You probably conducted a significant amount of research to find just the right nursing home where your loved one could feel safe. It just takes one bad hire on the part of the administration or the admission of a single dangerous resident to expose your loved one to abuse in the facility.
As a loved one, you stand a good chance of spotting elder abuse before anyone else. Staff members and administration at the nursing home should report abuse too, but they often fail to take the initiative to turn in a fellow staff member.
If you suspect abuse, but you feel like the nursing home administration is not taking your concerns seriously, consider hiring a Cicero physical abuse lawyer. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we know how to defend elderly victims of abuse, holding the nursing home responsible for its neglectful actions. Call us today for a free consultation.
Frequency of Elder Abuse
Unfortunately, physical abuse at a nursing home occurs far too frequently in the Cicero area. Certainly, not all nursing homes experience this problem, but abuse occurs more often than it should.
In 2017, the Office of the Inspector General found that—among nursing homes in all 50 states—Illinois has the most cases of nursing home abuse incidents.
The Illinois Department on Aging found more than 16,500 reports of elder abuse, including more than 4,500 reports of physical and sexual abuse in 2017. Some of these abusive cases occurred at home, while others occurred in a nursing home.
Why Abuse Occurs in Nursing Homes
Nursing home abuse occurs for a variety of reasons. Some potential reasons abuse may occur include:
- Frustration: A staff member’s frustration with some other aspect of their job or home life causes them to lash out at the resident.
- Opportunity: A staff member may be a serial abuser, and he or she finds an opportunity to be alone with a resident, providing a chance to commit abuse, including sexual abuse.
- Lack of training: A staff member believes they are acting in a proper manner while delivering care to a resident, but, because of a lack of training, their treatment amounts to abuse.
- Premeditation: A staff member does not like a certain resident or believes a resident has filed a complaint against them, so the staff member plans out an abusive act.
- Lack of institutional control: Administration at the nursing home does not punish those caught committing abuse, which encourages others to commit abuse without fear of repercussion.
- Understaffing: Administration does not provide adequate staff to handle all of the needs of the residents, causing some staff members to commit abuse because they are in a hurry.
Ultimately, if your loved one suffers abuse in a nursing home, you may not care why the abuse occurred. You just want it to stop, and you want the nursing home to be held responsible.
In a case like this, a Cicero physical abuse lawyer like Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will defend the rights of elderly victims, ensuring that their loved ones receive the compensation for medical care, pain and suffering they deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis, so we do not request payment until you receive a settlement or award. Call us today for a free case review.
For a free legal consultation with a Physical Abuse Lawyer serving Cicero, call (800) 794-0444
Common Signs of Physical Abuse
When you visit your loved one in the nursing home, you may notice a few physical signs that could suggest abuse is occurring. An abusive situation can cause your loved one to act differently. For example, they may no longer enjoy activities that used to please them.
Additionally, your loved one may show fear and not want you to leave them alone with a certain staff member, in a certain part of the facility, or with another resident. This could indicate the occurrence of abuse.
Physical Signs of Abuse
You may notice other changes for your loved one, such as physical marks on the body or other telltale signs of abuse. These could include:
- Bruises.
- Black eye.
- Bloody mouth or nose.
- Cuts.
- Scratches.
- Welts.
- Burns.
- Ligament strains or tears.
- Muscle tears.
- Broken bones.
- Head injury.
- Bedsores.
- Torn clothing.
- Soiled clothing.
- Soiled bedding.
- Physical trauma on the genitals or breasts.
Sometimes, the abuser may try to hide the signs of the abuse, leaving you with fewer clues. They may place makeup on a bruise, trying to hide the physical signs. Your loved one may have extra bandages that you do not expect to see, covering cuts or burns.
An abuser may even tell the family that the resident fell or suffered some other type of accident, when, in reality, the abuser caused the injury.
Cicero Physical Abuse Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Ending an Abusive Situation
If you believe abuse occurred at your loved one’s nursing home, you may not know how to proceed. You do not want to make a mistake in reporting the abuse, wrongly accusing a staff member.
However, you should immediately report any signs or suspicions of abuse. If you witness abuse occurring, call 911. If you suspect abuse after the fact, let law enforcement know so they can investigate. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulates nursing homes in the state, ensuring they comply with state regulations, so you can file a report with IDPH too. You should file a report and let the professional’s sort through the facts to confirm the abuse.
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Contact Us Today
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we know how unsettling cases like this can be. As a trusted Cicero physical abuse lawyer, we put the safety of the victims first. Your loved one did nothing wrong, and neither did you. The abuser or facility that employs them should pay for the medical costs and other damages resulting from your loved one’s abuse. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free consultation.
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