Abuse of Brain Injured Patients Alleged at Florida Rehab Institute
Sep 7, 2012
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) September 6, 2012 – Abuse of patients suffering from brain injuries has allegedly taken place at the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation in Wauchula, Florida.
Twenty former and current patients have said residents have frequently been abused, confined and neglected. Additionally, over 2,000 pages of various documents such as police reports, autopsies and medical records, reportedly show violence, and even death have occurred at the facility.
In five resident deaths – two in the last 1.5 years – families of patients, or official agencies, have indicated there has been abuse. (The other three deaths happened in the last 12 years.) One patient was reported to be so desperate to be transferred, he swallowed batteries and fish hooks, in order to be taken to an emergency medical facility, away from the rehab institute. It was reported he had been punched in the face and groin while being held down at the brain injury care facility.
“These are very sad situations, if the allegations turn out to be true, because these abuse and neglect victims are already suffering due to their brain injuries,” said Tampa brain injury attorney Robert Joyce.
Brain injuries typically severely disrupt an individual’s ability to care for themselves, and the ability to communicate with others. In other words, people who are brain injured struggle so much with daily self-care, that they can be completely dependent on others. In these situations, families who leave their dependent relatives are placing the utmost trust in the facilities and staff. When brain injured patients are abused and neglected, that trust is shattered, because they are harming patients that are almost entirely defenseless, and may not even comprehend what is happening from moment to moment.
There are millions of Americans living with brain injuries, a number that is constantly growing, and yet there are few resources available to help them.
To learn more or to contact a Tampa personal injury lawyer at the Joyce & Reyes Law Firm, P.A. visit http://www.joyceandreyespa.com/ or call 1.888.771.1529.
Joyce and Reyes Law Firm, P.A.
307 S Hyde Park Ave,
Tampa, FL 33606
Call: 813.251.2007
