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