Practice Areas

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

It is heartbreaking that this practice area exists, but, unfortunately, CVRS attorneys have handled dozens of such cases. Nursing Home residents and their loved ones rely on the professional training of nursing home employees to ensure adequate care. Family-owned local nursing homes have been largely replaced with “for-profit” corporate chains, and with that swap, focus has shifted from care to profits. Too often, nursing home residents end up paying the price in the terms of neglect and abuse.

CVRS attorneys have successfully represented the victims of nursing home neglect and abuse and their families throughout Missouri. These cases often fall into one of the following categories:

Bed sores or pressure ulcers – Many elderly patients are unable to move about. When restricted to bed, nursing home staff must be diligent to turn and shift residents in their beds on a regular basis. Too often, homes are understaffed and do not provide adequate care in this way. Bedsores are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue as a result of prolong pressure and commonly occur on the hips, tailbone, ankles, heels, and backs of the arms and legs. Patients who are confined to bed or a wheelchair are prone to bed sores or pressure ulcers. These bed sores/pressure ulcers can become infected causing sepsis (infection of the blood) which can lead to death. Unfortunately, CVRS attorneys have significant experience with wrongful death cases resulting from bed sores.

Falls – Nursing home residents are often need some level of assistance to move about safely. One of the biggest complaints about nursing homes relates inadequate staffing. Understaffing leads to residents not getting appropriate assistance to move about—such as to the rest room or to the dining room. This leads to residents getting up on their own and frequently, falling. CVRS attorneys regularly handle cases involving broken bones, brain injuries, or death resulting from falls. Falls also occur due to hazards at a facility, such as inadequate lighting, wires or cables across the floor, wet floors, broken handrails and medical equipment obstructing walkways.

Sexual abuse – It is awful to report that CVRS attorneys have experience successfully resolving cases involving the sexual abuse and assault of nursing home residents. Too often, fragile residents, unable to care for themselves, are placed in close contact with people who have a history and tendency to do harm, as nursing homes have a propensity of hiring staff with criminal records.

Signs of Abuse:

• Bad hygiene
• Substantial weight loss
• Dirty or unsanitary living conditions
• Bed sores
• Infection
• Broken bones
• Cuts or bruises
• Change in mood or behavior
• Signs of depression
• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Decreased communication or a refusal to talk
• Unusual friendships/relationship with a certain staff member

What To Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

If you suspect a loved one is in immediate need of medical care because of nursing home abuse or neglect take them to an Emergency Room or by calling 911.

• Speak up to nursing home administration and make sure your concerns are in writing.
• Make a complaint to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210.
• Find an alternative facility for better care.
• Contact the attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte promptly.

Please be aware there are short deadlines applying to legal claims against those responsible for injuring nursing home residents. It is important for victims and their families to quickly discuss their case with an attorney experienced in nursing home litigation.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect case.

Medical Malpractice

Health care professionals must treat patients within certain standards of care under Missouri law.  When a health care professional fails to provide care within those standards of care, serious injury or death can occur. Medical errors can be devastating for patients and their families. Patients and their families can be saddled with burdensome medical bills, an inability to work and permanent health issues. CVRS attorneys have decades of experience in successfully resolving medical malpractice cases – from across the state of Missouri. Whether in rural counties or large metropolitan areas, CVRS attorneys have stood up for victims, sought justice and recovered compensation for our clients.

CVRS regularly represents patients and their families in cases such as the following:

Medical errors or pharmaceutical errors: Whether due to understaffing, poor handwriting or otherwise, medication errors occur regularly. The wrong medication can lead to terrible outcomes, including death.

Surgical Errors: A surgeon operating on the wrong body part is not something you just hear about or see on television. These errors, sometimes called “wrong site surgeries,” happen more than a person would think – and CVRS lawyers have handled many. Other mistakes can occur in the operating room such as fires, falls off operating room tables and left-in-the-body medical supplies/equipment.

Emergency Room Errors:  Although emergency rooms are busy and chaotic, medical professionals are trained to handle these situations and to provide the required high standard of care necessary for the safety and well-being of their patients. Examples of types of cases stemming from malpractice in ER settings include misreading charts, x-rays, or MRIs, failing to properly diagnosis a condition, making an incorrect or delayed diagnosis and medication errors.

Hospital or Physician Negligence: In an effort to maximize profits, some hospitals and  physicians pack as many patients into their schedule as possible. This leads to patients being rushed through, in and out of their appointment, and can lead to poor health care and medical negligence. Hospitals often hire cheaper and less skilled labor to do most patient care tasks and these undertrained staff members simply are not as able to properly care for patients – leading to a host of bad patient outcomes.

Nursing Malpractice: CVRS frequently handles nursing malpractice in cases where a LPN or CNA performs services that should be provided by RNs. Nurses provide most of the “hands on” medical care in our health care system. When they are not careful, patients are dropped, receive the wrong medicine or are otherwise neglected.

Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis: Delay in obtaining a proper diagnosis and receiving needed treatment can cause severe complications and at times, result in death. Failing to listen to the patient, recognize key symptoms, review a patient’s medical history or chart, order a necessary test or correctly read the results of a test or other lab work can all result in a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.

Birth Injuries: Parents rely on the training and skill of their healthcare team to safely deliver and care for their babies. CVRS attorneys have handled cases where, sadly, tests were not properly performed in utero, or medications were not properly given, or the birthing process was mismanaged, resulting in life long injuries or death.

CVRS attorneys are experienced and skilled in handling medical malpractice cases.  They take the time to get to know their clients and fully understand the impact of the medical negligence on their lives – and on their family. Missouri’s statutes have imposed very specific requirements for medical malpractice claims. It is important for victims to promptly consult with an attorney experienced with medical malpractice law in order to ensure their claim is preserved.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Medical Malpractice case.

Wrongful Death

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte attorneys have significant experience when it comes to navigating the complexities of a wrongful death case.  Wrongful death claims can arise out of any of the personal injury cases listed above. When a loved one’s death results from the actions of another, it is likely that a wrongful death claim is available for those impacted by the loss.

Missouri law sets forth specific limitations on who can bring a wrongful death claim and how such claims may be resolved. It is important for families of lost loved ones to consult with an attorney experienced in those cases.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Wrongful Death case.

Other Personal Injury 

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte attorneys routinely manage personal injury cases that do not squarely fit within the categories above.  Examples include food-based claims, product liability, civil rights claims, discrimination, assault, consumer protection claims and fraud-based claims. Whenever someone is injured because of another party’s negligence the attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte are willing to explore the case and prosecute it to a successful resolution.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Personal Injury legal needs.

Estate Planning, Probate & Probate Litigation

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte attorneys understand the importance for preparing for one’s passing. They have seen the devastation that occurs when a proper estate plan is not in place. It is important for parents of minor children to establish a plan for the care of their children if they were to pass. It is important for everyone to have Medical Power of Attorney documents and Healthcare Directives in place.  It is important for families to pre-plan the efficient distribution of assets upon death. The following memorandums provide additional estate-planning background information:

CVRS attorneys assist clients with preparing wills, durable powers of attorney, trusts, and other non-probate transfer documents, such as beneficiary deeds.  The process includes educating clients on the various tools available, helping them deciding what tools best serve their needs and then drafting/implementing those tools.

The attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte are experienced in helping guide families through the probate process after the death of a loved one. They are also experienced in trust administration, and are positioned to provide valuable guidance to Successor Trustees as they navigate the distribution process.

Unfortunately, disputes may arise throughout the probate process. CVRS attorneys have experience in will contest cases, trust dispute matters, breach of fiduciary duty cases and matters involving disputed non-probate transfers.

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte attorneys also have experience serving as Court-appointed independent personal representatives/administrators to resolve conflict in estates.

Estate Planning Information:

• Common Estate Planning Devices and How they Operate to Avoid Probate
• Memo for Parents with Adult Children
• Memo for Parents with Minor Children
• Free Missouri Bar Healthcare Power of Attorney/Healthcare Directive

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Estate Planning, Probate, and/or Probate Litigation legal needs.

Real Estate Litigation & Transactions; Construction Law

The attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte regularly assist clients with real estate issues – whether transactional in nature or a dispute.

CVRS attorneys can negotiate and draft documents to:

• Buy or Sell Real Estate
• Lease Real Estate
• Grant Easements or Licenses on Real Estate

Often, CVRS attorneys represent clients in real estate disputes, such as:

• Boundary Disputes
• Quieting Title in Real Estate
• Prosecuting or Defending Against Adverse Possession or Prescriptive Easement Claims
• Foreclosures
• Lease Disputes (landlord/tenant law)
• Homeowners’ Association liens, collection efforts.

CVRS attorneys also handle construction law cases. These types of cases range from drafting and enforcing mechanic’s liens for contractors to prosecuting claims on behalf of consumers for substandard construction work.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Real Estate Transaction, Real Estate Dispute, or Construction Law legal needs.

Business Services (Litigation, Transactions, Formation)

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte’s Business Services practice area covers business legal needs from formation through termination. CVRS attorneys assist new and existing businesses with:

• Formation
• Purchase and Sale of Business Assets
• Purchase and Sale of Business’s Stock or Membership Interest
• Transactions with Clients
• Transactions with Vendors
• Transactions with Third Parties
• Internal Governance
• Co-Owner Disputes
• Employee Disputes
• Client Disputes
• Vendor Disputes
• Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation Agreements
• Winding Up & Termination.

In addition, the attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte provide trusted guidance to their business clients on how to navigate their specific legal issues.

Click here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Business Services legal needs.

Administrative Law

The attorneys of Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte help professionals and entities when it comes to state administrative law issues. CVRS attorneys have decades of experience in handling cases before various boards and commissions, the Administrative Hearing Commission, and the Circuit Court and Appellate Court levels. Many professions require a state issued license, such as attorneys, physicians, nurses, law enforcement, accountants and many others. If you have run into issues with your state-issued license, CVRS attorneys may be able to assist.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Administrative Law legal needs.

Banking

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte attorneys have provided legal services and advice to local, regional and national banks for well over two decades. Our attorneys offer experienced counsel to banking entities for matters spanning small collections to employment matters to nationwide class action defense.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your banking law needs.

Class Actions / Multi-District Litigation

The attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte have prosecuted and defended multiple class action cases. Very few attorneys in the country have the same level of experience with class action cases as the attorneys at CVRS. Over the last couple decades, CVRS attorneys have been appointed by federal and state courts as class counsel in a significant number of class actions, including employment/wage matters, banking, unauthorized practice of law cases and unfair consumer practices matters.

Class actions are a special type of case allowing for the adjudication of hundreds or thousands of claims all in one case. Class actions require an understanding of complicated procedural rules and unique statutory requirements. Experience is key when it comes to instituting and prosecuting – or defending- a class action case.

Multi-District Litigation (MDLs) are unique cases, somewhat similar in nature to class actions. CVRS attorneys have unique experience in MDL matters, including those involving defective medical equipment, dangerous pharmaceutical drugs and defective vehicle parts.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your Class Action / MDL case.

Bad Faith Insurance Litigation

Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte attorneys are experienced in bad faith litigation matters. These matters arise when insurance companies fail to adequately protect their insureds. Individuals and businesses pay insurance premiums for protection against liability, however, at times, insurance companies fail or refuse to provide that protection. Insurance companies also, at times, fail to act timely or in a reasonable manner on a given claim. CVRS attorneys have assisted insureds for decades in handling bad faith claims to recover when their insurance companies have failed to protect them as they should.

Click Here to Contact the Attorneys at Clement, Van Ronzelen & Schulte about your bad faith insurance litigation needs.