Every year in the U.S., thousands of elders living in nursing homes are involved in accidents or are abused. Aside from being injured, elders in nursing homes also run the risk of being abused financially or neglected while under the care of healthcare providers we are supposed to trust.
If your loved one in Tampa has been placed in a nursing home, it is important to constantly protect their rights and monitor their nurses and doctors. When injuries or accidents occur, a Tampa nursing home accident lawyer may be able to pursue financial justice on your family’s behalf. Following a nursing home accident, your family deserves to recover from medical bills and your loved one’s pain and suffering.
For more information about how a slip and fall injury lawyer in Tampa may be able to support your case for justice and fair compensation, call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine.
Potential Awards from a Nursing Home Accident in Tampa
Learning that your loved one placed in a nursing home has been involved in an accident or has been abused can be devastating news. While you may feel responsible for these actions, it is not your fault.
When a loved one under the care of a nursing home is injured in an accident or is abused, a Tampa nursing home accident attorney may be able to help you seek fair compensation for your loved one’s accident, illness, injury, or death.
Recoverable damages from your nursing home accident may include, but are not limited to:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of life enjoyment
If your loved one lost their life due to a nursing home accident, your attorney can pursue wrongful death damages that may cover funeral costs, cremation, loss of a parental figure, loss of companionship, and more.
To earn compensation that covers these damages, your Tampa nursing home lawyer must hold the at-fault party liable, or responsible, during either an insurance settlement negotiation or personal injury lawsuit.
To hold a defendant (the party you sue) liable, you must prove they acted negligently, or carelessly, against you. As explained by the American Bar Association (ABA), a defendant can be found liable for injuries if they failed to use reasonable care towards the plaintiff.
Types of Nursing Home Accidents & Abuse
If your loved one’s nursing home is understaffed or has simply hired negligent staff members, there is a risk of your loved one suffering from an accident. When accidents do occur, a Tampa nursing home accident lawyer can fight to hold the nursing home accountable.
In negligent nursing homes, seniors are prone to suffering from a variety of accidents and injuries, such as:
- Assault
- Bodily injury
- Brain injury
- Broken and fractured bones
- Head and concussion injuries
- Neck injuries
- Slip and falls
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
Aside from nursing home accidents in Tampa, your loved one may have also experienced nursing home abuse. As listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the common types of elder abuse include:
Physical Abuse
As explained by the CDC, physical abuse in elders is considered any “illness, pain, injury, functional impairment, distress, or death as a result of the intentional use of physical force and includes acts such as hitting, kicking, pushing, slapping, and burning.”
Sexual Abuse
Any unwanted or forced sexual interaction can lead to sexual abuse against elders in nursing homes from staff members or doctors. Sexual abuse may also include unwanted sexual contact or non-contact abuse with sexual harassment.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
Any mental pain, anguish, distress, or fear from your loved one may be considered emotional or psychological abuse. This verbal or nonverbal abuse could involve your loved one being humiliated or threatened.
Neglect
When seniors are left unattended in nursing homes, accidents can occur. If nursing home staff members are not meeting a senior’s basic needs, it could result in physical injuries or damages to their health. Neglect may consist of not being fed, clothed, and/or bathed, or from any other absence of proper care.
Financial Abuse
Any unauthorized use of a senior’s money or personal property can result in financial abuse. If nursing homes persuade seniors to access their belongings, benefits, property, or assets, they could essentially steal money that is owed to your loved one or family members.
Working with a Tampa Nursing Home Accident Lawyer from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we may be able to help you monetize your loved one’s damages and pursue fair compensation on their behalf. If an insurance settlement is not offered that covers the full extent of your loved one’s damages, our firm may file a personal injury lawsuit.
Our firm may also help you obtain the necessary evidence your case may require to hold the defendant liable or prove they were negligent. If your loved one has received medical attention following their nursing accident or abuse, a Tampa nursing home attorney may obtain documentation of these injuries.
Additionally, insurance companies may contact you and your family after your loved one’s injury. If so, our law firm may take over all communications and negotiations with insurance companies until your claim has been resolved. Our goal is to see your loved one earn the compensation they deserve and to do so, we will stand by you and your family until either a settlement or judgment has been reached.
To start a free consultation with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, call us today at 1-800-747-3733.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit for Nursing Home Accidents
When looking to file a personal injury lawsuit following a Tampa nursing home accident, you must do so within Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
According to Florida Statute §95.11, claimants generally have up to four years after their underlying accident to legally file the claim. After the four-year mark, your lawsuit may be dismissed for a late filing.
Fight for Justice with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine
Nursing home accidents and abuse demand justice, and the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine may be able to help your family obtain it. These types of incidents are typically preventable, and a Tampa nursing home accident lawyer from our firm will fight tirelessly to hold those responsible accountable for their actions towards your vulnerable loved one in Tampa.
To learn more about how the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can support your nursing home accident case, call us.
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