I Am Being Denied Access To Visit My Quadriplegic Mother At The Hospital She Is Receiving Care.

I live in New York, and my mother and cousin were involved in a violent attack by a family member, resulting in my mother becoming a quadriplegic and my cousin receiving 150 stitches. I don't currently live with my mother, but I did for most of my life. I was also her personal assistant for 6+ years. During this time, she made me her emergency contact for everything.

When the tragedy occurred, the police were not willing to speak with me. I was forced to obtain most of my information from the media and neighbors. With their help, I was able to locate my mom, who was under protective status. The detective division, however, was willing to speak to my wife, who became next of kin. She eventually transferred that title to me, being her son, and I had to verify myself to a detective.

I visited my mom on and off for three weeks and took part in her care team along with my wife. We decided on two major surgeries for her. Prior to this event, the last time we spoke, my mom and I were not on the best of terms. However, when I saw her, she communicated that she wanted me there. This was one of the first things I asked to make sure not to impede on her healing process. She also made it clear that she did not want anyone else to visit. I was given her room number, one of the nurses' names, and was required to set up a password that would allow me to bypass all the red tape.

I spoke with a care manager who wished to start planning out my mom's long-term care. We were considering nursing homes that could accommodate her new disabilities. The care manager was supposed to call me back two days after our initial conversation, but I never received a call. I called multiple times and eventually showed up at the hospital to see my mother. However, I was met with resistance and was told I could not see her. I escalated the matter to several supervisors and managers, but they all expressed concerns about breaking HIPAA regulations.

I didn't give up, and I spoke with someone on the team who was able to transfer me to where my mother was located. I found out she was in rehab within the hospital. The staff member mentioned that her sister had come to see her. I was confused because the only living sister I was speaking to had not visited her yet. The staff member then revealed that the "sister" who visited was actually my mom's niece, the cousin who had been a victim of the attack.

My wife and I reached out to the detective, who claimed they had no idea how my mom's visitation list was managed and suggested it might be the hospital's decision. They also mentioned that this had become a civil matter.

I am convinced that this dangerous family member has manipulated the situation to remove me from the visitation list and is after my mom's assets. Despite my efforts, I have been unable to visit my mom at the hospital. As her emergency contact, I am receiving calls every day regarding her bills. I am not her power of attorney. Additionally, her utilities have remained on for the past month, and there is still blood in her house, preventing an upcoming inspection due to it being considered a "biohazard."

This situation has caused a lot of distress for me, as I fear for my mom's safety and well-being. I don't want her to accrue insurmountable debt.

Will can I do to protect my mothers best interest and prevent her from losing her assets?