Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm
How Can a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Help?
Each year in America, the elderly population continues to grow. Because of this, nursing homes and assisted living facilities have become a necessary choice for the aging population. However, these types of facilities tend to put profit over their residents' quality of care. This has resulted in operators cutting corners in their budgets to increase their overall profits. Unfortunately, this can result in unsafe facilities, neglect of residents, and poor staffing choices. This type of neglect and abuse is common. However, there are many ways to protect your loved one and prevent them from living in an unsafe environment.
Whether the abuse was financial, mental, or physical, the victim is often confused and embarrassed about the situation and may not report the incidents to their family and friends. At Parker Waichman LLP, our nursing home abuse lawyers have extensive experience helping elderly clients who have been neglected or abused at an assisted living facility or nursing home facility. Our legal team can build a strong case against the facility by focusing on the facts and conducting an investigation to uncover the truth. If an assisted living facility or nursing home is abusing its residents, we can help hold them responsible.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
The harm that residents of a nursing home or assisted living facility suffer as the result of negligence, carelessness, or intentional acts is referred to as abuse. This can include physical, emotional, or financial abuse and it can come from the employees of the facility, the facility, or even other residents. It’s a serious issue that can often result in injury, illness, discomfort, or even death.
Types Of Nursing Home Abuse
Common examples of nursing home abuse can include:
Bed Sores
Bed sores or ulcers should never arise in a nursing home or assisted living facility, but when they do, they can be very painful and debilitating for the resident or patient. Typically, bed sores can be found on the heel, buttocks, or coccyx, and they’re caused by friction. Once skin breakdown has occurred, the wound must be treated promptly and monitored closely, with every effort taken to prevent further worsening of the condition. Failure to properly treat and monitor this condition is neglect. Bed sores can grow quickly and dramatically and can be life-threatening in the most severe stage.
Falls
A fall in a nursing home or assisted living facility can result in serious injuries or death. At Parker Waichman LLP, our nursing home abuse lawyers have handled many nursing home fall cases that resulted in spinal fractures, hip fractures, and brain injuries. While a fall itself may not constitute neglect, an attorney should investigate why and when the fall occurred. Additionally, if it is noted in the resident’s care plan that they are a high fall risk and/or they have a doctor’s order to use a medical assistive device to ambulate or they require assistance when ambulating and the employees failed to follow the care plan’s requirements, the employee and the facility can be held liable for the fall.
Dehydration or Malnutrition
Every resident or patient in a nursing home or assisted living facility requires proper nutrition and hydration. The failure to ensure a resident is eating and drinking adequately can be considered neglect. Any resident who is harmed by not receiving enough food or fluids to maintain good health can be considered a victim of neglect.
Physical Abuse or Sexual Abuse
These types of abuse, whether carried out by fellow residents or employees are considered actionable abuse. In addition to criminal charges, the party that carried out the abuse can also be subject to a civil lawsuit.
What Are Common Signs Of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect?
One of the most important things to keep in mind about abuse or neglect in a nursing home is that the people who are suffering from the abuse are already at a higher risk of illness or injury than most other adults. The failure to monitor food intake, administer medications, or ensure residents are consuming fluids can result in serious health issues or even death.
In some cases, it can be difficult to identify abuse of a loved one. In a nursing home or assisted living setting, signs to look for include:
- Weight loss
- Common signs of dehydration
- Bed sores that are not healing and are spreading in number or worsening
- Repeated infections
- Poor hygiene
- Signs of medication errors or excessive drugging
- Unexplained and undocumented bruises or other types of soft tissue damage
- Broken bones
- Unexpected or unexplained death
- Withdrawal from social interactions
- Changes in behavior that are unrelated to diagnosis
- Reluctance to speak around staff
- Elopement from facility
If you believe your loved one is being abused in their nursing home, assisted living facility, or long-term care facility, contact Parker Waichman LLP today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers. They can review your case, explain your legal options and rights, and help you pursue compensation on behalf of your loved one. Contact us today to learn more.
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