You’ve Filed a Report with the California Department of Public Health Against a Nursing Home – Now What?

This is a follow-up to an article published on our Berman & Riedel, LLP blog site on June 19, 2013 titled, “How To Report Suspicions of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect in California.

Anyone who suspects that an elderly resident is not receiving the care which he/she is entitled to receive can file a report with the California Department of Public Health against the offending nursing home. After you have filed the report with DPH, you have many rights as a Complainant, rights which you can exercise in order to ensure that your loved one receives the proper care.

California law requires that DPH keep your identity, as well as the identity of any person named in the complaint, confidential and anonymous from the facility. DPH is required by law to begin an onsite investigation of your complaint within ten working days after receiving the complaint, with the exception that DPH must begin its investigation within 24 hours if there is a threat of imminent danger or serious injury or death.

Within two working days of filing your complaint you must be notified of the name of the investigator assigned to your claim. You have the right to accompany the investigator to the facility during the course of the investigation. DPH must notify you in writing of its findings within 10 working days of the completion of its investigation.

If you are not satisfied with the findings of DPH, you have the right to request an informal conference within five days of receipt of the findings. The conference with the DPH district manager or his/her representative will be scheduled within 30 days or your request and you should be notified within 10 working days of the determinations of DPH. If you are dissatisfied with the results of the informal conference, you have the right to file an appeal with the Deputy Director within 15 days of filing the informal conference. This is the final appeals process with DPH, and though many DPH investigations of nursing home complaints are completed to the satisfaction of the Complainant this is not always the case and you may need to seek other remedies.


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