When you place your loved one in a nursing home you expect them to receive the care and respect they deserve.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Nursing home abuse is a serious issue, and it’s time to take action. Nursing home abuse can happen for many reasons, but the most common cause of nursing home abuse is neglect. Many elders experience this type of injury in long-term care facilities without knowing they have been wronged until it’s too late. Nursing homes have an obligation to provide adequate care for their patients at all times, and when that doesn’t happen, there are legal consequences.

In this article, we will discuss how you can help your loved ones by hiring a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer at Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys.

How Does A Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Help?

Compassionate attorneys specializing in nursing home abuse can help you obtain legal compensation for your injuries. Lawyers handling nursing home abuse cases take on a lot of the work associated with these proceedings. The following are some of the ways that an attorney can assist: collecting information, filing your claim, lessening your stress, helping you through discovery, settling your case.

Collect Information

Medical records, photographs, and other evidence and information may be collected by your lawyer to build a successful case. As soon as all the facts are collected, your lawyer can build the strongest possible case for you.

Make A Claim

If you plan to file a legal claim, you need to do so correctly. The wrong paperwork can delay your case or cost you money and time. You are also prohibited from bringing a nursing home abuse lawsuit (or any lawsuit) after a certain deadline (usually within 3 years) under laws called statutes of limitations. Your claim can be filed on time with the help of an attorney.

Navigate Discovery and Evidence

In the discovery phase of a case, both legal teams ask for additional information about the case from each other. To strengthen your case, your nursing home neglect lawyers will gather statements, records, and other types of evidence from those being sued. 

Get Compensation

It is common for elder abuse cases to settle before going to trial. When a settlement is reached, you receive payment. An attorney for nursing home abuse can represent you in court if you cannot reach an agreement on a settlement.

During the legal process, nursing homes will employ their own lawyers and use their financial resources. An experienced nursing home abuse attorney can provide the victims with the help, protection, and peace of mind they deserve.

What is the most common type of nursing home abuse?

Elderly Abuse is classified into five major categories by the Center for Disease Control: emotional abuse, physical abuse, abandonment and neglect, sexual abuse, and financial abuse. These acts may be done by a nursing home employee or even some nursing home staff members that are not immediate caretakers.

Financial Abuse

Financial Abuse can occur when a nursing home caregiver misuse,s steals, or improperly distributes an elder’s assets or funds. Forgery, misuse or theft, improper usage of guardianship privileges, coercion or deception to surrender their assets, and are all examples of financial abuse.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse means using physical force against an elderly person to cause distress, pain, impairment, or injury. The act of physical abuse can be easily defined as when a nursing home caregiver hits, chokes, slaps, burns, kicks, shakes, or suffocates a nursing home resident.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse, or mental abuse, is also common, but often overlooked. Elderly people can suffer from this type of abuse by nonverbal or verbal behaviors that cause them distress, fear, or mental anguish. This type of abuse involves controlling a senior’s access to resources, isolating them from a family member or from friends, threatening them, and humiliating them.

Abandonment and Neglect

Abandonment and neglect refer to the failure of a nursing home caregiver to provide the necessary care to an elderly person in their premises. It may involve avoiding medication, hygiene, exercise, water, or food, or failing to protect the elderly from harm. In addition, another example may also be caretakers leaving elderly people in nursing homes or public places.

Sexual Abuse

A caregiver who has forced, coerced, or unwanted sexual contact with an elderly person is engaging in sexual abuse. An elderly person can also be sexually abused when they are too weak to consent. All forms of sexual abuse include unwanted touching, penetration, and attempted sexual assault.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Home Abuse

What Are Signs Of Nursing Home Abuse?

What Does Nursing Home Neglect Look Like?

What Qualities Should I Look For In A Nursing Home Abuse Attorney?

How Does A Nursing Home Lawyer Help?

How Much Does A Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Cost?

Why Choose Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys?

Let Us Go To War To Fight For Your Loved Ones

Long-term care facilities have a legal obligation to keep residents safe and cared for.  The residents living in a nursing home are some of the most vulnerable adults who rely on others for thier basic needs.  Sadly abuse in nursing homes happens too often, and an elder person you know could be experiencing this without anyone else knowing. Know the common warning signs, and immediately contact an experienced attorney if you suspect your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

If you are not sure what to look for when assessing whether or not there might have been neglectful behavior on behalf of the staff at their healthcare facility, here are some warning signs that indicate they may need help from attorneys specializing in nursing home abuse cases: unexplained injury; lack of responsiveness; sudden weight changes; fearfulness towards caregivers; suspicious bruises or injuries after returning from visits with family members. These common signs should raise red flags indicating something isn’t right.

Hiring a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer to look over the patient’s case will ensure the legal rights of our loved elderly will be protected. Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys is here for you, so don’t hesitate and contact us today for a free case review. Let’s discuss your legal options.