What If I Believe a Family Member Has Died a Suspicious Death at a Nursing Home?

Wrongful Death from Negligence

According to a study that considered the rate of mortality in nursing homes, 53.1 percent of nursing home residents die within three years of being admitted. While the majority of these deaths are due to unpreventable circumstances—i.e. patient age, health condition, etc.—some nursing home deaths are more suspicious, and may occur as a direct result of nursing home neglect.

If you believe that your family member had died a suspicious death at a nursing home in California, here is what you need to do:

Report the Death and Suspected Neglect Immediately

The nursing home in which your family member died is legally obligated to report the death to the state of California. However, if you believe that the death was suspicious and occurred as a result of neglect, you should file a complaint as soon as possible so that an investigation can ensue. You can file a complaint against the nursing home with the California Department of Public Health using the CDPH’s online system, and you can also file a complaint with California Adult Protective Services. Be thorough in the information that you include in your complaint.

Start Collecting Evidence

Waiting for an agency of the state of California to open an investigation can take time. In the interim, you should start collecting evidence about the death on your own. This may include your family member’s medical records, a history of other complaints filed against the nursing home, any signs of neglect or abuse, detailed records about how the death occurred, and any other evidence that you may be relevant to proving that your family member’s death would not have occurred had proper care been given. For example, if your loved one died as a result of a medication error, can you prove it? What medications was your loved one taking? Who was responsible for administering those medications? Have medication errors occurred in the past?

Contact an Attorney

When you suspect that nursing home abuse or neglect was the cause of a family member’s death, it is important that you seek legal help. A nursing home abuse and wrongful death attorney can not only help you to investigate the death and collect evidence, but can also guide you through what you need to know about how to file your claim, filing your claim within California’s statute of limitations, and what you will need to prove during the claim’s process. An attorney can also provide you with information regarding whether you have a strong case or not, and whether pursuing a claim is within your best interest.

Our Team Is Ready To Help

Losing a loved one is an emotional experience, especially if you believe that your loved one’s death only occurred because a nursing home failed to exercise the required amount of care. At Berman & Riedel, LLP, our skilled San Diego nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys will do everything that we can to help you seek justice. To schedule a free case consultation today, call us now at 858-350-8855.


About Berman & Riedel, LLP firm managing partner attorney William M. Berman:

Attorney William M. Berman focuses his practice in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death and elder abuse and neglect. Strictly a plaintiffs’ dedicated firm, he never represents insurance companies in the defense of claims. Mr. Berman’s firm remains staunchly committed to helping those who have suffered serious injury or loss due the negligence, intentional misconduct or wrongful acts of others.

Mr. Berman has grown his firm to what is considered one of the largest and most successful elder abuse/neglect practices within California. Through his continued successes in handling claims involving nursing home and elder abuse and neglect, Mr. Berman remains a prominent figure in advocating on behalf of this vulnerable class of citizens.

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Attorney Bill Berman

William M. Berman, Esquire
Berman & Riedel, LLP
12264 El Camino Real, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92130
ph: (858) 350-8855
fax: (858) 350-9855
email:
web: www.bermanlawyers.com