Abuse generally refers to intentional harm. If your loved one was abused while residing in an assisted living facility, then you may want to pursue justice through all available avenues. A lawsuit is one way that you may be able to obtain justice for the abuse that your loved one has suffered, and a Los Angeles assisted living abuse lawyer will oversee your case from start to completion.
The assisted living facility where your loved one was abused could be liable, as could any individuals who engaged in abuse. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 794-0444 to speak with our team about pursuing a lawsuit against liable parties.
Your Loved One Deserved to Be Protected
Assisted living facilities owe their residents a duty of care, which generally means that they must take reasonable steps to protect them from harm. If your loved one suffered abuse, then they did not receive the protection that they deserved.
The California Department of Aging (CIA) explains that staff at assisted living facilities must generally:
- Supervise your loved one
- Prevent your loved one from wandering throughout the facility
- Help your loved one with their medication
- Help your loved one dress
- Help your loved one bathe and groom themselves
- Help your loved one when they need to move
- Engage your loved one in activities
Failure to provide these forms of assistance to your loved one could entitle your loved one to compensation. These failures may go hand-in-hand with abuse, which may be a particularly serious form of mistreatment.
Potential Symptoms of Elder Abuse
As a resident of an assisted living facility, your loved one may be elderly. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) explains that as many as 5 million Americans aged 60 and older experience abuse every year.
Staff and other residents in an assisted living facility may not care for your loved one in the way that you do. They may even have been willing to make your loved one suffer by abusing them, and you may have witnessed the signs of such abuse.
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) explains that symptoms of abuse may include:
- Surface-level injuries like bruises and cuts
- Serious injuries like broken bones and internal bleeding
- Changes in your loved one’s behavior, including those that indicate fear and anxiety
- Your loved one telling you that they have suffered abuse
There are numerous forms of abuse. Abuse can be physical, sexual, and emotional in nature. Each form of abuse may produce unique symptoms in your loved one.
A Los Angeles assisted living abuse lawyer and their team can take steps to help pinpoint how your loved one has been mistreated. They can arrange for your loved one to see professionals that may be trained in identifying the symptoms of various forms of abuse.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to complete a free consultation.
For a free legal consultation with a Assisted Living Abuse Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Why You May Hire a Lawyer for Your Loved One
There are several reasons why you may hire a lawyer to represent your loved one in an abuse-related case. You and your loved one may not have any experience with the legal system. Even if you do have such experience, you may choose to hire a lawyer because:
- A lawyer can help negotiate a settlement
- A lawyer may handle legal responsibilities that you do not want to handle on your own
- A lawyer will save you time and effort by handling your case
Understanding what a lawyer will do for you and your loved one could help you determine whether to hire an attorney for your case. The following are duties that a lawyer may complete on behalf of your abused loved one.
Working with Medical Professionals
Medical professionals, such as doctors, may testify as part of your loved one’s lawsuit. Such medical professionals may:
- Provide an on-the-record assessment of your loved one’s injuries
- Explain how injuries that your loved one has suffered could be the result of abuse
- Help produce recreations of abusive scenarios that may have caused injuries that your loved one suffered
Doctors are just one type of witness that your loved one’s lawyer may rely on to help with a lawsuit. They may also record the accounts of any witnesses who saw your loved one being mistreated in their assisted living facility.
Negotiating a Settlement
Lawsuits may deal with vastly different subject matters, but each has the same goal. Your lawyer will aim to obtain compensation for your loved one and may do so through a settlement. The American Bar Association (ABA) explains that a financial settlement is the most likely outcome of a lawsuit.
Settlement negotiations may require your loved one’s lawyer to:
- Organize evidence into a pattern that fits your loved one’s case
- Produce witness testimony
- Make the argument that one or more defendants abused your loved one or increased their risk of being abused
- Show how your loved one suffered harm because of their abuse
- Explain how much compensation your loved one deserves because of their abuse
Your loved one may receive the settlement that they deserve without their case having to go to trial.
Protecting Your Loved One Legally
A lawyer will protect your loved one from a legal perspective by ensuring that no party violates your loved one’s rights. They may do this by sheltering your loved one from unwanted contact with other lawyers.
By handling every feature of your loved one’s case that they can, a lawyer will minimize the risk that your loved one could forfeit their right to compensation.
Los Angeles Assisted Living Abuse Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Call the Team for a Lawyer in Los Angeles Today
A Los Angeles assisted living abuse lawyer will be your loved one’s legal representative seeking compensation from anyone who has mistreated them. Multiple parties may owe your loved one compensation for the losses that they have suffered.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 794-0444 to have a free discussion about getting your loved one’s case started. Our clients do not pay out of their own pocket, and we do not shy away from tough cases.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
