If your loved one sustained injuries from nursing home abuse, contact the Liberty personal injury lawyers of House Packard McElderry, LLC immediately. You could hold the at-fault party liable for their actions and seek compensation to cover medical care and other costs. We might be able to represent you in your case and handle each step of the process on your behalf.
Federal and state laws protect dependent and disabled adults who are in someone else’s care. Abuse is prevalent among elderly individuals, especially in community settings, such as nursing homes. Even if the victim doesn’t suffer severe or debilitating injuries, they have a right to pursue legal action against their abuser.
Unfortunately, many older adults don’t have the resources or ability to handle a time-consuming and stressful legal process. Some have cognitive impairments and might not remember what happened to them. You could be your loved one’s advocate and assist them with their case. House Packard McElderry, LLC can step in to handle the legal aspects so you can focus on getting your family member the treatment they need.
People often target the elderly because they typically can’t defend themselves against attacks. The perpetrator is usually someone the older adult trusts, such as a family member, nurse, or caretaker. This makes it incredibly challenging to notice when abuse happens. The victim might not remember the incident due to a disease like dementia or Alzheimer’s. Sometimes, the victim is afraid of their abuser and doesn’t speak out about what happened for fear of retaliation.
The Liberty nursing home abuse lawyers of House Packard McElderry, LLC know how devastating it is to learn someone you thought you could trust abused your family member. Preparing a case while caring for your loved one can be overwhelming. You don’t have to do both. Let us relieve your burden by investigating the incident and negotiating a settlement with your insurance company. You should spend time getting your loved one the medical help they need or moving them out of harm’s way, so they don’t suffer additional abuse at the nursing home.
For a free consultation to learn more about what House Packard McElderry, LLC can do for you and your relative, call us at (816) 381-9105 today.
Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse happens when a caregiver intentionally causes a resident’s injury. Multiple types of abuse can occur in nursing homes, such as:
Physical abuse of an older adult is when someone uses physical force to inflict pain or an injury.
Sexual abuse involves force, threats, or coercion to engage in sexual acts with an elderly person without their consent. It can also occur if the patient isn’t able to give consent because they are unconscious or mentally incompetent.
Neglect happens when a caretaker refuses or fails to fulfill their duties and obligations to provide basic needs, such as food and water, to a dependent adult.
Emotional abuse is the use of verbal and nonverbal actions to cause mental pain, distress, or anguish.
Financial abuse involves the improper or illegal use of a resident’s personal property, money, or assets.
Abandonment occurs when the person who assumes the role of caregiver of an older adult deserts them.
Self-neglect is an elderly person’s refusal to perform the necessary tasks to take care of themselves, which places their safety or life at risk.
Your loved one’s injury isn’t necessarily from abuse. Sometimes, accidents happen in nursing homes despite the staff doing their jobs and taking the necessary precautions. However, if you believe your family member suffered any form of abuse, you should reach out to House Packard McElderry, LLC immediately. One of our Liberty nursing home abuse lawyers can review the circumstances and determine who we can hold liable.
If your loved one is being mistreated in a nursing home, they deserve justice. Our Liberty nursing home abuse lawyers can fight on your behalf.
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Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse
Statistics show that around one in six older adults at least 60 years of age experienced some form of abuse in a community setting. The rate of elder abuse is high in institutions, such as long-term care facilities and nursing homes. Two out of three staff members admit to abusing a patient in the past year. A range of factors can cause someone to abuse a dependent adult. The most common causes of nursing home abuse include:
Some staff members in community settings don’t have the proper licensing or certification. Others have minimal or no experience in caring for patients. Inexperienced employees will likely make mistakes that cause a resident’s injury, such as administering incorrect medicine or forgetting to check on an immobile patient.
Nursing facilities should provide training so that employees know the protocols and standards to follow. Staff should receive training when they’re hired and throughout their employment. Without the proper training, they could make the wrong judgment call during an emergency or use too much physical force while caring for an unruly patient.
Nursing home owners and management must hire experienced and qualified employees. They should perform thorough background checks to review employment history, criminal records, and other necessary information. Some facilities hire employees without a background check, allowing someone with a history of violence or abuse to come in close contact with the residents.
Understaffed facilities often lead to a lower quality of care and a higher likelihood of medical errors. It’s more challenging for nurses to check on all their patients due to an overbooked schedule. Staff might rush through their duties to get the job done but make dangerous mistakes that endanger the residents.
When a nurse, assistant, or another staff member feels underappreciated because of inadequate pay, they might focus their frustration on the residents. Abuse can occur when employees don’t receive the wages and benefits that they believe they deserve for the work they usually do.
If your relative was the victim of abuse in a nursing home, contact House Packard McElderry, LLC so we can start preparing a case. We need to obtain the evidence to prove what happened and show that your loved one is entitled to compensation for their injury.
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When you trust someone to care for your family member, you expect them to provide for your loved one’s basic needs and to supply the assistance necessary to prevent an injury. Discovering that abuse or neglect occurred is upsetting. You don’t have to face the abuser alone. House Packard McElderry, LLC is here to help you seek the justice your loved one deserves. If your older relative sustained injuries or died from abuse while living in a nursing home, call House Packard McElderry, LLC at (816) 381-9105 immediately. One of our nursing home abuse lawyers in Liberty, MO, can meet with you for a free consultation to advise you about the available legal options. Let us help you hold the negligent party accountable for their misconduct.