Bruises can be uncomfortable for any nursing home resident to contend with. Unexpected or unexplained bruises can also be a sign of a larger problem within a nursing home community. If your elderly loved one has bruises they cannot explain, they may be a victim of physical abuse.
You do not have to let a case of physical abuse in a nursing home go unanswered. Instead, reach out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to learn how a Dallas bruises lawyer can help. Together, you can determine what is happening with your loved one and build a case to fight for compensation on their behalf.
While it is true that only a resident’s spouse and other direct family members can file a case on their behalf, you can still act if you believe an elderly person you care about may be suffering from physical abuse in a nursing home. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336 for a free consultation.
Excessive Bruising in Nursing Homes
According to MedlinePlus, a bruise is a mark on a person’s skin caused by blood trapped under the surface. Bruises occur when an injury crushes small blood vessels but does not break the skin.
Excessive bruising on a nursing home resident is often the result of physical abuse. Caretakers in understaffed facilities who are under stress or want to exert a degree of control over their elderly patients may grip a resident too tightly or allow their patients to be harmed. As such, nursing home residents may suffer from bruises, even if they do not show any other obvious signs of harm.
Unfortunately, many nursing home residents struggle to communicate with their loved ones if they fall victim to physical abuse—whether the abuse is intended or otherwise. Sometimes this lack of communication comes from pride or fear. Other times, it can be the result of an elderly patient’s physical inability to communicate.
Therefore, the loved ones of nursing home residents should always keep an eye out for bruises or other signs of physical abuse, including broken bones, bite marks, and unexplained cuts or burns.
Understanding Nursing Home Abuse
There are several types of nursing home abuse, ranging from emotional to sexual to financial. Physical abuse, however, often overlaps with another type of abuse: neglect.
Caretakers who neglect their patients can force them to live in untenable and unhealthy conditions. Nursing home residents who are neglected may develop bedsores and other physical injuries while also suffering from a lack of personal hygiene, malnutrition, and dehydration.
Excessive bruising on an elderly person’s thighs and side can often preclude the development of bedsores. Similarly, bruises along the hips may indicate that a patient failed to receive necessary medical attention after a fall. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of every four elderly people falls each year.
If you believe your loved one suffered from physical abuse or neglect in a nursing home, a Dallas bruises lawyer can help gather evidence and build a case against the liable parties. Whether the bruises are untreated or purposefully inflicted, you can fight for compensation on your loved one’s behalf. To learn more, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free case evaluation.
For a free legal consultation with a Dallas Bruises Lawyer serving Dallas, call (800) 794-0444
How to Respond to Excessive Nursing Home Bruising
If your loved one starts to develop unexplained bruising while in the care of a nursing home, you will want to act quickly to ensure that they are as safe as possible. It is often in your best interest to remove your loved one from a potentially dangerous environment, especially if you suspect that a caretaker is being physically abusive to residents.
Once your loved one is out of immediate danger, you can begin to build a civil case. To do so, you can either confront the potentially liable party directly via a demand letter or file a legal complaint in court. Both documents allow you to provide the parties in question with an estimate of the compensation your loved one may be entitled to. A legal complaint must be filed within the statute of limitations, which Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 sets at two years.
Upon removing your loved one from a nursing home, you may also receive a settlement offer, especially if you make it clear that you are considering legal action. A Dallas bruises lawyer can review any settlement offers with you and help determine if you have additional avenues for compensation.
Dallas Dallas Bruises Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Compensation After Physical Abuse in a Nursing Home
Calculating compensation after physical abuse in a nursing home can be tricky. A Dallas bruises lawyer can help gather the evidence you need to calculate your losses accurately.
Damages in a nursing home physical abuse case can be broken down into two categories: economic and non-economic. Economic damages reflect any losses that have a direct economic correlation. For example, if you took your loved one to the hospital to treat excessive bruising on their thigh, you can likely claim the cost of that visit as economic damages.
Comparatively, non-economic damages are damages that do not have a direct economic equivalent. These damages can include mental anguish, emotional distress, pain and suffering, or loss of enjoyment of life. Again, you can work with a Dallas bruises lawyer to determine what the legal value of these losses might be.
In particularly grievous cases, a judge can opt to inflict punitive damages as well. However, you cannot include calculations for punitive damages in a complaint, nor can you recommend that they be applied to your case.
Click to contact our Dallas Bruises Lawyers today
Reach Out to a Dallas Bruises Lawyer Today
If a nursing home resident falls victim to excessive bruising, they may have endured physical abuse at the hands of their caretakers. The good news is that you do not have to try to tackle a case of elder physical abuse on your own. You can reach out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm and work with a Dallas bruises lawyer to determine the best course of action. We are ready to help you fight for the compensation your loved one deserves.
To get started, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336 for a free case review.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
