2. How many times does something bad have to happen before I should talk to a lawyer?
This is a difficult question. Obviously, even the best nursing home staff personnel can make mistakes and you may not want to pursue a lawsuit if the damages were slight and the underlying problems have been fixed.
However, it has been my experience that judges and juries hold nursing homes to a very high standard with regard to the care of residents. After all, most nursing home residents were productive citizens who worked and raised families, and who now need extra help for daily needs. What juror does identify your parent with his own mother or father?
As a general rule, neglect cases call for either a pattern of neglect over weeks or months, or identifiable, serious damage caused by the neglect.