Any mistreatment of the senior citizen in a nursing facility can constitute neglect or abuse if it occurs at the hands of caregivers, employees, family members, friends, or other patients. Every member of the nursing team and employee staff always has a legal responsibility to protect their residents and keep them safe in their environment.
If your loved one was injured while residing in a Washington County nursing facility, contact the Alabama nursing home affiliate attorneys now for immediate legal assistance. Let our team of abuse prevention lawyers work on your family’s behalf to ensure you receive financial compensation for your damages. Time is of the essence. All necessary documentation must be filed in the proper county courthouse before the statute of limitations expires.
This long-term care center is a "county-owned" 88-certified bed home providing care to residents of Chatom and Washington County, Alabama. The Medicare and Medicaid-participating facility is located at:
14600 St Stephens Avenue
Chatom, Alabama 36518
(251) 847-6412
Washington County Nursing Home
In addition to providing around the clock skilled nursing care, Washington County Nursing Home offers other services. Additional focused care includes short-term and long term care. The facility also provides comprehensive rehab services, wound care, pulmonary care, and physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
Fined $100,000 for substandard care
Both the State of Alabama and the federal government can impose a monetary fine or deny payments through Medicare when a nursing facility is found to violate established regulations and rules. The greater the monetary fine, the more serious the violation is that likely harmed or could have harmed one or more residents at the nursing home.
Within the last three years, federal investigators imposed a monetary fine against Washington County Nursing Home for $100,000 on December 30, 2016, citing substandard care. The nursing home received one complaint over the last thirty-six months 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
Our attorneys obtain and review data on every Alabama long-term care home from various online publically available sources, including the Department of Public Health website and Medicare.gov.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, two 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 an allegation of abuse was reported to the State Survey Agency. This [deficient practice] affected [one resident] reviewed for abuse reporting.”
The state investigators reviewed the facility’s document titled: Grievance Report. The document indicates that the resident’s “family member commented on social media regarding his concern of [the resident] being snatched and jerked around and mistreated at the facility.” The Director of Nursing conducted interviews over the grievance “on September 22, 2017, until September 28, 2017, with staff and family members of [the resident] that submitted a grievance.”
The survey team interviewed the nurse “who reported the social media comment [who] explained she was informed by a Certified Nursing Assistant, whose name she could not remember, of an allegation made by [the resident’s] family member.”
The nurse further explained that she informed the Director of Nursing “once the allegation was reported to her.” That same day, approximately thirty minutes later, the surveyors interviewed the Director of Nursing and “asked how the facility defined abuse.”
The Director “explained the definition of abuse was the willful infliction of harm to a resident and the types of abuse are verbal, sexual, mental, neglect, physical and exploitation.” The surveyors asked the Director “should allegations of abuse be reported to the State Survey Agency?” The Director explained “within two hours of suspected abuse.”
The Director told the surveyors that she “was concerned about the statement that was posted on social media by [the resident’s] family member regarding the resident being snatched around and mistreated and wanted to verify the allegation had occurred.” The Director explained that “she conducted all the interviews, but one, and stated Social Services had conducted the last interview.”
The surveyors asked the Director, “why this investigation of such an allegation was not reported to the State Agency.” The Director explained “she did not report it because she felt she had ruled out any allegation of abuse.”
Do you believe that your loved one has suffered harm through mistreatment while living at Washington County Nursing Home? Contact the Alabama nursing home abuse prevention lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent Washington County victims of abuse and neglect in all areas, including Chatom.
Our legal team offers every client a free, initial case consultation. Additionally, we offer a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee. This promise means you do not owe us anything until we have secured a monetary 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 Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home