According to reports, the bill was proposed once again in the midst of several assisted living abuse reports in Florida, mainly from the Miami-Dade area. Over the past few years, dozens of assisted living abuse reports were made in the areas, ranging from disabled children dying from lack of medication to physical abuse so severe that elderly citizens were hospitalized. Other reports include incidents of neglect and financial exploitation at the hands of staff members in several of Florida’s assisted living facilities. The reports also showed the ineffectiveness of state government in such areas as regulation, inspection, and enforcement.

Florida Senate unanimously approved SB 0646, a law which authorizes the state Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to have more control over Florida’s assisted living facilities that receive Medicaid funds.

The Senate version would require AHCA inspectors to carry out regular inspections of state-licensed facilities as well as create a rating system when scoring the facilities. In addition, it would impose stricter sanctions on assisted living facilities that provide poor services and where physical abuse and/or neglect has been reported. SB 0646 also gives the state health care agency the power to impose stricter fines and deny, suspend, or revoke the licenses of low-rated assisted living facilities.

The Senate passed the bill, 38-0, but its companion bill in the lower house, HB 1319, is still being debated and has different provisions.

The Republican-controlled Legislature attempted to pass similar bills in 2011 and 2012, but the assisted living industry’s lobbyists in Tallahassee successfully campaigned to block passage on both occasions. At this point, the future of the bill is uncertain, but it is expected to be proposed again at a later date.

Keep in mind that if you or a loved one have been victim to assisted living abuse, an experienced attorney may be able to assist you. Our Florida nursing home abuse attorneys have helped numerous clients seek the justice they deserve in their assisted living abuse and neglect case.

Sources:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/0646

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/23/3360614/alf-reform-bill-stalled-in-house.html

KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA – The family member and legal representative of a Kissimmee Florida resident has retained McIver Brown Law Firm to investigate a devastating case of nursing home neglect.

The case involves a female nursing home resident who developed a life threatening pressure ulcer after being neglected by a Kissimmee area nursing home.

While the case is still under investigation, early indications show that one of the reasons for the bedsores development was that the nursing staff was inadequately trained in wound care prevention, and as a result failed to provide proper wound prevention care.

McIver Brown attorney, Rich McIver stated about the case,

“What the public doesn’t understand is that these sorts of events aren’t isolated incidents. We see the same facilities causing the same sorts of injuries over and over again. The reason is that they value the almighty dollar more than their patients, and as a result fail to hire enough well qualified staff to properly care for patients. That is why the only long-term solution is to hold these Florida nursing homes accountable and force them to pay for what the damage they have caused. Only then will they realize that it is cheaper for them to just provide quality care, rather than pay damages to the patients they will inevitably harm by failing to provide good care.”

About McIver Brown Law Firm:

McIver Brown handles all types of nursing home neglect cases, including bedsore, fall, and wrongful death cases across Florida and the U.S. Interested potential clients can contact the law firm at www.NursingHomeAbuse.net.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – The daughter of a 60 year old man in Green Cove Springs Florida has retained McIver Brown Law Firm to pursue a high-profile nursing home abuse and neglect case on her family’s behalf.

The victim is a 60 year old male who was under the care of a Florida nursing home so that he could receive extra assistance following a stroke. Unfortunately, the individual was so badly neglected by the facility that a Stage IV bedsore was allowed to develop on his back. In large part, this life-threatening wound was due to the nursing home not providing proper wound care prevention measures. Specifically, medical records indicate that the patient was not regularly turned, was malnourished, and developed a blood infection that went untreated, all of which contributed to the pressure ulcer’s development.

The wound on his back finally progressed to such a stage that it became life threatening and has required a painful flap surgery in an attempt attempt to close the wound.

McIver Brown is representing the family in a lawsuit against the nursing home and its nurses for their negligent care in his case.

As an experienced nursing home abuse law firms handling cases in Florida, McIver Brown Law Firm is representing the family in their efforts to have the nursing home pay for the unnecessary surgery, as well as for the long-term damage their neglect has caused the victim. Additionally, the family hopes that in bringing this lawsuit, they can raise awareness about Florida nursing home neglect, as well as help prevent this sort of negligence from happening to other Floridians.

“Most Florida residents have no idea the extent of abuse and neglect taking place in some Florida nursing homes,” stated McIver Brown attorney Charles Brown.

“The fact that nobody is talking about how common this level of neglect is, how preventable these sorts of injuries are, and how they can lead to death, is allowing this sort of thing to go on. Once the public is more aware, this sort of abuse will stop happening.”

About McIver Brown:

McIver Brown Law Firm handles nursing home abuse and neglect cases throughout Florida and nationwide. Prospective clients can contact the firm at www.NursingHomeAbuse.net.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – McIver Brown Law Firm is happy to welcome attorney John Brothers to its Houston office as a Partner handling nursing home abuse and medical malpractice cases.

Mr. Brothers commented,

“I am very excited to join McIver Brown Law Firm. Given the chance to join what I consider to be the leading young national firm in the areas of nursing home neglect and medical malpractice, I could not pass up the opportunity. The tremendous resources, from a personnel, financial, and reputation perspective, that McIver Brown attorneys are able to leverage on behalf of their clients is unparalleled.”

Attorney John Brothers’ previous experience includes six years as a trial attorney at the Lewis Law Firm, where he represented the victims of nursing home neglect, medical malpractice, and other personal injuries. He leaves that position and joins attorneys Rich McIver, Charles Brown, and Niti Shah as firm partners.

About McIver Brown:
McIver Brown Law Firm focuses on nursing home neglect and medical malpractice cases. McIver Brown has been recognized by numerous national organizations for their effective advocacy on behalf of their clients, the victims nursing home abuse and neglect, birth injury, infant injuries, paralysis, and wrongful death. Prospective clients may contact McIver Brown at www.McIverBrown.com.

EAGEN, MN – McIver Brown Law Firm is proud to announce that firm partners, Charles Brown and Niti Shah, who handle nursing home neglect and abuse cases, were selected by SuperLawyers, a Thompson Reuters Service, for membership on its SuperLawyers Rising Stars List for 2013. Attorney Charles Brown, when interviewed about the recognition, stated:

“Being recognized for our firm’s work on behalf of nursing home abuse victims is always humbling, because it means that the work we do is being recognized and appreciated by our peers and national orgnanizations. Niti and I are honored to be selected.”

McIver Brown’s attorneys have received numerous recognitions by state and national organizations over the past few years for their law firm’s numerous high-profile verdicts and settlements in the area of nursing home abuse and neglect. Charles and Niti’s selection to SuperLawyers’ Rising Star list in 2013 is another recognition of the law firm’s role as a national leader in trial advocacy on behalf of nursing home abuse victims.

Selections for SuperLawyers’ Rising Star list are based on a multi-component rating process that includes peer nominations, past legal performance, and research into professional achievements. The final result, according to SuperLawyers, is an impressive list of leading lawyers from across the United States in a number of niche practices.

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About the McIver Brown Law Firm:
Recognized by  a number of state and national organizations for the results they have achieved on behalf of nursing home abuse and neglect victims, McIver Brown Law Firm represents the victims of nursing home abuse throughout the United States.

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