| Finding out that your loved one has been | | | | pain, suffering, injury, or death resulted to |
| abused or neglected while in a nursing home | | | | your loved one as a result of the abuse or |
| is a devastated feeling. Knowing that a | | | | neglect, you may have a reasonable lawsuit |
| patient is being abused or neglected in a | | | | against the nursing home. A lawyer will be |
| nursing home is something that no employee | | | | able to help you determine the extent of your |
| should have to witness. However, nursing home | | | | case and will be able to answer any questions |
| negligence and abuse is happening more and | | | | and concerns you have about the report or the |
| more often; but there is something you can do | | | | complaint that you filed. |
| about the situation. You can report it. | | | | |
| | | | Most complaints can be done in person or in |
| There are state agencies in the state of | | | | writing. However, the state of North Carolina |
| North Carolina such as the North Carolina | | | | recommends that you make it in writing and |
| Department of Health and Human Service and | | | | keep a copy of the complaint or the report |
| several social service agencies in each | | | | for your records. When writing your |
| county office. A nursing home complaint can | | | | complaint, make sure that it contains the |
| be filed by anyone who witnesses, suspects, | | | | following information: your full name, |
| or has a true knowledge of nursing home abuse | | | | address, phone number, and relationship to |
| or neglect in the state of North Carolina. | | | | the resident(s) in question. The name and |
| The complaint can be filed in regards | | | | address of the nursing home facility should |
| staffing, treatment, care, safety, neglect, | | | | be included as should the names or |
| harm (unintentional), or abuse. | | | | descriptions of the involved staff. The date |
| | | | and time of the incident, the details of the |
| However, the complaint should only be filed | | | | event(s), and the records that may need to be |
| after all attempts of resolving the problem | | | | examined should also be included in nursing |
| with the facility have been extinguished. The | | | | home complaints. Included all information |
| first thing to do is to talk to the facility | | | | that you have regarding the abuse or |
| and see if there is something that can be | | | | negligence. |
| done to stop the abuse or neglect. If they | | | | |
| fail to respond to the problem, then filing a | | | | The state of North Carolina will begin the |
| report or a complaint with the state would be | | | | investigation on your report within one to |
| the next step. | | | | two weeks after it is filed. You may also |
| | | | want to take pictures of your loved one to |
| Once a report or a complaint is filed with | | | | show the abuse or neglect. Sometimes, it may |
| the state agency, you may then want to | | | | be hard to prove, but with a few pictures, |
| consider hiring a lawyer to help you with | | | | you have a better chance of proving that the |
| your complaint or report. If harm such as | | | | abuse or neglect really did occur. |