When you trust nursing homes with your loved ones, you never expect abuse to become an issue. Sadly, elder abuse in nursing homes is more common than people realize. If you suspect a loved one is being abused by their nursing home, you must call a nursing home abuse lawyer. We will aggressively fight for you or your loved one for the highest compensation under the law.
While every case is different, most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means they don't charge you anything unless you win a settlement in or outside court. A contingency fee structure insures that the lawyers work hard for your case and that you never pay out of pocket. Contact our team for a free consultation to learn more about your case. Hinkle Law also offers contingency fees for other areas of practice, such as:
Law firms specializing in nursing home abuse and neglect claims have the experience you need to get the most compensation. While it is always distressing to see a loved one injured due to the negligence of a nursing home, help is available.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports that at least 10% of adults over age 65 will experience some form of elder abuse in a given year. It's essential to know the warning signs of elder abuse so you can stop or prevent it. The DOJ has identified five general categories of elder abuse:
The trauma of elder abuse can cause:
Caregiver neglect can include medication errors, not changing bedding which can cause bed sores in nursing homes, not bathing the elder often, and not providing social interaction in the nursing home.
Physical abuse includes the intentional infliction of harm to an elder. Physical abuse can be slapping, hitting, punching, or using objects to inflict harm. Other ways elders can be physically abused are when the caregiver shoves them down to sit, uses too much force when trying to move them, and many other subtle aggressions.
Sexual abuse includes unwanted sexual contact with an elder or vulnerable adult who is unable or unwilling to be content, threatened, or physically forced to participate.
Emotional abuse includes verbal threats, assaults, threats of abuse, harassment, or intimidation.
Financial exploitation is the misuse or withholding of an elder's resources by someone else.
Abuse is an overt act inflicted on another person who may or may not be able to defend themselves. Nursing home neglect can be equally harmful but tends to be more passive. For example, an overworked caregiver neglects to address the physical hygiene needs of a resident, a resident is not receiving the care they need, and it precipitates a downward cycle of neglect.
Whether overt abuse or passive neglect, both inflict physical and emotional harm on nursing home residents with the right to live in a safe, nurturing environment and have their needs addressed.
If you have a loved one who lives in a nursing home and you are concerned that they are not receiving proper care, here are some of the warning signs of nursing home neglect you can keep watch for:
When nursing home abuse or neglect occurs, some older adults are unable or unwilling to communicate the details of what happened. As a result, some may feel helpless and ashamed about the abuse, while others cannot fully understand the situation. This is why it's vital to look for signs that your family member could be the victim of abuse or neglect.
If you notice warning signs that your family member is experiencing abuse or neglect while living in a nursing home, it's time to take action. You should:
While nothing can erase the trauma of abuse or neglect, obtaining a monetary settlement can provide the financial resources to help your loved one move forward in life with a new, safer long-term care facility. Bringing a claim will also deter these nursing homes and nurses from injuring others.
If you have become aware that a loved one who is a nursing home resident has been neglected or abused and has sustained injuries, you may have grounds to file a claim for nursing home neglect. Depending on the nature of the injury, you might also file a criminal complaint. Contact our experienced team of nursing home abuse lawyers today to start your claim.
If you see an elder being abused or neglected, you are obligated to report it. You can call law enforcement if you suspect physical or sexual assault or someone has been physically harmed. For other forms of abuse or neglect, the Adult Protective Services of Tallahassee are responsible for investigating allegations of elder abuse. You can also report anonymously. To make a report of elder or dependent adult abuse in Leon county, call (850) 488-2881
Victims of nursing home abuse or neglect suffer in so many ways. Besides the physical damages, many deals with pain, suffering, and emotional anguish resulting from the abuse and are at a higher risk for suicide. These victims deserve compensation for all the ways they suffer. When bringing a personal injury claim for compensation, victims can recover for both economic and non-economic damages, including:
You are not alone. Let our nursing home neglect lawyers help you get justice through the legal system. Contact us now to schedule your free case review.
A nursing home is always liable for the care and well-being of its residents. There are many reasons, however, that the care in the nursing home can deteriorate. Let's review some of those.
Training staff to do their jobs using a reasonable standard of care for their position should be a proper process. All nurses and employees should be trained to do their job well.
All staff members should be qualified for their position. Facilities should conduct a background check, consult references, and have another process to ensure that new hires are qualified.
A nursing home should employ reasonable staff members to care for residents and meet their needs.
The results can be devastating when staff members do not give the proper dosage at the right time or fail to provide the medication.
Nursing homes must provide a safe environment for those in the facility. When a visitor or third party harms a resident due to a lack of security, the nursing home can be liable for damages.
Our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers will help you understand your loved one's rights. In addition, we can assist you in filing a complaint against the facility. Contact our nursing home abuse attorneys today for a free and confidential case evaluation to see if you qualify and what your claim may be worth.
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