What Injuries Might be Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home residents generally have a higher risk of injuries from falls and other accidents, though some injuries might be the sign of a much bigger problem – nursing home abuse. Speak with a San Francisco nursing home negligence and abuse lawyer about any concerns.
People place their loved ones in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in and around San Francisco when they are unable to care for themselves. Consequently, few things in life are more frustrating than when a loved one is abused or neglected while residing at a nursing facility.
Nursing home residents are unfortunately easy targets for abuse and neglect at the hands of others. This is because some residents do not have family members and friends who are constantly checking in on them. However, if you suspect that your loved one might be a victim of nursing home abuse, there are some physical signs and symptoms that you should be on the lookout for – and that is often indicative of abuse or neglect.
The compassionate and experienced San Francisco nursing home negligence and abuse lawyers at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. understand the frustration of dealing with suspected abuse or neglect at a nursing facility. If you suspect that your loved one is a victim, we can help you promptly investigate your suspicions, and if it becomes necessary, file a claim or lawsuit against the nursing home, convalescent center, or assisted living facility, for monetary compensation and damages. Please speak with us today to learn more about how we could help you file a claim or lawsuit against a nursing home on behalf of your loved one.
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse can take on several different forms, all of which can bring about various types of physical and emotional harm to elderly individuals who reside in nursing homes. Some of the most common types of abuse that occur in nursing homes and convalescent centers include the following:
- Physical abuse of a patient – Physical abuse of a nursing home patient can occur when a nursing home employee attacks or strikes a patient, slaps a patient or otherwise touches the patient in a way that he or she does not consent to.
- Verbal abuse – Verbal abuse of a nursing home patient may occur when a nursing home employee attacks a patient verbally, taunts him or her, or directs comments to the patient that are designed to cause him or her emotional distress or mental anguish.
- Sexual abuse – Sexual abuse of a nursing home patient occurs when a nursing home employee (or another resident of the nursing home) sexually attacks, touches, or molests the patient – or directs demeaning remarks of a sexual nature to the patient.
There are several types of symptoms and injuries that victims of nursing home abuse frequently exhibit, including some or all of the following:
- Marks, bruises, cuts, lacerations, or abrasions on the patient’s body
- Changes in mood or social withdrawal (where the patient did not exhibit these characteristics before)
- Marks around the nursing home resident’s sexual organs and private areas
- Sudden onset of bodily pain where the nursing home resident did not exhibit that type of pain before
There are several classes of individuals who could inflict abuse on a nursing home resident, including employee doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, physical therapists, dietitians, administrators, and others who are employed by the nursing home.
In addition to nursing home patient abuse, nursing home neglect – which falls under the umbrella of abuse – is unfortunately all too common. Neglect in the nursing home context usually involves failing to exercise reasonable care when treating a patient. Some common types of nursing home neglect include the following:
- Failing to maintain and clean patient rooms on a regular basis
- Failing to provide patients with the proper medication – and in the correct dosage
- Failing to bathe patients on a regular basis
- Failing to properly supervise patients
- Failing to provide patients with the medical care that they need
- Failing to respond to patient complaints within a reasonable period of time
Nursing home neglect may also come with various signs and symptoms, including pressure ulcers on a patient’s body (usually from not bathing the patient on a regular basis) and foul smells emanating from patient rooms (usually from lack of cleanliness).
Since many nursing home patients suffer from memory deficiencies, such as Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia, they may not even know that they are victims of abuse or neglect. Consequently, if you suspect that abuse or neglect might be occurring, it is important that you contact an experienced attorney about your suspicions as soon as possible – so that a prompt investigation can be undertaken.
Filing a Claim for Compensation Against the Nursing Home
If you suspect that your loved one might be a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, it is important that you seek out experienced legal counsel as soon as possible. Your attorney could retain an investigator to determine what is happening at the nursing home, and if necessary, the attorney could file a claim against the home for negligence.
In order to be successful in a claim against a nursing home, you must be able to demonstrate that a nursing home employee acted unreasonably under the circumstances and that as a result, your loved one suffered an illness or injury. If the nursing home’s insurance company refuses to offer your loved one reasonable compensation, you could file a lawsuit against the nursing home (and indirectly against the insurance company), and if necessary, litigate the case in court. Even after a lawsuit has been filed, the case may still settle out of court at any time.
Speak with a San Francisco Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer about Your Legal Concerns Today
The legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. is ready to help you pursue and recover the monetary compensation that your loved one deserves for injuries sustained as a result of nursing home abuse or neglect. To schedule a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a San Francisco nursing home abuse and neglect attorney, please call us at (415) 433-0444 or contact us online today for more information about how we could assist you with every aspect of your claim or lawsuit.
