Every few months, a news story appears about an incident of grossly improper care of an elderly patient/resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility here in Calgary. Though our city is one of the safest in the world, Calgary’s elderly population is especially vulnerable to abuse and neglect, sometimes at the very hands of those entrusted to care for them.
Any reported case of neglect or abuse of elder care is unquestionably grounds for an investigation, but many elderly Calgary residents have difficulty reporting incidents—or difficulty being believed. This can lead to significant injuries, and could even be grounds for a medical malpractice claim in some circumstances.
If you or a family member has been harmed due to neglect or outright abuse in a Calgary elder care facility, read on to learn more about your rights.
Your Calgary Caretakers Have a Legal Responsibility
There is, of course, a moral and ethical imperative that anyone has to take care of those in need. Calgary elder care professionals, especially those working specifically in the medical profession, have additional legal responsibilities for those under their care. Their job duties make them key providers of others’ health and safety, and when they neglect those duties substantial harm—even death—can be the result.
In recent years, Calgary has seen stories ranging from the outright abuse of elderly residents to elderly patients suffering second degree sunburns while under professional supervision. One imagines that if these are the stories making it to the media, there are likely many that are not.
While most elder care facilities in Calgary are no doubt safe and staffed by friendly, dedicated medical and support professionals who take their jobs and their responsibilities seriously, there are clearly exceptions. The law allows those who have been seriously injured by neglect, medical errors, and abuse to hold accountable the individuals and the institutions responsible for those injuries, including through personal injury and medical malpractice lawsuits.
Every personal injury and medical malpractice case in Calgary is unique, and cases involving medical professionals and elder care support staff can be especially complex due to the Province’s involvement in providing medical and elder care. Still, such actions in the Calgary courts are one way to help ensure greater care is taken of some of our city’s most vulnerable citizens, and that alone makes it worth the effort.
Calgary Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Lawyers or Your Elder Care Claim
We know how difficult these situations can be, and how helpless and alone they can make you feel. You deserve someone who will listen, and someone with the knowledge and experience to help. If you or a family member has been seriously injured due to neglect or abuse in an elder care facility, please contact the dedicated Calgary personal injury and medical malpractice legal team at Cuming & Gillespie LLP today and get the help that you deserve.