You May Place A Surveillance Camera In A Nursing Home
If you have a loved one who lives in a nursing home, you might wonder how you can prove that your loved one is being injured while under the care of nursing home staff. You may wonder if it is possible to place a surveillance camera in the nursing home. Surprisingly, you are allowed to do this as long as you follow the right steps.
Placing a Camera in a Nursing Home
If your loved one gives consent, you are allowed to monitor them in the nursing home. The camera must be placed in a location that is clearly visible and you will need to place a sign that clarifies that electronic monitoring is currently underway. The recording device must also not capture audio. Once you have footage of the care of your loved one, you may provide it to a personal injury lawyer.
Nursing home staff are required to provide adequate care and may not abuse a nursing home resident for any reason. However, because the staff members are on camera, some may not engage in behavior that would be incriminating. However, the camera may at least serve as a deterrent. If you do uncover evidence of abuse, the footage can be used in court.
Using Evidence of Abuse
There are numerous forms of abuse that can be caught on camera such as:
- Inadequate care
- Improper medication
- Bedsores due to excessive time spent in bed
- Unexplained injuries or falls
Footage can be used as solid evidence to either settle with the nursing home out of court or to seek damages through a lawsuit in a civil court.
Receiving Compensation
A personal injury attorney can assist you in calculating the damages that your loved one has suffered. For example, if your loved one has a medical condition that deteriorates, this may lead to the need for more expensive care or surgery.
In addition to economic costs, your loved one may be entitled to pain and suffering. Depending on how egregious the bad treatment was, a judge may also award punitive damages. However, to be able to receive maximum compensation and hold the nursing home to account, your attorney will need all the evidence available to present a solid case.
In addition to the video footage, you will need witness testimony that can put the video footage in context. You will also need help from expert witnesses who can explain how the behavior leads to damages and how the damages are calculated.
Contact a local personal injury attorney service to learn more about your case.
Share