Jacksonville Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Nursing home abuse lawsuits may be filed when elderly residents are physically and emotionally abused or financially exploited by the nursing home or assisted living facility in which they reside.
Studies estimate that nearly 10% of elderly residents experience nursing home abuse each year, and in addition, roughly 1,800 seniors die each year as a result of nursing home abuse.
The attorneys at Abbott Law Group firmly believe in defending those that cannot defend themselves, which is why they have dedicated themselves to protecting the rights of elders who have experienced nursing home abuse.
If your loved one is in a nursing home, and you believe he/she is being abused, neglected, or taken advantage of in any way, contact the nursing home abuse attorneys at Abbott Law Group to discuss your and your loved one’s legal options today.
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Abuse is defined by the Department of Health and Human Services as, “Willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain or mental anguish.”
Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including:
- physical abuse
- emotional abuse
- financial abuse
- bedsores
- nursing home falls
- medication errors and
- neglect by both assisted living facilities and other residents
Physical Abuse
Physical nursing home abuse occurs when employees of the nursing home or other residents use physical force to cause harm to a resident.
Physical abuse is the most predominant type of abuse in nursing home abuse cases. Physical abuse can include acts of violence like hitting, scratching, shoving, and biting, as well as the inappropriate use of restraints and the inappropriate use of drugs.
While physical abuse may be the easiest form of nursing home abuse to spot, the attorneys at Abbott Law Group suggest that family members be aware of some of the warning signs of physical abuse.
Some warning signs include broken bones, bruises, lacerations, untreated wounds and injuries, lab findings of drug overdose, and the facility’s refusal to allow the family to see their elderly family member alone.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional nursing home abuse occurs when employees of the nursing home or other residents cause an elderly resident to experience emotional distress through intimidation, humiliation, harassment, or other degrading acts.
Any kind of demeaning behavior, scapegoating and blaming, or social isolation is also considered emotional nursing home abuse.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual nursing home abuse takes place when a nursing home employee or other resident makes non-consensual sexual contact with an elderly resident. In many cases, physical and emotional abuse also plays a role in sexual nursing home abuse.
Often times, elderly residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia are sexually abused through coercion or manipulation because they are incapable of consenting.
Financial Exploitation
Financial exploitation occurs when employees of the nursing home or other residents illegally take and use an elderly resident’s money or other personal property.
Additionally, financial exploitation can occur when a caregiver or other individual tricks or pressures an elder to divulge personal, financial information, such as bank account and credit card numbers.
Financial nursing home abuse also occurs when a victim is manipulated or tricked into changing a deed, will, or trust.
Nursing Home Neglect
Neglect of elderly residents by employees of the nursing home tends to be one of the most common forms of nursing home abuse nowadays.
Nursing home neglect includes failure of the nursing home to provide adequate medicine, food, clothes, and shelter to the residents,
It also may include a failure to keep the facility safe to prevent falls and other injuries from unsafe conditions.
The results of neglect may include bad personal hygiene, bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition, dirty living conditions, and a variety of untreated health problems.
If you or a loved one have experienced any of these forms of nursing home abuse, contact our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Abbott Law Group. The attorneys at Abbott Law Group have provided representation to the elderly and their families in the Jacksonville area for over thirty five years. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.