Moving into assisted nursing care is a tough decision. It means leaving a beloved home and moving into a sterile environment for the purpose of receiving skilled care. If acting on behalf of a family member, you make your best judgment on a facility that will provide quality care along with recreational stimulation. In good faith, you trust the facility to take good care of the new resident and place thoughts and worries at ease.
This faith is broken when you or your loved one suffers nursing home abuse or neglect. Abuse can be mental, physical, or sexual. It can present as bed sores, fractures, frequent crying and sadness, poor hygiene, and malnutrition. Your loved one may show fear or withdrawal and yet also be frightened to expose the abuse or neglect by explaining what happened.
Guilt may also be a common feeling as you will often wonder how you did not anticipate this lack of responsible of care. If this happened to you, perhaps you may blame yourself or wonder if anyone is available to help.
Abuse and neglect in nursing homes is not only civilly actionable but can also lead to facilities losing their certification. If you or a loved one suffered abuse and neglect while being cared for in a nursing home, not only is reasonable compensation available for that anguish but the facility can be shut down so that no further victims suffer in the future.
Neglect and Abuse a Common Problem
How common are problems of abuse or neglect? The National Center on Elder Abuse states that 1/3 of nursing homes were cited for violating federal standards during a recent period. One out of 10 homes committed violations so bad that residents sustained serious injury. Staff even admitted that in moments of weakness, they resorted to abusive behavior towards elderly residents.
If you suffered from abuse or neglect while in care at a nursing home, you are not alone. If you are a family member acting on behalf of a loved one who is abused or neglected in a nursing home, even the most well-informed intentions do not anticipate all outcomes.
You can, however, act to secure compensation for the medical treatment and for the pain and suffering caused by the nursing home staff.
Experienced legal advice for your elderly loved one
Attorney Bruce A. Blaylock has over 40 years civil litigation experience representing victims injured by the intentional or negligent acts of others. In that time, he has developed the legal skills necessary to take on responsible institutions but also the ability to emphasize with victims in need. As an Emergency Medical Technician, he witnessed firsthand the effects devastating injuries have on victims and the disruption it caused to their lives and well-being.
The only way to stop nursing home neglect and abuse is to hold those responsible accountable. If you or a loved one suffered abuse or neglect while in a care home, contact this firm to discuss your options. Contact Bruce Blaylock at 301-951-1800 to arrange a free consultation to evaluate your potential claim.