that participate in Medicare or Medicaid are required by the Federal regulations to conduct a complete and accurate assessment of each resident’s needs no later than 14 days after the admission.
In addition, an assessment must be repeated at least every 3 months thereafter. If a significant change in the resident’s physical or mental condition occur, then immediately reassessment is required. Performing an assessment as soon as possible after admission is ideal because studies have shown “most elopement occurs within 48 hours of admission.” The assessment of elopement risk should be recorded in the residents’ charts, and the facility should institute a proper procedure for notifying all staff of high-risk residents.
Proper Procedures To Prevent Patient Elopement From Michigan Nursing Home
Proper training and support is extremely important for the Michigan nursing home facilities’ staff. Besides the caretakers themselves, staff members not directly involved in resident care, new employees and all visitors should be informed of the facility’s policies and procedures for preventing wandering. This is important because uninformed visitors could inadvertently compromise the safety measures in place by allowing dementia patients to pass through routinely locked doors. If you have a family member that was seriously injured or even died due to wandering, contact one our experienced Michigan nursing home injury attorneys.
Our No Fee Promise for Michigan Nursing Home Patient Elopement Cases
We will represent you in your Michigan nursing home neglect case under our NO FEE PROMISE. This means that you will not be charged any legal fees whatsoever unless we obtain a settlement or recovery for you. You have absolutely no obligation for legal fees unless we win your case. If we do not obtain a settlement for you, you owe us nothing!
Contact Your Michigan Nursing Home Elopement Injury Lawyer
If a loved one has eloped from a Michigan nursing home, call our office now at (800) 606-1717 to speak with one of our experienced nursing home injury lawyers. We will start working on your case immediately and gather the necessary evidence to prove and win your case. We will also get you the real answers as to what happened and how it happened. We have a top track record of successful settlements and verdicts in nursing home neglect elopement cases in Michigan and we can do the same for you. Call today for your free consultation and learn your legal rights!