Do not chalk up rapid weight or hair loss in a loved one to them simply getting older—these could due to the stress caused by abuse or neglect. If your loved one is living in a nursing home, then it is your responsibility to ensure that their caretakers are being held accountable, and that means being aware of any possible signs of mistreatment.
If your loved one lost weight or hair in a relatively short period of time, or shows other possible signs of mistreatment, then you should call law enforcement. Next, call our team of Stickney rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to discuss the next steps towards justice.
Hair and Weight Loss Are Two Possible Signs of Mistreatment
Abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly is very common. If you see any possible signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of your loved one, pay attention and act appropriately.
Some of the possible signs of physical abuse, according to the National Center On Elder Abuse (NCEA), include:
- Unexplained weight loss, which could be due to stress.
- Unexplained hair loss, which may also be due to stress.
- The presence of bruises, burns, cuts, scrapes, and other signs of superficial physical trauma.
- Broken bones, especially if your loved one suffered multiple fractures, sprains, or other forms of trauma in a relatively short period of time.
- Sprains.
- Dislocations.
- Internal injuries, including internal bleeding.
- Signs that your loved one experienced constraint, such as marks on the wrists and lower legs.
- Any indication from your loved one that they are being abused.
Neglect can be just as harmful as abuse, as it can zap your loved one’s sense of dignity and directly reduce their quality of life. Possible signs of neglect by your loved one’s caretakers include:
- The presence of bedsores, which can emerge because your loved one is not being bathed and rotated in their bed properly.
- A disheveled appearance that may include your loved one having messy, uncombed hair, being unshaven, wearing dirty clothes, or being generally unkempt.
- Lack of personal hygiene, such as having a strong smell of body odor, teeth or dentures that are not being brushed, or a bedpan that is routinely full or unclean.
- A depressed attitude, or other changes in attitude that concern you (this can also result from physical abuse).
Other forms of mistreatment, such as sexual abuse and financial exploitation, may also harm your loved one. To monitor these, keep an eye out for bruising or bleeding around the genital areas and abnormal activity in your loved one’s financial accounts.
If you suspect any form of mistreatment towards your loved one, contact law enforcement and then call a lawyer.
A Lawyer Will Help You Determine Who Is Responsible
When you realize that your loved one may be the victim of mistreatment, you may react with understandable anger. A lawyer can help you direct your feelings towards a plan to pursue justice that has a clear goal: to receive compensation from the parties responsible for harming your loved one.
When mistreatment occurs in a nursing home, there are generally two categories of parties that might be responsible. They are:
- The individuals who perpetrated the abuse, neglect, or exploitation, whether they are staff members, other residents, or somebody else.
- Upper-level management at the facility who, though they may not have directly perpetrated the mistreatment, are responsible for providing a safe living environment for your loved one.
A lawyer will help you identify all the parties responsible for your loved one’s mistreatment. They will then begin your case for compensation. Call our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to discuss your case further.
The Path to Compensation
A lawyer will fulfill several services as you pursue justice together. These duties will likely include:
- Working with you and your loved one to develop a clear record of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
- Submitting all required paperwork to the court so that your case can begin as soon as possible.
- Gathering all evidence, previously discovered and yet-to-be-discovered, that pertains to your case, including any clear evidence of wrongdoing by the defendants.
- Interviewing any witnesses that can attest to wrongdoing by the defendants, or greater conditions that allowed the wrongdoing to occur.
- Reaching out to the counsel for the defendants so that you are aware of any settlement offers that might come up.
- Speaking with relevant medical professionals to get testimony about how your loved one’s injuries could be due to abuse or neglect.
- Completing each of the legal steps necessary to bring the case to a conclusion, whether it is a judgement or settlement.
- Defending you and your loved one’s rights throughout the legal process.
If your lawyer can show the court that the defendants in your case are responsible for some or all the mistreatment occurred—or if you accept a settlement—then you may collect compensation covering your losses.
For a free legal consultation with a Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer serving Stickney, call (800) 794-0444
Compensation That You or Your Loved One May Collect
Every case of elder mistreatment is unique, but previous cases might give you some idea of what you might expect. Possible forms of compensation in your case may include coverage for:
- The pain and suffering that your loved one endured due to being mistreated.
- The cost of your loved one’s stay at the location where the abuse occurred.
- The cost of any medical treatments required because of abuse or neglect.
- The cost of any therapy your loved one needs as the result of mistreatment.
- Punitive damages against the management of the facility where abuse occurred.
- Punitive damages against the individual abusers.
You could be entitled to additional compensation depending on the details of your case. A lawyer can offer greater insight into this.
Stickney Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Call a Stickney Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer From Our Team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
The legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will treat you and your loved one like our own family. Call one of our Stickney rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyers today for a free consultation.
Do not wait to call, as the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Illinois is generally two years from the date you discovered your loved one suffered harm due to negligence. Call regardless of when you discovered the mistreatment, but the sooner you call, the sooner your case can begin.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
