December 2021
When someone names you the executor over his or her Washington estate, you owe that individual and his or her beneficiaries and creditors a particular duty of care. There are many steps involved in serving as someone’s executor, and if you fail to take some of them or otherwise make errors along the way, you expose yourself to potential litigation. According to CNBC, you should only agree to serve as someone’s executor if you maintain a high degree of organization and have the time, attention and knowledge needed to dedicate to the task. Otherwise, you run the risk of someone filing a lawsuit against you for mismanaging the estate. For example, you run the risk of facing a lawsuit related to the following. Mixing your money or assets with the estate’s You must keep the estate you are overseeing and your assets completely separate. Intermingling them in any way may lead to legal proceedings. Failing to follow the decedent’s instructions When you accept the role of executor, you agree to act in the decedent’s interests. This means you agree to follow any clearly stated directions he or she leaves behind. Failing to do so may expose you to liability. Exercising bad judgment Sometimes, simply exercising poor or risky judgment is enough for a beneficiary to file a lawsuit against you. You may be able to reduce the chances of someone filing a lawsuit against you in your executor role by working closely with an attorney and the individual who named you executor before his or her passing.
When you place your loved ones in a care center or nursing home, you assume that they will be in good hands. Many people move their elderly family members into a center because they are unable to provide adequate care for them at home. In fact, more than 1.4 million people currently reside in nursing homes across the country, according to PBS.org. Like many other industries, however, the nursing home staff is in high demand and in short supply. A number of care centers cannot find adequate staff to care for the many residents, and in some cases, elderly patients may suffer as a result of the shortage. Nursing home shortage Data from Medicare payroll reports reveal that many nursing homes do not have appropriate staffing coverage, leaving residents to wait for needed care. In the past, nursing homes self reported staffing coverage through unverified reports. Now that the payroll reports have shed light on the situation, people can see what this means for nursing home residents who are neglected proper care. Caring for residents Understaffed care centers simply cannot provide the attention needed for all the residents in the home. Consequently, the number of patient falls and injuries have increased. Nursing home residents have also experienced the following as a result: Bedsores from neglect Late or missed meals Bathroom accidents Late or missed medication Nurses and aides must bathe, dress, feed and medicate residents each day, and in some nursing home centers, there are simply not enough people to perform the tasks. Elderly residents deserve proper care and attention and should be protected from preventable injuries and neglect.
