You want to do your best for your family. You check out assisted living facilities, make your best decisions, and trust that they will be taken care of properly.

But then you get the phone call. Your family member has been injured at the rest home. What do you do?

So many things can go wrong when your loved one moves into a nursing home or assisted living facility. Nationwide, statistics have shown that up to 30% of nursing homes have been cited for incidents of abuse of a resident. This is true even though the same statistics show that the majority of these incidents are never even reported.

The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging found that up to 54% of U.S. nursing homes are short staffed in various nursing and other allied medical staffing requirements.

In Florida, where there are many elderly people, there are a number of laws governing nursing homes. But even so, the incidents of physical, mental, and financial abuse are startling.

Residents have been starved, beaten, sexually assaulted, and worse. They have been robbed of their jewelry, other possessions, and even of their entire life savings. They have been deprived of the dietary supplements and medication. They have even died at the hands of the nursing home staff.

There are certain signs that a resident is being abused. They may have bedsores, they may be in restraints, and they may be obviously undernourished or dehydrated.

In many, if not most, cases, the nursing home operator, the owner of the facility, and the employees who hurt your loved one may be held liable in a lawsuit against them. Causes of action can include negligence, emotional distress, and wrongful death.

Rafael Gonzalez is keenly aware of the ongoing problems of elder abuse within these care facilities. He is well- prepared to help determine what caused the injury, and to pursue the correct legal path.