Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
In California, hundreds of thousands of people live in long-term care facilities due to advanced age, cognitive deficiencies, or other disabilities. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, you should be able to trust that they are receiving the care they need and deserve. You certainly would not expect your loved one to suffer preventable injuries due to the actions of staff members or other residents.
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is a widespread problem in long-term care facilities, both here in California and across the United States. Many residents suffer unnecessary harm due to different types of nursing home abuse. In such cases, long-term care facilities should be held fully accountable for the financial, physical, and emotional losses they cause.
If you believe that your loved one sustained injuries or medical complications that should have otherwise been prevented, do not wait to contact an experienced nursing home abuse attorney in California. Our legal team stands up for the rights of injured or abused nursing home residents. Call us now for a free consultation so we can advise you of your loved one’s rights.
Types of nursing home abuse
Nursing home abuse can take many different forms. All of these types of abuse are harmful and can result in the need for additional medical treatment, in addition to the pain and suffering they cause victims. Here are several types of abuse that might be involved in a nursing home injury case.
Types of nursing home abuse
Nursing home residents can be the victim of physical assault by a staff member or other residents. Some examples of physical abuse include striking, pushing, kicking, or otherwise using physical force. This type of conduct can result in many types of injuries, including:
- Bruising and contusions
- Lacerations
- Fractures
- Concussions and brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries
Physical abuse can also cause victims to become fearful, nervous, and otherwise mentally traumatized.
Emotional abuse
Nursing home staff might also engage in emotional abuse, which can also cause serious harm to residents. This can include put-downs, humiliation, isolation, threats, or similar words or conduct that result in unnecessary emotional distress, concern, or fear. While emotional abuse might not leave physical wounds or scars, it can still cause damage, including cognitive regression, withdrawal, and other emotional harm that adversely impacts a victim’s quality of life.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse against nursing home residents to relatively uncommon. Unfortunately, this type of abuse does happen. It can involve sexual assault, indecent exposure, and much more. Sexual abuse can cause physical injuries to genital areas, as well as sexually-transmitted diseases, emotional trauma, and humiliation for the victim.
Neglect
In the forms of abuse listed above, there is an intention to cause deliberate harm. Nursing home neglect involves the failure of the facility or its employees to provide adequate care for residents. Neglect may be intentional or unintentional. Neglect can result in many types of injuries, including:
- Malnutrition or dehydration
- Untreated bedsores
- Untreated medical issues
- Not getting proper medication
- Infections
- Injuries from falls, due to a lack of assistance
By not getting the care they need, nursing home residents can experience medical complications that may be painful and result in preventable medical care and expenses. Some residents may develop life-threatening conditions due to neglect. Neglect can be difficult to prove, and it is important to discuss the matter with an experienced nursing home neglect lawyer before taking any action.
Take action for your loved one in a nursing home
Nursing home abuse often goes unreported for several different reasons. Victims with dementia or cognitive deficiencies may not be capable of reporting their abuse to family members. Others in long-term care facilities may fear retaliation from their caretakers. Either when visiting or talking over the phone, loved ones should always be on the lookout for signs of possible abuse or neglect. If there are warning signs or anything suspicious, you need to take action right away.
It can be difficult to know what steps to take following injuries to your loved one. It is always best to discuss the matter with an experienced attorney who has previously handled nursing home abuse cases. At Blair & Ramirez LLP, we can guide you through the process of making sure your loved one is safe from further harm while also ensuring that the nursing home or long-term care facility is held accountable for the harm that occurred under their supervision.
Some steps in this process might involve:
- Reporting the abuse to the facility management
- Reporting the abuse to law enforcement authorities
- Ensuring your loved one gets all the medical treatment they need for both physical and emotional injuries
- Calculating the damages your loved one incurred due to abuse, including their medical costs and pain and suffering
- Filing the right insurance claims or injury lawsuits against the nursing home to recover for your loved one’s damages