Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Many people are aware of the risk of Miami nursing home abuse and negligence when they place a loved one in a nursing home, but a recent scandal suggests that all residents of assisted living facilities may be at risk – even those who are young but are placed in these facilities because they need additional help.
A series of newspaper investigations have uncovered neglect and abuse at Florida’s assisted living facilities and the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation (FINR), a rehabilitation facility for head injury patients. The for-profit facility has room for 196 patients and offers care for those who are recovering from brain injuries and unable to care for themselves. A Bloomberg News investigation uncovered that abuse has been rampant at the facility, to the extent that at least one patient resorted to self-harm to be transferred to another facility.
According to Bloomberg News, the Florida Department of Children and Families has received 477 complaints about neglect or abuse at FINR since 2005. State investigators have verified 36 of the allegations, but the facility remained open. Concerned families have alleged that at least fatalities that occurred at FINR in recent years have been caused at least in part by neglect or abuse. Patients have alleged undue restrains, beatings, and other forms of abuse. Prosecutors have brought charges against three workers who used to work at FINR after videotapes appeared showing the abuse.
The cost of staying at FINR can be up to $1850 daily, according to Bloomberg News. Despite the high cost, however, families of patients say that little has been done despite numerous complaints. The Florida Department of Children and Families has stated that it looks at complaints and sends reports to law enforcement, Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration, and the Florida Department of Health. Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration has stated that the issues they uncovered in their own investigation were not under their jurisdiction so they referred the case to other agencies.
The Miami Herald has conducted a two-year investigation into assisted living facilities catering to the elderly and has found similar stories of neglect, abuse, preventable Miami slip and fall injuries, poor care, and other issues. The news stories highlight the importance of checking facilities and reporting any Miami personal injuries sustained at the facilities, but the cases also highlight the difficulty of making lasting changes. The elderly, the injured, and Miami head injury patients all deserve safe places to stay when they need help. There have been calls for changes and more regulation of assisted care facilities, but so far there seem to be few changes taking place. Some families have turned to Miami personal injury attorneys for help.
If a loved one has suffered an injury or neglect at a Florida assisted care facility, contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange a free accident consultation to discuss your case with a personal injury attorney. The phones at the Flaxman Law Group are staffed 24/7 and the legal team has an office right in Miami, so it is easy to reach a legal professional quickly.