As loved ones age, there comes a time when a family has no other choice than to find help via nursing homes. When you do so, you hope that your loved one’s day-to-day needs will be met. In fact, by taking them to nursing homes, you trust that the facility is secure and staffed with trustworthy care professionals who will give your loved ones high-quality, round-the-clock care.
However, some residents in nursing home facilities are prone to abuse and neglect. Staff members may harm the residents they are supposed to protect through emotional harm, sexual molestation, and physical violence.
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), approximately 7.5% of complaints from nursing home residents involve alleged neglect or abuse. It is heart-wrenching to think that your loved one could be a victim of abuse at a nursing home. Even more troubling is the fact that your loved one may not realize that he/she is being abused, nor have the ability to speak up against the abuse.
You may be tasked with the responsibility to protect your loved one and assert his/her legal rights. If you think that your loved one suffered from nursing home abuse, file a report with authorities and speak with a Nashville nursing home abuse lawyer regarding the case.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336 for a free case review.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse that Your Loved One May Have Suffered
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), elder abuse involves the “use of intentional acts that may cause a risk of harm to someone who is 60 years old and above.” There are five types of elder abuse, which include:
Physical Abuse
This involves the intentional act of causing bodily injury or trauma to a resident. Even though any resident can be a victim of physical abuse, those with cognitive disorders may be more susceptible. Physical abuse can be committed in the following ways:
- Striking, hitting, or slapping
- Punching, kicking, and biting
- Pushing and grabbing
- Restraining residents with ties
- Causing an injury using an object
Victims of physical injury may suffer from minor injuries, as well as long-term and life-threatening injuries. Without treatment, some injuries can be fatal. Some of the signs that may indicate physical abuse may include:
- Dislocations
- Unexplained fractures
- Burns and scalds
- Cuts and abrasion
- Internal injuries
Sexual Abuse
Unwanted sexual interaction of any kind—including non-physical contact—can constitute abuse. This includes situations where a resident is forced, coerced, tricked, or manipulated into unwanted sexual contact without their consent. Nursing home residents are often seen as easy targets by sexual predators because they are often defenseless or physically weaker.
It may be hard to detect this kind of abuse, but there are some signs, which may include:
- Unexplained genital bruises or bleeding
- Difficulty in sitting and walking
- STDs and infections
- PTSD symptoms
- Emotional withdrawal
A Nashville nursing home abuse lawyer can help you secure evidence of such signs in your loved one.
Financial Exploitation
This involves the illegal use of a nursing home resident’s assets, money, or property. Signs of financial exploitation may include:
- Missing possessions, such as cash or valuable jewelry
- Unexplained credit card transactions
- Unexplained bank withdrawals
- Forged checks
- Fraudulent billing services
Your Loved One May Have Also Suffered from Emotional Abuse
Nursing home residents have the right to be treated with dignity. Unfortunately, some staff members and other residents use words or non-verbal behavior that they intend to cause distress, fear, and mental trauma.
Some of the ways verbal abuse may occur in nursing homes include:
Verbal Degradation
Some nursing home employees utilize abusive words when speaking to residents. Screaming, yelling, or making sarcastic or otherwise degrading remarks about their inability to control their bodily functions are some of the examples of verbal degradation.
Verbal Threats
Verbal threats may be more severe than degradation and may be directed to a particular resident. For instance, a nursing home staff may threaten to deny a resident a meal if they do not eat in a certain way or if they do not finish their food.
Emotional Manipulation
Many nursing home residents rely on staff for their basic needs. For this reason, some of them may feel insecure because they are dependent on the staff for things that they once accomplished by themselves. A resident may not feel confident enough to ask for a drink or a snack when hungry, for fear of some consequences. As a result, they may be at risk of dehydration and malnutrition.
When a resident sees staff abusing another resident, they may keep silent for fear of being the next victim if they speak out. Additionally, emotional abuse may occur when a nursing home staff denies a resident an opportunity to interact with friends or family. Emotional abuse may cause devastating and long-term psychological effects that can impair the resident’s confidence and their ability to enjoy life.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Nashville, call (800) 842-6336
We Can Help You Investigate and File Your Loved One’s Claim
A nursing home’s insurance company might not want to admit that their staff was abusive. Therefore, to obtain the compensation your loved one deserves, you will need to provide irrefutable evidence that the nursing home is liable for your loved one’s injuries and losses.
Fortunately, a Nashville nursing home abuse lawyer can help you investigate the claim, gather compelling evidence, and build a case for your loved one’s claim. Our legal team can help with:
- Obtaining witness reports from other family members who may have witnessed illegal treatment or noticed a drastic change in the health condition of your loved one
- Interviewing former employees about nursing home practices or treatment of residents
- Reviewing reports of nurses and physicians to establish any deviation from the standard of care applicable in your loved one’s health condition
- Obtaining medical records to investigate if the nursing home staff made errors or failed to treat your loved one’s medical condition
- Filing an administrative complaint against the nursing home and negotiating a settlement amount as compensation for your loved one’s injuries
If we do not reach a reasonable settlement in the negotiations, our legal team may file a lawsuit against the nursing home and liable staff members.
Nashville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Consult Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
If you suspect your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, take legal action to protect his/her rights. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336 for a free case evaluation.
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