Q: In Florida, Can we be sued if we video record home health aid? The agency is asking for the clip of the assault.
We’ve video recorded an physical aggressive behavior of the Caregiver toward elderly man and filled a report to Adult protective services about the incident. The private home care agency wants the video clip. I don’t believe I should sent it to the accused agency. Advise?
A:
I handle ALF cases and this is unfortunately quite common. You should immediately contact an attorney who handles ALF (Assisted Living Facility) and Nursing Home Negligence cases. This is valuable evidence which may form the basis of a claim against them. In Florida, there is something called the "Resident bill of rights" under Florida Statute 429.28:
"(1) No resident of a facility shall be deprived of any civil or legal rights, benefits, or privileges guaranteed by law, the Constitution of the State of Florida, or the Constitution of the United States as a resident of a facility. Every resident of a facility shall have the right to:
(a) Live in a safe and decent living environment, free from abuse and neglect.
(b) Be treated with consideration and respect and with due recognition of personal dignity, individuality, and the need for privacy."
The resident can sue for a violation of these rights.
You can also report the facility to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration: to file a health care facility complaint, call (888) 419-3456 / (800) 955-8771.
Contact an attorney!!!
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
