If a nursing home staff member abused your elderly loved one, you could hold the nursing home accountable and possibly receive compensation for their damages.
Consulting a Summit nursing home abuse lawyer can help you build your case while you focus on your loved one’s recovery. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to help you determine your next steps for your elder abuse claim.
Warning Signs of Elder Abuse
Every year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused or neglected. This is known as elder abuse. Abuse can happen to any older person, but it often affects those who depend on others for help with activities of everyday life—such as bathing, dressing, and taking medicine. Elderly people who are frail or have memory problems or dementia may also be victims.
Most families place their elderly loved one in a nursing home to ensure that they receive care, attention, and are safe. With elder abuse reports occurring throughout the United States, it is important to look for any signs or symptoms of elder abuse. Elder abuse in nursing homes can be physical as well as psychological.
According to the National Institute on Aging, the warning signs of elder abuse and neglect may include:
- Rapid weight loss or weight gain
- Signs of malnutrition or dehydration
- Bruises or cuts with no given explanation
- Tooth or hair loss
- Cracked or bleeding gums or lips
- Broken eyeglasses or torn clothing
- Seems overmedicated or undermedicated
- Burns on any part of the body
- Bedsores of any stage or severity
- Infections (viral, urinary tract, skin) that go untreated
- Broken or fractured bones without an explanation
- Failure to provide personal hygiene (baths, teeth brushed, fresh clothes, washed hair, fresh linens, fresh diapers)
- Genital area injuries or the inability to sit, stand, or walk comfortably
- The development of any kind of sexually transmitted disease
- Emotional and psychological changes, including aggression, regressive or childlike behaviors, rocking back and forth, pulling hair, sucking on hands, anger, anxiety, depression, withdrawal, self-harm, etc.
- Failure to eat or drink
- Sudden fear or anger towards nursing home staff employees
- The nursing home facility refuses phone calls from you or refuses to allow you to visit with your loved one
This is not a full list of signs of elder abuse, so you should keep a close eye out for any changes in your loved one’s appearance or behavior. If you notice any of these signs of abuse, a Summit nursing home abuse lawyer can help you determine your course of action. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our team.
Physical Nursing Home Abuse
Physical elder abuse — or elder mistreatment—may include any kind of physical harm to a nursing home resident, such as hitting, restraining, slapping, roughhousing, forceful grabbing, shoving, pushing, or scratching. Sexual abuse also occurs in nursing homes against elderly victims.
Physical harm against an already frail older person can lead to additional medical complications or even death. Physical abuse may also lead to emotional trauma and a lack of trust. The elderly must rely on the nursing home staff for basic daily tasks and essentials such as food, water, medication, and going to the bathroom. If they do not trust their caregivers, their standard of care is lower.
For a free legal consultation with a Summit Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer serving Summit, call (800) 842-6336
Emotional Nursing Home Abuse
Emotional abuse also occurs in nursing homes and can happen when nursing home facilities remain overworked, understaffed, and undertrained. If employees of a nursing home become angry or frustrated, they may take their anger out on the residents.
Some types of emotional abuse towards elderly residents may include:
- Yelling
- Berating
- Demeaning
- Shaming
- Insulting
- Threatening
- Isolating the resident
- Ignoring or trivializing requests from a resident
- Removing mobility devices (such as a walker or wheelchair), so a resident is unable to move
- Manipulative and controlling behaviors
These psychological abuses can leave lasting scars and even post-traumatic stress disorder in elderly residents.
Summit Summit Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Reporting Nursing Home Abuse
If you discover that your elderly loved one suffered from elder abuse, your first course of action should be to contact the nursing home facility’s management. There should be a grievance and reporting procedure. If you feel that your complaint is not addressed appropriately by management, you have the legal right to contact the police or the National Adult Protective Services Association to find help in your area. In these cases, the government will actually appoint an independent caregiver to your elderly loved one’s case and conduct an official investigation into the elder abuse.
You should also consider removing your elderly loved one from the nursing home as soon as possible for their own health and well-being. Your loved one may receive additional retaliation after their report of abuse, even though this is also against the law. They may also feel unsafe or frightened to stay in an environment where they suffered either physical or emotional abuse.
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Get Help From a Summit Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
If your elderly loved one suffered abuse in a nursing home, a Summit nursing home lawyer at the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm might be able to help you. We do not shy away from tough cases, and we will be there to support you throughout the process.
We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing out of pocket and nothing up front. We take our fee from the settlement we get you. Contact our team today to determine your loved one’s legal rights and help them receive the justice they deserve.
Call or text (800) 842-6336 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
