South Carolina Nursing Home Blog : South Carolina Nursing Home Lawyer & Attorney : Poliakoff & Associates Law Firm : Elderly Care, Senior Care

The website Change of Address created a list of the Top 40 Nursing Home blogs for Families.  We are proud to announce that SCNursingHomeLaw.com was ranked #12.  Please check out the website.

Below is the list of the Top 40 nursing home blogs:

1. Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog
http://blog.levinperconti.com/
This is an incredibly informational blog and the information is not specific to Illinois. You can stay on top of lawsuits involving nursing home care and much more with this blog which is updated daily with very relevant and professional articles.

2. Nursing Home Administrator
http://nursinghomeguy.blogspot.com/
This is a really informal and interesting blog that sees nursing homes from the eyes of an administrator including some deep articles centered around dealing with the inevitability of dying.

3. Nursing Home Administrator
http://nursinghomeadministrator.wordpress.com/
This is a similar blog that was really active in 2008 and 2009, but contains some well written and good articles for families.

4. Nursing Home Talk
http://www.nursinghometalk.com/
This is a great blog for keeping track of what is happening in the industry from passing NHA exams to prescription drug cost assistance. This blogger is a licensed home nursing administrator.

5. Setting the Nursing Home on Fire
http://settingthenursinghomeonfire.blogspot.com/
Okay, don’t get the wrong idea… This blogger is trying to inspire future and current nursing home administrators to innovate inside their nursing homes (this has nothing to do with matches).

6. Nursing Homes Abuse Blog
http://www.nursinghomesabuseblog.com/
If you bookmark one blog from this list, make sure it is this one if you want to stay on top of all news surrounding nursing home abuse. This blog is always kept current and full of real world examples that drive the point home regarding the need for oversight in our nursing homes.

7. Legal Medicine
http://legalmedicine.blogspot.com/
The blog offers discussion on topics about medical malpractice and nursing home abuse cases in a legal, but easy to understand way. One recent article title was “Let’s Put the Elderly in Jail”, see what inspired that title when you get a chance.

8. Nursing Home and Hospital Surveyor
http://nursinghomesurveyor.com/
Here you can learn practical things like what you need to do before meeting with a lawyer about nursing home care issues or abuse.

9. The Happy Hospitalist
http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/
This is a very active medical blog that tackles nursing home related care issues from the hospital’s perspective (daily informative articles are available).

10. Hospice and Nursing Homes
http://hospiceandnursinghomes.blogspot.com/
This blog is managed by a writer and hospice volunteer. Most of her topics talk about news and insights related to elderly care, nursing homes, and other health and death-related matters which are covered in articles, videos and interesting images.

11. My Better Nursing Home
http://mybetternursinghome.blogspot.com/
This is a really interesting blog that tackles issues like substance abuse inside of nursing homes which is not something that people think about every day, but given the number of prescriptions it makes complete sense.

12. South Carolina Nursing Home Blog
http://www.scnursinghomelaw.com/
Another very useful and well written legal block focused on various type of cases involving abuse in nursing homes. Again, not specific to just South Carolina.

13. The Guardian Blog
http://www.theguardianblog.com/
This blog discusses the rise in the number of nursing home abuse cases and addresses concerns around needing to prepare for a much larger number of aging baby boomers.

14. Nursing Home Blog
http://nursing-home-blog.com/
So many sad stories, but all of them are important for people looking to avoid running into similar issues. It’s really important to learn from what has happened to others while living in nursing homes.

15. Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Blog
http://www.pennsylvanianursinghomeabuseattorneyblog.com/
Here we have a legal blog that is written by a group of attorneys in Pennsylvania but covers cases of abuse from all over the country.

16. Elder Care at Home
http://alzheimerscareathome.com/
This blog focuses on Alzheimer’s disease as well as the efforts to take care of our elders at home and the daily challenges that families face when they embark on that journey.

17. Care Crunch
http://www.carecrunch.com/blog/
Wow! This blog is interesting because it talks about ways to keep the elderly active by exercising and other techniques depending upon the condition of the patients.

18. Aging Home Health Care
http://www.aginghomehealthcare.com/index.html
If you are committed to home health care but thinking about a nursing home you may find some assistance through the articles, news, and links on this blog.

19. Home Care Law Blog
http://www.homecarelawblog.com/
This is a blog discussing the legal and policy issues in the home health care, private duty, and hospice industries, from a well established law firm.

20. South Carolina Nursing Home Lawyer
http://www.southcarolinanursinghomelawyerblog.com/
This is a legal blog as well but they have articles that also focus on helping people choose the right nursing home for their loved one and more items like that which extend beyond legal analysis.

21. New York Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
http://www.newyorknursinghomeabuselawyerblog.com/
-know the latest legal nursing home issues inside the state of New York from this blog.

22. Kentucky Injury law Blog
http://www.kentuckyinjurylawblog.com/nursing_home_abuse/
This legal blog is not quite as current but it does have some interesting cases and insights that could be really helpful.

23. Legal Nurse Consultant Tom
http://legalnurseconsultanttom.com/?page_id=8
This is blog comes to us from a legal nurse’s perspective. I really like the way the writer approaches this blog as you really get a lot of good information on patient safety in nursing homes.

24. Nursing Homes Elderly
http://nursinghomeselderly.com/
This one is a bit older (where did our writer go?). However, it is still very useful for a look at what others have been through in pretty much every State (lots of articles on this blog).

25. GNCS Health Care
http://gncshealthcare.blogspot.com/
This blog covers various types of training that are available for elderly care be it at home, hospice, or in a nursing home.

26. Code Blog
http://www.codeblog.com/
This nurse is a great writer (plain, well written articles) and includes a lot of real world stories that really bring up great points regarding care for the elderly.

27. Medskul.com http://www.medskul.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174
Let’s branch out and recognize that nursing home care and elderly care is a World-wide issue. This is a blog from the Philippines that covers relevant current events in that country.

28. Advisor Med
http://www.advisormedblog.com/
This blog contains the latest buzz in healthcare including nursing homes and various illnesses. There are some really sad stories in there as well, but important to note.

29. Blog of the Nation
http://www.npr.org/blogs/talk/2009/03/building_a_better_nursing_home.html
This is an excellent article about building a better nursing home… Find out what the author is thinking.

30. Minnesota Nursing Home and Neglect Attorney
http://www.mnnursinghomeneglect.com/blog
This blog focuses on nursing home neglect as well as other nursing care related issues. Neglect in general though is very common so something that every family should be aware of.

31. Guide to Nursing Homes
http://www.guidetonursinghomes.com/index.html
This is a bit of a commercial site but it is really helpful for those that are trying to find a nursing home (they have a great database of nursing homes). However, they also have some great articles covering various aspects of nursing home selection criteria.

32. Elderly Work
http://www.elderlywork.com/2010/09/how-to-select-a-nursing-home-or-an-assisted-living-home/
This is a straight-forward article on how to choose the right nursing home for your loved one.

33. Hybrid Jungle
http://www.hybridjungle.net/2010/09/24/nursing-home-care/
This blog actually covers a wide array of topics but includes a quick writeup about nursing home care.

34. Senior Home Care Association
http://www.seniorhomecareinformation.com/
This blog covers all kinds of illness that are common to the elderly along with some different ways to deal with each of them whether your loved one is in a nursing home or assisted living facility or not.

35. LawMed.Com
http://www.lawmed.com/nursinghome/
There are some inspiring articles about patients living to be 103 as well as some truly frightening stories on this blog. It’s really well written and very active, I highly recommend this one!

36. California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
http://www.nursinghomeabuselawyerblog.com/
Find out all of the latest court cases involving nursing cares in the State of California (and around the country). This is sponsored by another really dedicated law firm.

37. Hashemian Blog
http://www.hashemian.com/blog/2006/07/nursing-home-and-aging.htm
This article touches on some of the challenges of deciding when a person belongs in a nursing home or assisted living center.

38. Health is the greatest wealth
http://www.news-healthy.com/?p=320
This talks about how nursing homes SHOULD help extend the health and lives of our loved ones (a.k.a. elderly).

39. Hospice Blog
http://www.hospiceblog.org/2006/04/hospices-nursing-homes-and-risk.html
-This is an older but great article about risk management for hospices and nursing homes.

40. Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
http://www.chicagonursinghomeabuselawyerblog.com/
Finally, we finish off with a very current and well-maintained legal blog from some attorneys in Chicago. Lots of videos and good information on nursing home related court cases and what to do if you find yourself in need of an attorney to address nursing home abuse or neglect
 

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I am honored to be a speaker at the upcoming nursing home seminar for National Business Institute.  Here is a pamphlet explaining who will be speakers and what topics will be discussed. I personally know most of the speakers and look forward to hearing from them all.

I strongly encourage anyone who litigates or is thinking of litigating nursing home cases to register for the seminar and participate in this discussion.

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The Nursing Home Complaint Center is pleased to add Poliakoff & Associates as its exclusive nursing home abuse law firm for South Carolina. According to the group,"Gary Poliakoff is an AV rate law firm in South Carolina specializing in nursing home abuse, and consumer protection. The intent of the Nursing Home Complaint Center is to educate the nation about nursing home abuse, neglect and even wrongful death." The Nursing Home Complaint Center says, "by having firms like Poliakoff & Associates, we can educate the country about nursing home abuses, and we can the direct family or loved ones to legal resources in their state, or metro area, who may be able to help protect innocent patients from abuse, & even potential wrongful death." Poliakoff & Associates web site is located at here.

The Nursing Home Complaint Center is announcing its endorsement of Poliakoff & Associates, as a go to legal resource for nursing home negligence, and abuse in South Carolina.  According to the Group, "in addition to educating our nation about important nursing home issues, we think it important to have capable law firms in each US State, or top 100 metro areas to assist nursing home abuse victims, and their families with a legal assessment of their rights. Gary Poliakoff, and his team at Poliakoff & Associates of South Carolina, will help us achieve this goal."

Senior partner Gary W. Poliakoff is Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and is the recipient of the following professional awards:

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
Listed in South Carolina Super Lawyers
Public Citizen Award (S.C. Trial Lawyers Assn.)
Victims Voice Award (S.C. Jury Trial Foundation)
Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year (S.C. Bar Assn.)
American Jurisprudence Award For Excellence in Constitutional Law
 

For more information victims, or family members of nursing home abuse, or neglect can call Poliakoff & Associates at 864-582-5472, or contact via their web site.
 

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Trial Judge Denies Defendant’s Post-Trial Motions, Upholds Jury Verdict for Plaintiff in
Fall/Injury Case (Hawkins v. SSC Hendersonville Operating Company, LLC, d/b/a
The Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation)

On February 21, 2008 the trial Judge (the Honorable Judge Dennis Winner)  DENIED all of Defendant’s post-trial Motions in the fall/injury case, leaving intact the jury verdict of $800,000 ($200,000 in actual damages, $600,000 in punitive damages).

The case was tried in Superior Court in Hendersonville, North Carolina from November 6-16, 2007. Plaintiff proved that the Defendant failed to provide the reasonable and necessary care to prevent decedent, Neal Hawkins, from falling on three separate occasions in one day when it was documented he was a significant fall risk, and was suffering from a significant change in his condition.  Defendant failed to care plan or intervene for the known risk.

On February 11, 2006 Mr. Hawkins fell three times in a single day,  fracturing his hip on the last fall. The facility did not discovery the severe fracture for seven (7) more days. Mr. Hawkins underwent hip surgery. Five (5) weeks later he died of pneumonia. After nearly two (2) weeks of trial, the jury returned a verdict of $200,000 actual damages, plus $600,000 in punitive damages.

Defendant filed post-trial Motions on various alleged issues, seeking to eliminate the punitive damages award, challenging Plaintiff’s expert opinions regarding North Carolina’s "community standards" rule, and objecting to the Judge’s jury instructions. The trial Judge received Memoranda from both parties, heard oral arguments, and has entirely DENIED all of Defendant’s post-trial Motions. Defendant has indicated that they may appeal.

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After a 2 week trial in Hendersonville, North Carolina, the jury awarded $800,000.00 to the Plaintiff. Plaintiff was represented by Poliakoff & Associates of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The jury award was $200,000.00 for personal injury suffered by the decedent while a resident at Brian Center - Hendersonville, and $600,000.00 in punitive damages. The Brian Center - Hendersonville is a nursing home owned by SSC Hendersonville Operating Company, LLC which is a subsidiary of  SavaSeniorCare. The Defendant denied all liability, and vigorously defended the entire suit.

The Plaintiff argued that the decedent, Neal Hawkins, Jr., was identified by the Brian Center as being high risk for falls, but that the facility did little to address this problem in the care plan for the resident, and failed to revise the care plan on occasions when changes in his condition compelled such. Further, on February 11, 2005, Mr. Hawkins fell 3 times in one day at the facility, apparently fracturing his hip on the 3^rd fall. Plaintiff further argued that the nursing facility failed to properly assess the patient, failed to follow procedures, failed to follow doctor’s orders, and allowed Mr. Hawkins to remain in the facility in pain for 7 days following the fracture, until he was finally transferred to the hospital.

The Defendant denied that it was liable or responsible for the falls or any resulting injury, and argued that it followed appropriate procedures. On November 16, 2007, the jury awarded a total of $800,000.00 in actual and punitive damages.

Plaintiff’s experts were Dr. Jonathan Klein of Falls Church, Virginia; Janet White of Emporia, Virginia; and Katherine Johnson, of Orlando, Florida. The case was tried for the Plaintiff by lead counsel Gary W. Poliakoff, Raymond P. Mullman, Jr., and Lara Pettiss Harrill. Also participating were attorney Matt Yelverton and attorney Greg Newman, both of Hendersonville, North Carolina.

As of the time of writing of this entry, the Defendant has indicated a possibility of appeal.

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On April 27, 2007 a conference was held in Columbia, South Carolina, entitled, "Nursing Home Malpractice: Evaluating and Addressing Accountability." The conference was sponsored by the National Business Institute. Five attorneys spoke on various aspects of nursing home litigation in South Carolina. Attorney D. Nathan Hughey, who has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in nursing home litigation, performed a study of jury verdicts in South Carolina in nursing home litigation for the past decade. Mr. Hughey reported at the conference that the most recent jury verdict in South Carolina was the case of Sinclair v. White Oak Manor, tried in November of 2005, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The jury awarded $1,050,000.00 in the case, being the 2^nd highest jury verdict in a nursing home malpractice case in South Carolina in the past decade.

The case involved an 85 year old patient being administered a shot of insulin in error, along with other allegations of on-going neglect for a period of time. The Plaintiff alleged hypoglycemic shock and increased dementia, in a hotly contested case in which the Defendant denied that the patient suffered any long term problems.

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On April 27, 2007, Gary W. Poliakoff spoke at an annual conference hosted by the National Business Institute, entitled, "Nursing Home Malpractice: Evaluating and Addressing Accountability." Mr. Poliakoff also was a speaker at the same conference in 2006, also regarding nursing home malpractice litigation. Mr. Poliakoff’s topic this year was, "Issues Involved in Taking the Case to Trial." Included in his presentation, Mr. Poliakoff discussed opening arguments, special litigation techniques, tips for making a persuasive argument, sending the right message during closing arguments, how to determine damages, and examples of litigation in nursing home cases. The attendees consisted of attorneys and paralegals representing both plaintiffs and defendants in nursing home litigation. In his presentation Mr. Poliakoff also provided significant case law regarding nursing home litigation, as well as significant orders issued by courts in nursing home cases.

While Mr. Poliakoff’s firm represents only plaintiffs (patients and their families) in nursing home abuse and neglect cases, he presented case law, exhibits, and legal points applicable to the nursing home litigation as a whole.

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NBI Seminar

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Champion Your Client's Cause and Win

As an attorney who handles nursing home malpractice claims, you know that such litigation is entirely different from other types of malpractice litigation. You must devote an enormous amount of time, energy and resources just to keep up with a wide range of laws and unique issues. But now there's a single source you can turn to for the specialized information you need to successfully manage such cases.

This information-packed seminar distills volumes of exhaustive research into useful strategies that will help you prove or disprove that a nursing home has caused injury. Let us walk you through all the steps in a nursing home malpractice claim and show you how to make decisions that support your case - from investigation through litigation and every step in between. Attend and get up-to-date on laws pertinent to nursing homes and how typical cases move through the legal system - knowledge that will prepare you to overcome daunting legal hurdles. Don't miss this opportunity to focus in-depth on case management techniques that pave the way to a favorable outcome - for every client you represent.

Minimize the impact that the "Wandering Resident" presents.
Make persuasive arguments to establish causation.
Drive your points home clearly in your opening argument.
Understand who your client really is to avoid ethical conundrums.
Evaluate nursing home cases properly.
Identify how an advance directive impacts your case.

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