Just Do It. Photograph Everything
I received several responses from blog readers regarding yesterday's post questioning the need to have a link to a 'You Tube' video demonstrating the catheterization process. If I offended any of our subscribers, I apologize. However, I will not apologize for bringing to light incidents of abuse and neglect involving the elderly.
Photographic evidence is one of the most important tools in proving abuse and neglect involving nursing homes. It is one thing to see a mention of bedsores, bruising or broken bones in a stack of medical records. It is quite another to see the actual photographs.
I advise people who may suspect nursing home abuse to document all aspects of their injuries via photographs. How else can other people appreciate the extent of the injury or the disability you face without viewing the photos?
Do not take 'no' for an answer if your loved one wishes to be photographed or videotaped. There is no legal basis for the staff at a nursing home or hospital to deny a resident's / patient's right to be photographed. If need be, get a judge to order the photographs to be taken.
For example, cases involving bedsores or pressure ulcers in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living situations, the bedsores may develop quickly. It is important to document the bedsores progression from both a patient and facility prospective. Just as a photo may demonstrate neglect, it may conversely prove otherwise if used by a nursing home to refute an allegation of neglect.
It is advised to accurately date all photographs and document the photographers to assure accuracy and admissibility in a court setting. Moreover, use of a daily newspaper to verify the accurate date is advisable. Below are some common examples of nursing home neglect captured by camera. Lawyers at Stark & Stark in New Jersey have already addressed the issue of photographic evidence in nursing home litigation. Well done.
Photographic evidence is one of the most important tools in proving abuse and neglect involving nursing homes. It is one thing to see a mention of bedsores, bruising or broken bones in a stack of medical records. It is quite another to see the actual photographs.
I advise people who may suspect nursing home abuse to document all aspects of their injuries via photographs. How else can other people appreciate the extent of the injury or the disability you face without viewing the photos?
Do not take 'no' for an answer if your loved one wishes to be photographed or videotaped. There is no legal basis for the staff at a nursing home or hospital to deny a resident's / patient's right to be photographed. If need be, get a judge to order the photographs to be taken.
For example, cases involving bedsores or pressure ulcers in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living situations, the bedsores may develop quickly. It is important to document the bedsores progression from both a patient and facility prospective. Just as a photo may demonstrate neglect, it may conversely prove otherwise if used by a nursing home to refute an allegation of neglect.
It is advised to accurately date all photographs and document the photographers to assure accuracy and admissibility in a court setting. Moreover, use of a daily newspaper to verify the accurate date is advisable. Below are some common examples of nursing home neglect captured by camera. Lawyers at Stark & Stark in New Jersey have already addressed the issue of photographic evidence in nursing home litigation. Well done.
