Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuits May Be Harder To Bring after Tort Reform

Are the Texas tort reform laws making it more difficult for those with nursing home neglect and abuse complaints to file lawsuits? One San Antonio woman says that she is having difficulty finding justice for her sister because of the new nursing home tort reform laws.
Isabel Rodriguez complained to both the San Antonio Police Department and the state of Texas, but neither entity has taken action. At the same time, filing a nursing home neglect lawsuit also doesn’t seem like an option because of the new tort reform laws.
Her sister, Esther Rodriguez, died at a Princeton Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare in San Antonio several months ago. Isabel said that her sister suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and depression in the months leading up to her death and that her care at the nursing home was sub-par. She stated that her sister was once left for hours after a serious fall and that nursing home employees stole possessions from her room after her death.
Because nursing homes are no longer required to carry insurance, and because a cap was placed on lawsuit damages, Texas nursing home neglect lawsuits are rarer than before. Texas attorneys are less likely to takecases, and the victims and their families are less likely to pursue claims.
The local nursing home is not currently being sued for San Antonio nursing home abuse; a lawsuit was filed against the adult care center for wrongfully terminating two employees who reported troubling issues with the staff – including verbal abuse, resident bruising, and other patient injuries.