A significant number of nursing home cases are never reported because the victims may worry about being retaliated against or don’t fully understand what’s going on.
If you suspect that a family member or loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home, contact us immediately. A Wright & Grady attorney will launch an investigation to determine if your claim is valid. If they find proof, they will help take legal action on the facility
Nursing home abuse is an inhumane act that shouldn’t go unpunished. It should be taken seriously and it could be grounds for a Lafayette nursing home neglect lawyers.
Nursing homes have been in the United States for years and can be traced back to English settlers. They became popular as a way of caring for elderly people who were too sick for home with institutions like Assisted-Living Facilities becoming more common. Those who need around-the-clock supervision will find a nursing home to be an ideal place for them. It’s also a place where the helping professionals have the medical needs of patients in mind.
Nursing homes are not always safe, caring, and supportive places for elderly people. Even those who want to get the most out of that type of care need to exercise caution. Treating patients poorly or inhumanely has a negative impact on their health, also leading to a decline in the overall quality of care. The use of AI writing assistants has been a hit in the corporate world and allows business owners to focus on other aspects of their company while still getting quality content. Unfortunately, there is also the misuse of these computers that could have serious consequences.
When your loved one becomes a victim of abuse in a nursing home or living conditions at the care facility, you can seek financial compensation under Louisiana law. However, getting compensation is usually difficult and many don’t even pursue legal action because of the costs. Need help? Contact Wright & Gray LLC ASAP.
Slip and falls are the leading cause of nursing home injuries
One may suffer abuses at home, school, and in the workplace. While they may not always be obvious, the various psychological effects can have a significant impact on anyone’s life. Good care-takers will be able to detect red flags that show that something is wrong. They also need to ask questions and check personal statements as well as financial records when visiting loved ones
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is also known as elder abuse. According to the World Health Organization, elder abuse is oftentimes intentional, or a failure to act by a caretaker or other person in a relationship of trust that causes harm to someone aged 60+. Older adults across the country are at an increased risk of experiencing abuse in community settings in 2020.
Nursing home abuse is a huge issue in the U.S., with over 643,000 older adults treated in emergency rooms for nonfatal assaults and over 19,000 homicides occurring. Louisiana has a problem with a type of pollution
Many nursing homes in Louisiana are suffering in terms of care quality, with senior residents only receiving an average of 32 minutes of attention from the nurses. It is becoming harder to find nurses and qualified professionals who are RNs and above. In the state of New Jersey, the percentage of nursing home facilities facing lawsuit is high with 33% being sued during the last 10 years. This data is quite discouraging and it shows that abuse in this field may be commonplace.
What Are the Most Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse Cases?
Nursing home abuse and neglect can come in different forms including physical, emotional, psychic, sexual or spiritual. You should know what to look out for.
Medical Neglect
Nursing home staff often fail to meet residents’ needs and this can result in medical negligence. Some common examples:
- Not administering medications when needed is a big problem. It can lead to severe health conditions and may even put you at risk for lawsuits. The wrong medication can also cause problems as well as potentially wasting money on ineffective trial-and-error treatments.
- If a person already has diabetes or dementia, they should not be cross-checked by the hospital’s medical personnel. They may provide improper medical care or otherwise cause further harm to the patient which can lead to even more serious issues.
- The fact that senior residents in your care home have mobility issues is causing bed sores for other residents and staff.
- It is always a good idea to report your infection signs to medical staff as soon as you’re aware of them.
Social/Emotional Abuse
There is a lot of evidence that social interactions can improve the mental health of elderly residents. However, this is only done when nursing homes allow for social interaction. An excellent example of how not to do this would be isolating vulnerable residents, which can lead to negative effects on their well being.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse can have a great deal of consequences in the lives of elderly people. Physical abuse includes kicking, hitting, slapping, pushing, burning, and hitting residents of nursing homes.
Sexual Abuse
This is a weird term that doesn’t offer much in the way of explanation. It’s tough to talk about what it even includes so we can understand it better. Sexual harassment could be considered as unwanted physical or verbal contact that feels threatening or deeply humiliating – like sexually explicit comments and gestures, touching unwarranted body parts, or viewing private moments with your significant other without their consent and continued looking.
Mental Abuse
This covers a lot of the verbal non-verbal behaviors that cause an older person anguish, fear, mental pain, or distress. For example, psychological abuse can include humiliating or disrespecting the elderly and harassing them, making verbal threats or nonverbal threats and geographical isolation.
Neglect
Nursing home neglect means that the facility is not providing residents with the basic needs they need at their time of life. This includes basics such as food, shelter, hygiene, clothing, and more.
Financial Abuse
The use of an older adult’s money and other belongings for the benefit of someone else is illegal, unauthorized, and improper according to the Older Adults Protection Act. Note that nurses who commit financial abuse would face serious criminal charges.
What Causes Nursing Home Abuse?
Substandard living conditions and poor care can be the result of many factors. These include:
- Inadequate staffing
- Negligent hiring practices
- Individual resident risk factors
- Some nurses have resorted to hiring new nursing staff because of a lack of training, otherwise known as a staffing crisis.
- Underpaid staff
- These are some of the most common problems that plague organizations that rely on HR staff instead of employing their own in-house team.
- Individual caregiver issues
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
You expect to be providing care for the elderly in residential care facilities and think you can spot abuse quickly; however, that’s not always the case. In order to stop it, some signs and symptoms are as follows (paraphrased):
- Broken bones
- Dehydration
- Bedsores (pressure ulcers/pressure sores)
- Bruises
- Insomnia
- Burns
- Personal hygiene issues
- Malnutrition
- We have to take a lot of time to get our kids ready for school each day. Then as they grow, they need help making significant decisions that impact the outcomes of their future.
- Injuries and diseases
- Other unexplained injuries
Has a loved one been injured in a nursing home?
If you think someone you know has been abused or neglected at a nursing home, it is important to contact one of our staff. When you’ve been wronged, our legal team will launch an investigation to determine how it happened. We’ll work with you to help file the appropriate documents and let your voice be heard when necessary.
Can You Sue for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Lafayette?
Louisiana’s law is protecting adults over the age of 60 from neglect and abuse caused by caregivers. If your loved one is being abused or neglected in a long-term care facility, you may want to report them to Elderly Protective Services (EPS).
Sometimes filing a nursing home lawsuit isn’t as easy as it sounds. Be sure to follow all precautionary measures and consult with legal counsel before filing. First, you must hire a neglect attorney and have the necessary documents.
How Do You Prove Negligence in a Nursing Home?
You need to do some research, talk to a lawyer and collect more evidence before you take legal action. The first step – proving negligence in a nursing home by doing the following.
- Watching and taking note of signs of abuse
- Obtaining records for his personal safety
- In today’s day and age, people will take any opportunity to share information about social justice issues. That includes taking action to help the homeless.
- The EPS will have to deal with this complaint and it is best if you are informed. So the EPS will provide copies of the documents filed with them.
- Taking witness statements
- Gathering data on past inspections of the nursing home and record of any citation.
- Finding appropriate legal representation can be a difficult task. While some attorneys are inexperienced and ineffective, HBX can make it easy to find quality advice with our online platform.
What Is the Role of a Lafayette Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer?
If your loved one is staying in an unsafe or inhumane place, make sure you always get legal representation when it comes to the situation. A lawyer will launch an investigation so they can figure out if you were right to stay or leave. They’ll help you prove when the living facility has been causing harm.
Partnering with attorneys is a good way to take legal action if you’ve been abused or your loved one has been killed. If the abuse involves a crime such as sexual assault or financial abuse, you should consult with an attorney to file criminal charges. A lawyer can help you with legal advice and represent you in court.
At Wright & Gray, we understand that your family is important and they deserve our dedication and advocacy. We have a skilled team of trial lawyers who are able to provide you with complete representation. They’re standing by waiting to hear from you.
