Is it your duty to protect your loved one from mistreatment while they live in a Madison County nursing facility? Are you concerned that they are being mistreated, neglected, or abused by caregivers, employees, visitors, or other patients? If so, contact the Alabama nursing home affiliate attorneys now for immediate legal intervention.
Let our team of abuse prevention lawyers work on your family’s behalf to ensure that your loved one receives the dignity and respect they deserve. We will use the law to hold those responsible legally and financially accountable. Let us begin working on your case today to ensure you receive monetary compensation for your damages.
This long-term care center is a 145-certified bed "for-profit" home providing services to residents of Huntsville and Madison County, Alabama. The Medicare and Medicaid-participating facility is located at:
500 St. Clair Avenue Southwest
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
(256) 539-5111
Diversicare of Big Springs Nursing Center
In addition to providing 24/7 skilled nursing care, Diversicare of Big Springs Nursing Center offers other services. Additional focused care includes short-term and long term care.
The facility also provides comprehensive rehab services, wound care, pulmonary care, IV (intervenous) care, post-stroke care, enteral nutrition, pain management, hospice, oncology care, dementia and memory care, and physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
The federal government has the legal authority to penalize any nursing facility that violates rules and regulations. These penalties include monetary fines and denial of payment for Medicare services. High monetary fines usually indicate extremely severe violations that harmed or could have harmed residents.
The nursing home received three complaints over the last three years that resulted in a violation citation. Additional information concerning the facility can be reviewed on the comprehensive Alabama Adult Protective Services Website.
Call (800) 926-7565 Toll-Free for a No Obligation Consultation
The state of Alabama and the federal government regularly updates its long-term care home database system with complete details of all deficiencies, citations, and violations.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including two out of five stars concerning health inspections, one out of five stars for staffing issues, and three out of five stars for quality measures.
The state investigators determined that the nursing home “failed to ensure [two residents] did not have a fire igniting item within their possession, and adequate monitoring was provided.” The deficient practice “affected two residents observed for smoking.”
The survey team reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Safe Smoking, that indicates “staff members will monitor or obtain fire igniting materials (matches/lighters) for the benefit of smokers at the nurse’s station or other designated locations.” Additional information shows that the resident “uses safety devices/protective equipment.”
The state survey team observed a resident coming out of the facility and entering the smoking area. The resident “had a splint on his right hand [and] a cigarette in his mouth [that was] pressed against his body with his left hand lighting the cigarette.
The surveyor interviewed the resident and asked, “who normally would go out with him/her to smoke.” The resident replied, “Nobody.” The resident stated that “they smoked at 7:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM, and 6:00 PM.” The resident was then asked, “if staff go outside with him/her each time he/he smoked.” The resident replied, “No.”
The surveyors asked the resident where was their lighter. The resident “showed the surveyor a black pouch and pulled his/her lighter from the pouch.” The investigator then asked if they ever wore a smoking apron. The resident replied, “No.”
During an interview with the facility Administrator it was revealed that “some of the residents [have their lighters within their possession] if they are going out to smoke.” The surveyor asked the Administrator “why should residents have their lighter in their possession at all times?” The Administrator stated “we asked them not to, so we can monitor them.”
The surveyor asked the Administrator, “what does the facility policy say regarding a resident having a lighter within their possession?” The Administrator stated, “we will monitor them or obtain them.” The Administrator verified that they did not have any documentation of “monitoring a resident with lighters on them at all times” and was not aware of any documentation that existed.
Were you the victim of mistreatment, neglect, or abuse while living at Diversicare of Big Springs Nursing Center? Contact the Alabama nursing home abuse prevention lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent Madison County victims of abuse and neglect in all areas, including Huntsville.
You will not be charged to discuss your case with our legal team during an initial, free case review. Also, we provide a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee. This promise means that you will owe us nothing until we have secured financial compensation on your behalf. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Sources:
Attorney Brian Murphy
Licensed in Alabama
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home