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New Mexico Nursing Home Resident Rights
Even though your older loved one has chosen to move into a long-term care facility where they’ll get around-the-clock care as they need, they still have rights as a human being that keep them from being completely controlled while at their facility. Through the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987, nursing home residents in the United States have rights that must be upheld at their facility.
Here are some of the rights included in the act that you should know about when admitting your loved one into a nursing facility:
- The right to be fully informed.
- The right to make complaints.
- The right to be an active participant in their own care.
- The right to privacy in their care and in their rooms.
- The right to dignity, respect, and freedom.
- The right to visits as well as unmonitored visits.
- The right to independence and making their own choices.
- The right to transfers and having a safe transfer.
These rights can be comforting to know as a resident in a nursing home and as the family member of an elder in a facility. Even though they ensure by law that your elderly loved one will maintain their rights in their nursing home, that doesn’t mean that these rights will be upheld by the staff.
One of the ways that a long-term care facility might break these rights is by abusing your older family member. After being abused or neglected and experiencing an infringement of rights, you could use the help of our Santa Fe, NM nursing home abuse attorney. We’ll defend their rights and get them justice for what they’ve endured.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
If you’re considering filing a nursing home abuse claim, then you’ve likely seen signs that your loved one is experiencing abuse and neglect at the hands of the staff, residents, or other members of their long-term care facility. You might be unsure, though, if you’re definitely seeing signs of abuse or neglect. If you’ve never been through this before, you might not know what to look for even though it feels wrong.
That’s why it’s important to know the signs to look for—that way, you can correctly identify whether or not your loved one is experiencing abuse. Even if it turns out that your loved one isn’t being abused, it’s still helpful to know what to look for and be able to identify the signs that something isn’t right with your family member’s care.
Whether you think the abuse they’re enduring is physical, emotional, mental, financial, or sexual, many of the signs overlap. Being as vigilant as possible to changes is your best course of action. Here are some of the signs to be aware of that could indicate your loved one is being abused or neglected in their long-term care facility:
- Unexplained bruises and broken bones
- Bedsores
- Poor hygiene
- Soiled and unchanged sheets
- Messy or uncleaned room
- Missing medication
- Unexplained weight loss
- Dehydration and malnourishment
- Unexplained STDs
- Missing funds
- Missing valuables from their room
- Change in demeanor
- Anxiety and depression
- Refusing to speak to anyone
The signs above could be from abuse or neglect. Often, abuse is malicious and intentional, whereas neglect is unintentional. But both are equally as dangerous because they can lead to your loved one being seriously injured. As an older person, this can cause their health to rapidly decline.
When you recognize any of these signs and start to suspect your elderly loved one is being abused or neglected in their long-term care facility, our Santa Fe, NM nursing home abuse lawyer is here to stand up for them and get them justice for what has happened to them.
The Right Legal Team Matters
Meet Our Dedicated Team of Attorneys
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"Thank God we found him. He really seemed to care about our family."Mr. Buckingham won our case after two other law firms said it would be impossible to win. He knew the medicine better than the experts in the case. I guess the fact that he’s also a doctor was a great help.Former Client
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"He truly was impressive."Mr. Buckingham flew to the East Coast several times & understood how a correct gall bladder surgery is supposed to be done better than the surgeon. He was very knowledgeable & precise.Former Client
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"If you want real-life heroes contact these guys. They cared when no one else did."When I first contacted Mr.Vega, I knew he was different because he listened to me with compassion. Mr. Vega and his team gave me hope and most important they gave my son a better life.Former Client
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"Adrian Vega and his law firm changed my family's life."They fought for my injured baby and made sure we would be taken care of for the rest of our lives. I highly recommend this law firm.Former Client
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"My family is better off having them in our corner."We turned to him when we had nowhere else to go. Turns out it was the best decision we could have ever made. They represented us in a difficult case and made those responsible accountable for their actions.Former Client
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"Nothing but the best of the best."This was an experience I'll never forget and felt like family and not a business associate. Adrian kept me informed and up to date on all matters of the lawsuit. Needless to say, I received more ( much more ) than expected...Former Client
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"Very professional firm and well knowledgeable!"I would highly recommend using Buckingham & Vega if you have been injured in an accident. Very professional firm and well knowledgeable!Former Client
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"Highly Recommend"We had a great experience working with Adrian. He was very professional and guided my family through a difficult situation.Former Client
Our Results Make a Difference
Explore How We Have Helped Our Clients
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Record-Setting $72 Million Verdict Birth Injury
The Buckingham & Vega team obtained a $72 Million verdict in a birth injury case when an OB/ GYN failed to properly monitor the mom during pregnancy.
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$16 Million Truck Accident
Buckingham & Vega obtained a $16 million settlement in a truck accident case. The truck driver was speeding and inattentive (texting) and crashed into the rear of a pickup truck stopped at a stoplight.
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$14 Million Dram Shop Liability
Our team obtained a $14 million dram shop verdict on behalf of a client who was injured due to negligence.
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$13 Million Truck Accident
Our team secured a 13 million settlement in a truck accident case. An eighteen-wheeler made an unsafe turn in front of a car driven by a grandmother and her family. The grandmother was killed and the family suffered severe injuries.
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13 Million Work Injury
Buckingham & Vega represented an oilfield worker who was killed when their company failed to properly train its employees on how to safely move waste bins. Our client was killed when he became trapped between two bins.
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$12 Million Birth Injury
The attorneys at Buckingham & Vega obtained a $12 million birth injury settlement.
