You do everything you can to choose the right nursing home or other long-term care facility for your aging loved one. You trust the administration to provide the best care and to ensure your senior gets everything he or she needs. However, this is not always how things go. Instead, an understaffed nursing home leaves residents unattended or a poorly trained or malicious worker fails to uphold good standards of care.
If your loved one suffered abuse at the hands of a nursing home employee, the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine may be able to help you pursue compensation for damages. Call us today to schedule a free consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer in Pembroke Pines.
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Sometimes nursing home abuse leaves physical injuries and scars, but other times the damages are emotional or financial.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse includes almost any act that can hurt a nursing home resident. This may leave bruises or contusions. Our Pembroke Pines personal injury lawyers can document these injuries to prove the staff inappropriately restrained, held, hit, or shoved your loved one. We can help show these injuries resulted from abuse instead of a fall or other causes.
Emotional Abuse
Abuse does not always leave physical signs. Emotional abuse, such as threats, name-calling, and intimidation, can cause unnecessary harm to residents. If a loved one reports that a caregiver is acting like a bully or making threats, take this seriously. Other signs to look for include a sudden change in personality—without any underlying medical issues—and fear of a certain nurse or other caregiver. Some seniors will express fear when left alone with an abusive caregiver.
These cases may be more difficult to prove than physical abuse, but we have the experience and resources to help you hold the liable parties responsible for their actions.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse occurs in nursing homes more often than you probably realize. This type of abuse can include unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate touching, and rape. Often, family members or other caregivers suspect abuse after noticing bruising or other injuries on the breasts or genitals of nursing home residents.
We can work to identify the abuser and hold the caregiver and the nursing home administration responsible for your loved one’s physical and emotional injuries.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse can occur in a number of ways. Sometimes caregivers have access to a senior’s purse or wallet and are not afraid to steal blank checks, ATM or credit cards, or other assets. Caregivers with access to funds may misappropriate them and funnel them to their own accounts. Nursing homes may bill for unnecessary services or fail to perform services they billed. If you notice any unexplained changes in your loved one’s accounts, we can help you find the cause and recover the money lost.
Is Neglect a Type of Nursing Home Abuse?
Neglect is also a type of nursing home abuse. It occurs more often than most other types of abuse. Neglect is also the only type of abuse that is not necessarily intentional. Even if your loved one suffers neglect because a caregiver lacks proper training or simply does not have enough time to provide adequate care, you can hold the nursing home liable for the damages caused.
Neglect often stems from your loved one living in an understaffed facility. Low staff numbers is a chronic problem for long-term care facilities. When there are not enough employees to provide high-quality care to all residents, residents suffer.
Sometimes the most obvious signs neglect include untreated bedsores or unexplained injuries from falls. More subtle signs include:
- Hygiene issues;
- Soiled underwear, clothing, or bedclothes;
- Medications that alter alertness or are unnecessary; and
- Missed doses of medication.
We can help you understand and document the signs of neglect. If left unaddressed, neglect may lead to serious health concerns and even death. We know how to collect evidence to prove these claims and collect compensation for your loved one.
How can I Report Nursing Home Abuse in Pembroke Pines?
If you suspect abuse is occurring, report it immediately. Take pictures of any visible injuries or damages you see and make notes of any other signs. Then, report your suspicions to the proper authorities.
If your loved one—or another resident—is in immediate danger from the abuse, call 911. The police will respond and get emergency medical care for everyone who needs it.
If there is no immediate emergency but you suspect abuse, call 800-962-2873 to report the signs you saw to Florida’s Department of Elder Affairs. You can also discuss your concerns with the home’s administrators. They are often in the best position to take immediate action.
When Should I Talk to a Lawyer?
As soon as your loved one is safe and you have reported the abuse, contact us. We have the knowledge, skills, and resources to investigate any potential abuse and identify the at-fault parties.
Once we understand the full effects of the abuse on your loved one, we can go to work pursuing a financial settlement. We can help you recover the compensation to pay for your family member’s medical treatment, counseling, and other necessary care. Additional compensation for pain and suffering can also help you place your loved one in a top-quality nursing home or pay for in-home nursing care.
Nursing home abuse cases often involve numerous areas of law, including medical malpractice, personal injury, and contracts. We understand how the applicable laws work together in these cases and how to hold the responsible parties liable.
Schedule a Free Case Analysis with the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine.
At the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine, we offer complimentary consultations to the family members of nursing home abuse victims. Call us today to schedule a time to talk to a Pembroke Pines nursing home abuse attorney.
We Can Help.
