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Sacramento NURSING HOME ABUSE LAWYER

It is heartbreaking to discover that a vulnerable elderly loved one is being abused by the very place that should give him or her the best care. But even at the very best nursing homes, elder neglect and abuse can happen. If a care facility is understaffed or poorly regulated, it is easy for things to slip through the cracks, but this negligence is unacceptable.

The Sacramento nursing home abuse attorneys at Kreeger Law Firm are dedicated to handling civil litigation cases involving neglect and abuse at long-term care facilities licensed as nursing homes and in assisted living facilities. Whether the nursing home neglect or abuse is emotional, physical, or simple negligence, our Sacramento nursing home abuse lawyers can help. We represent families throughout Northern California. Call our office at 916-313-0986 and schedule a free consultation today.

HOW A NURSING HOME ABUSE ATTORNEY AT OUR LAW FIRM CAN HELP

A nursing home resident and his or her family members may have one of several types of claims against a nursing home that is complicit in the physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse of that resident. An elder abuse case may apply to residents over the age of 65, while nursing home neglect and negligent hiring also provide grounds for civil claims. Nursing homes have a high standard of care subject to federal and state rules and regulations. When a care facility fails to adhere to these standards and this leads to the neglect, abuse, or wrongful death of a resident, this provides grounds for a suit. A Sacramento nursing home abuse lawyer helps by holding the nursing home accountable for its negligence. He or she also works to negotiate a fair settlement with insurance companies, demanding compensation for the family’s material and intangible losses. Finally, an attorney can help assure that the state files criminal charges against any parties who commit abuse. Our Sacramento nursing home abuse attorneys have the qualities needed to pursue nursing home abuse suits successfully: Our attorneys have the willingness, ability, and resources to take on big corporations and insurance companies and win in tough cases for our clients. We achieve successful outcomes in over 99 percent of our cases through settlement, mediation or trial. We handle all cases on a contingency basis, meaning we never charge a fee unless we achieve a successful result. Our Sacramento injury attorneys have over 25 years of experience handling nursing home abuse and other personal injury cases. We know what it takes to have a successful claim – and we want to put that experience to work for you.

TYPES OF NURSING HOME ABUSE

Several different types of nursing home abuse exist:

• Neglect is one of the most common types of abuse in a nursing home setting. When it causes real or possible harm, it rises to the level of physical abuse. Common examples of elder neglect occur when nursing home staff does not provide adequate care to the resident, resulting in conditions like malnutrition or bedsores.
• Emotional abuse can lead to depression, fear or anxiety. A common form of emotional abuse in nursing homes is false imprisonment. In this case, the nursing home staff doesn’t allow a resident to leave a certain area.
• Sexual abuse in a nursing home setting is not as common, but it can occur. It often occurs in conjunction with emotional or physical abuse.
• Financial abuse occurs when a person steals a nursing home resident’s personal property or financial information. Staff members or other parties may also take advantage of a nursing home resident’s emotions or mental status and force them to amend wills or deeds.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF NURSING HOME ABUSE OR NEGLECT?

Different types of nursing home abuse may display different warning signs. In general, sudden changes in behavior or nursing home staff members being unwilling to leave a resident alone with a family member are red flags. Unexplained injuries may be another indicator of abuse. Specific signs of abuse include:

• Signs of dehydration – sunken eyes, skin tenting, dry mucous membranes
• Bruising
• Sudden or dramatic weight loss
• Emotional distress
• Bedsores or pressure ulcers
• Use of restraints
• Neglect of personal hygiene
• Medication errors
• Fall-related injuries
• Broken bones
• Over-sedation
• Side effects from uncontrolled medical conditions

WARNING SIGNS OF EMOTIONAL OR VERBAL ABUSE

• Excessive fear or anxiety, particularly around one person
• Self-blame for problems that are seemingly insignificant
• Visual signs of behavioral changes
• Signs of dementia in a person not suffering from it

WARNING SIGNS OF FINANCIAL ABUSE

• Changes in spending behavior – for example, frequent withdrawals from a bank account
• New credit cards, mortgage contracts, or deeds
• Sudden amendment of will or trust
• Theft or loss of personal property

Any of these symptoms warrant an investigation. Anyone who suspects nursing home abuse or lack of appropriate medical care should remove the resident from the situation immediately and work on verifying his or her story.