Did your loved one suffer abuse in a nursing home? Is a caregiver neglecting your loved one and causing them harm? Do you suspect abuse or neglect in a nursing or assisted living facility?
Elder abuse includes any physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse, as well as neglect of an older adult. It can cause considerable pain and suffering, physical injuries, and emotional scars. Your loved one deserves compensation for damages caused by abuse or neglect.
A nursing home abuse lawyer in Palm Bay from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help with your legal case if your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse. Call us at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation.
What Is Elder Abuse?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no consistent definition of “elder abuse,” which creates barriers to understanding the magnitude of the problem.
Here is how the CDC defines elder abuse:
Elder abuse is an intentional act, or failure to act, by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult (over age 60).
Injuries and accidents associated with abuse or neglect in nursing homes include:
- Falls with head or hip injuries
- Bedsores from being bedridden and not repositioned
- Broken bones, bruising, lacerations, and other physical injuries
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Mental health problems, like depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder
- Financial loss, such as that caused by fraud
- Dehydration, malnourishment, or poor hygiene
Elder abuse is cruel, dangerous, manipulative, and a betrayal of trust. Most importantly, it is against the law, and you may have a legal case against the individual or company liable for the abuse or neglect.
Types of Elder Abuse
There are generally five types of abuse that may affect residents at nursing facilities. If you suspect any of the following forms of abuse, remove your loved one from harm right away, contact the police to report the abuse, and contact a lawyer for help with any civil legal claims.
Physical Abuse
This includes hitting, kicking, biting, hair-pulling, shoving, or otherwise causing physical harm to a nursing home resident.
Emotional Abuse
This includes insulting, yelling at, humiliating, putting down, or otherwise inflicting emotional distress on a resident.
Neglect
This includes failing to ensure proper hygiene and nutrition and failure to give medication per doctor’s orders. It also includes failing to reposition bedridden residents to prevent bedsores and other injuries.
Sexual Abuse
This includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, telling inappropriate jokes, or making unwanted advances to a resident.
Financial Abuse
This includes stealing cash, credit card fraud, opening accounts in the resident’s name, altering financial documents, misusing power of attorney, and otherwise exploiting or deceiving an older adult for the financial benefit of a person other than the older adult.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse to Watch For
Some of the signs and consequences of nursing home abuse or neglect may include:
- Bruises, cuts, and other marks
- Unexplained injuries or ailments
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Avoidance of nursing home staff
- Changes in behavior
- Depression and anxiety
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unusual bank or credit card statements
- Changes to power of attorney or guardianship
- Not being able to visit your loved one
If you suspect nursing home abuse, inform the police. Your lawyer can also help you investigate and prove abuse or neglect caused your loved one’s injuries or damages. You can reach us at 1-800-747-3733 to secure help from a nursing home abuse attorney.
Act on Your Nursing Home Abuse Case Before the Statute of Limitations Expires
You have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for a nursing home abuse or neglect case. Under Florida law, you have two years to file a lawsuit based on negligence, including a case for nursing home abuse and neglect.
If your case is based on medical malpractice, you have two years to file a lawsuit.
Talk to a nursing home abuse lawyer in Palm Bay to identify the statute of limitations and other deadlines that apply to your case.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Palm Bay Can Help
We aim to provide you with as stress-free an experience as possible when you work with us. Our attorneys and staff live by our motto of responsive legal help.
When you work with an attorney at our firm, we will:
- Communicate directly with the insurance company for you.
- Keep you up to speed with frequent case updates.
- Answer your questions and return your phone calls.
- Help schedule appointments, if necessary.
We will even give you your attorney’s cell phone number so help is just a phone call away.
No Attorney Fees Unless Your Loved One Gets Compensation
There is no cost to you unless we recover compensation for you. Our promise to you is that we don’t get paid unless you do. That means our personal injury lawyers do your legal work on a contingency basis.
Call Now for Help From a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Palm Bay
We will negotiate on your loved one’s behalf to recover compensation for the damages that your loved one suffered because of the abuse or neglect. Let us help you.
Get a free consultation about your nursing home abuse or neglect case by calling 1-800-747-3733.
We Can Help.
