Can My Family Sue a San Mateo Nursing Home for Neglect?

Discovering that a trusted nursing home or assisted living facility in San Mateo has harmed your loved one is devastating. Families place their faith in these facilities, expecting compassion and safety, not injury and distress. If your parent or grandparent has suffered harm, you are rightfully seeking answers and accountability.

California law provides a clear path for justice when a facility's failure to provide proper care leads to harm.

For over two decades, the Nursing Home Law Group has advocated for families throughout San Mateo County and the greater Bay Area. Whether your loved one was in a facility near Central Park, in Foster City, or down the coast in Half Moon Bay, our team understands the local landscape and is prepared to help you hold the responsible parties accountable.

Neglect, in a legal sense, is a facility's breach of its duty to provide the standard of care required by law. This is distinct from intentional abuse; it can be a result of carelessness, systemic understaffing, or a simple failure to meet a resident's basic needs.

Common examples that may qualify as neglect include:

• Preventable injuries, such as falls from inadequate supervision.
• Severe bedsores (pressure ulcers) from failing to reposition a resident.
• Malnutrition or dehydration indicating basic needs are not being met.
• Medication errors, including missed doses, wrong prescriptions, or overdoses.
• Unsanitary conditions leading to infections (like sepsis or UTIs).
• Failure to respond to a resident's changing medical condition or report it to a doctor.

If your loved one suffered any of these issues at a San Mateo-area facility, a nursing home neglect lawyer can review the facts to determine if you have a valid claim.

You absolutely have the right to take legal action against a nursing home or assisted living center in San Mateo. A successful claim typically must establish two key facts:

1. The facility violated the expected standard of care (negligence or neglect).
2. This violation directly caused your loved one's injury, illness, or death.

California's Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA) is a powerful tool in these cases. It was designed to protect seniors by imposing heightened consequences on facilities that commit neglect, recklessness, or abuse.

Under California elder abuse laws, your family may be able to secure:

• Compensation for the resident's pain and suffering (which, crucially, can survive even if the resident has passed away).
• Attorney's fees and legal costs.
• Punitive damages, which are designed to punish the facility for egregious conduct.
• Wrongful Death damages in the case of fatalities

A San Mateo nursing home neglect lawyer can analyze your case to see if it meets the EADACPA standards.

Time is critical. Evidence can be lost and your loved one may still be in danger.

• Prioritize Safety: If you believe your loved one is in immediate danger, call 911 or move them to an emergency room for an independent evaluation.
• Document Everything: Take photographs (with dates) of any injuries, bedsores, or unsanitary room conditions. Write down names of staff members you spoke with and what was said.
• Request Medical Records: Formally request a complete copy of your loved one's medical chart from the facility.
• Contact an Attorney: Before giving a recorded statement to the facility's administrators or insurance, speak with a San Mateo nursing home neglect lawyer. We can help preserve evidence and manage all communication to protect your rights.

Our firm is not a general practice. We dedicate our resources exclusively to elder abuse and nursing home neglect cases. This singular focus provides our clients with a distinct advantage.

You do not have to face this alone. If a nursing home in San Mateo County failed your family, you have the right to demand justice.

Contact the Nursing Home Law Group for a no-cost, confidential review of your case. An experienced San Mateo nursing home neglect attorney will listen to your story and explain your legal options.