Caring for the elderly is a difficult, challenging, and underappreciated job. The vast majority of professionals who provide this care in North Carolina’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities are dedicated, caring, and skilled. All too often, however, their care is unfairly attacked in the media, and family expectations of long term care facilities can be emotional and unrealistic. As a result, unavoidable bad outcomes are often attributed to poor care, and even to “abuse,” by grieving families, and many plaintiff’s lawyers believe cases against nursing facilities provide opportunities for large and easy settlements. Jurors often begin cases with negative impressions of long term care, fueled by sensational media reports.

At Yates McLamb and Weyher, LLP we recognize the difficult emotional dynamics involved in claims and suits against long term care facilities. We have learned from experience, however, that jurors can be educated about the challenges of long term care, and that proper presentation of facts and medicine can explain that bad outcomes occur even with the best of care. We are proud to represent nursing homes and assisted living providers in their fight to demonstrate the invaluable services they provide and the commitment they bring to their jobs.

When a lawsuit is filed, our lawyers have the knowledge and experience to gather information quickly, and to understand the workings of nursing facilities that provide challenges and opportunities in defending against claims. The nurses and physician we employ as lawyers help us analyze cases to identify the unavoidable illnesses and other conditions that quite often are the cause of poor patient outcomes, and to assess whether the alleged poor care affected the patient’s condition. We work with other medical and nursing professionals as expert witnesses to support the quality care our clients provided. We provide support and assistance to facility staff members drawn into lawsuits as witnesses and defendants.

Perhaps most importantly, we believe long term care lawsuits can be successfully defended. We stand ready to be our clients’ champions in the courtroom, and to present their care with intelligence, sensitivity, and passion.

Barry S. Cobb	Kathrine E. Fisher	Crystal B. Mezzullo
John W. Minier	Mindi L. Schulze	Samuel G. (“Bo”) Thompson, Jr.
Suzanne R. Walker	Maria Papoulias Wood	Erin McNeil Young