The families of many older adults eventually entrust their loved one’s care needs to a nursing home. The last thing these families expect is to find their loved one with an injury due to nursing home abuse or neglect.
Regardless of investing heavily to ensure their loved ones receive professional care, nursing homes may be understaffed, and nursing home staff may perform negligent actions that harm residents.
If your loved one has suffered an injury due to abuse or neglect in the nursing home where they live, the liable party may owe your family compensation. A Louisville nursing home injury lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to represent you. When we work together on your case, our firm can investigate your loved one’s injuries, identify the liable party, and bring legal action against them on your behalf.
For a free, no-obligation case review, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336. If you qualify, we can offer you representation on a contingency-fee-basis with no out-of-pocket payments required to start.
Nursing Home Abuse Can Injure Residents
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 in 6 adults 60 years of age or older experienced abuse in 2019.
According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), nursing home abuse may include neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or financial abuse.
Understanding the various forms of nursing home abuse can help you detect when your loved one is subjected to abuse or neglect, even if they don’t know it themselves. You should also watch out for signs of abuse in the things they say about their experiences.
Neglect
Caregivers must meet the needs of nursing home residents. While they may not deliberately perform actions that abuse them, they can negligently omit care responsibilities. The result is that residents may not be fed, clothed, or medicated at proper times. This is called neglect.
Signs of neglect may include:
- Hunger, dehydration, or malnutrition
- Unkempt or disheveled appearance, or torn or ill-fitting clothing
- Body odor
- Missing personal effects
- Rapid, sudden, and unexplained weight loss
- Dirty and smelly living space
- Bedsores
For a free legal consultation with a Nursing Home Injury Lawyer serving Louisville, call (800) 842-6336
Physical Abuse
Some physical contact is necessary for nursing homes, but unwanted, unnecessary, or overly aggressive contact may constitute abuse. In nursing homes, physical abuse can happen by caregivers, other staff, or even other residents. Examples include kicking, punching, excessive force when restraining, burning, cutting/bruising, hair pulling, shoving, and other kinds of violent interactions.
Signs of physical abuse may include:
- Unexplained injuries like cuts, fractures, bruises, or lacerations
- Bruising on inner arms or thighs can indicate excessive restraining
- Frequent unexplainable illnesses and infections
- Pain or touch sensitivity
- Anxiety, fear, or nervousness, especially around specific people
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Emotional Abuse
Residents have a right to be treated and cared for with dignity and respect. Caregivers should not engage in any behavior that demeans, humiliates, belittles, or intentionally upsets a resident. This type of abuse may include speaking derogatorily, making fun of residents, gossiping about them, and more.
Signs of emotional abuse may include:
- Sudden personality changes, e.g., anxiety, nervousness, depression, no longer enjoying activities, etc.
- Sudden withdrawal from social interactions, unexplained shyness
- Fear or aggression towards specific people
- Self-harm tendencies
- Shaking or trembling, crying or emotional breakdowns
- Disorientation
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Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is not only limited to physical contact or forced penetration. It can include all unwanted physical or verbal interactions of a sexual nature.
Forms of sexual abuse may include:
- Oral or sexual intercourse without consent
- Making sexual advances or crude comments/jokes
- Taking pictures of their nudity without permission
- Spying on them in their privacy
- Taking unwanted liberties when grooming them
- Forcing them to watch any pornographic materials
Watch out for signs of sexual abuse, which may include:
- Unexplained injuries, especially around the genitals
- Unexplained STDs or infections of the genitalia
- Aversion to touch, nakedness, or being groomed
- Apprehension around certain people
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Financial Abuse
Caregivers or nursing home administration may use deceitful or fraudulent means to get money from residents. Financial abuse may include outright theft or subtle deception to get power of attorney or get a resident to change their will or transfer money or property. It may also include forgery or certain monetary gifts.
Signs of financial abuse may include:
- Unexplained bank/ATM withdrawals, charges, or fees
- Changes to property and assets, wills, or trusts
- Unexplained bills or payments
- Missing money, cards, or personal belongings
If nursing home abuse caused your loved one’s injuries, Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you file a personal injury insurance claim or lawsuit. We do not shy away from tough cases.
Other Causes of Nursing Home Injuries
In addition to nursing home abuse, other ways that residents can be injured include:
- Slip and fall injuries
- Injuries from being attacked by another resident
- Injuries from a defective product
- And more
Whatever the cause of your loved one’s injuries, a Louisville nursing home injury lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to build a case against the responsible party.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
A Louisville nursing home injury lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to handle all aspects of your case when we represent you. We can:
- Identify the liable party
- Collect evidence of their liability and your damages
- File an insurance claim and/or lawsuit
- Communicate and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf
- Take your case to trial, if necessary
To learn more about our services in a free case review with a member of our team, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336.
We may be able to handle your case on a contingency fee with no up-front payments necessary. In this payment structure, our attorney fees come out of your settlement offer or court award, if and when you win your case.
Call or text (800) 842-6336 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
