If your elderly loved one resides in a nursing home, they have a right to receive adequate care. Federal law, as stated in the Nursing Home Reform Act, requires nursing home facilities to “maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psycho-social well-being of each resident.” Unfortunately, nursing homes may fail to live up to these standards. In severe cases, residents may experience abuse at the hands of the trained staff they trust.
Abuse comes in many forms and may include verbal or emotional abuse. If you even suspect your elderly loved one experienced these forms of abuse, a Forest View verbal or emotional abuse lawyer may help you understand your options. While every case proves different, you may qualify for financial compensation. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to learn more about legal action you can take.
Verbal or Emotional Abuse
Abuse can extend to any sort of action that causes harm to an individual. Abuse comes in many forms, not just physical. Verbal and emotional abuse can have very painful and lasting effects without any physical contact between a victim and perpetrator. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nursing home residents typically live in a vulnerable mental or physical state, increasing their chances of abuse. If you feel as though your loved one suffered verbal or emotional abuse while living in a nursing home, you can get help.
Contact a Forest View verbal or emotional abuse lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Our legal team may help bring clarity to the confusing legal process of pursuing justice and potential compensation.
Examples of Verbal or Emotional Abuse
Verbal and emotional abuse encompasses a wide variety of destructive behaviors that can cause a tremendous amount of psychological harm. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, almost a quarter of complaints of abuse in nursing homes resulted from suspected psychological abuse. Some examples of verbal or emotional abuse include:
- Yelling or screaming at residents
- Intimidating or repeated threatening residents
- Calling residents inappropriate or unwanted names
- Inappropriate use of profanity
- Using patronizing tones or language
- Constant criticizing
The emotional trauma your loved one suffered from verbal or emotional abuse may qualify you for a legal case. If your loved one lives in a nursing home and experienced abuse that resulted in anxiety, depression, or chronic psychological problems, you may have rights to financial compensation from the at-fault parties. Report any behavior that potentially classifies as abuse to help stop harm immediately. Afterward, seeking legal counsel may help you understand your rights to recoverable awards.
Warning Signs of Elder Abuse
Warning signs of abuse may be exhibited without anyone noticing. If you do not know what to look for, you may enable abuse to continue for your elderly loved one. If you notice strange behavior of the staff, other residents, or visitors that seems unusual, say something. Some warning signs of abuse can include:
- Sudden depression, anxiety, or emotional changes
- Fear of a particular staff member
- Social withdrawal
- Difficulty sleeping
- Constant guilt
Look out for these signs to help stop verbal and emotional abuse. Understanding the warnings of verbal or emotional abuse may help you stop the problem. Remember to trust your instincts. If you see or hear suspicious behavior, report it immediately to both the nursing home administration and the police.
How Working With a Forest View Verbal or Emotional Abuse Lawyer May Help
Once you address your loved one’s safety and well-being, you may take legal action. In some cases, financial compensation may apply for the victims of verbal and psychological abuse through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. You may also receive compensation for any medical expenses for treatment directly related to their abuse, such as counseling and therapy. If their medical treatments continue into the future, you may receive reimbursement for these expenses. Compensation may even extend to the cost of relocating your loved one to a new facility as well as the original charges from the facility where the abuse occurred.
Emotional abuse can be devastating and negatively impact your life in many ways. However, understanding your legal options during difficult times may help to relieve some of the financial stress associated with the abuse. Working with a Forest View verbal or emotional abuse lawyer may also allow you to focus on helping your loved one recover from verbal and emotional abuse. We may take care of communicating and negotiating with insurance companies or even representing you in court while you spend time with your loved one.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Forest View, call (800) 794-0444
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm
Residents in nursing homes trust the facilities and staff to take good care of them. They have a right to receive the care and medical attention they deserve. If your loved one lives in a nursing home, you are trusting others to treat them with dignity and respect. When abuse occurs—even emotional or verbal abuse—caregivers directly violate the standard of care required of them.
You may get the help you deserve so that you can focus on their recovery. Talking to experts may also alleviate the headache of navigating the legal system. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our team passionately advocated for victims of nursing home abuse and want to discuss your case. Call to learn more about your free case evaluation. We work on a contingency-fee basis, so you never pay any up-front or out-of-pocket fees for our legal services. Deadlines may apply for filing a personal injury lawsuit, so call us as soon as you suspect abuse occurred. The sooner you call, the sooner we may begin building your case.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
