The abuse of nursing home residents occurs more frequently than most people might think. Every day, nursing home residents suffer from preventable abuse. When elders are neglected by their care facility, an Olive Branch nursing home abuse lawyer can help.
As loved ones continue to age, families must make difficult decisions about which nursing homes and assisted living facilities to place elders in. When you entrust the care of your family members to third parties, you have a right to expect that the facility will care for their basic needs. However, if your loved one ends up experiencing abuse, you could consider seeking the counsel of compassionate personal injury attorney David E. Gordon when you are ready.
Elder Mistreatment in Care Facilities
Olive Branch Families who are paying for 24-hour care for their loved ones should expect staff members to provide everything they need, including medical, nutritional, and daily living activities assistance. Nursing homes have a contractual obligation to provide the agreed-upon level of care to their residents. When they fail to deliver a reasonable standard of care for residents, nursing homeowners, administrators, and staff members can be held liable for this abuse or neglect.
Nursing homes also have a responsibility to protect their residents from harm, whether from the other people living there, staff members, or third parties. Failure to provide an adequate level of care and protection can result in physical, emotional, sexual, or financial harm to nursing home residents.
If residents suffer harm due to abuse or neglect in a nursing home setting, their families could seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. A damages award cannot undo the injuries that the victims have suffered, but it could pay for medical bills resulting from the injuries, pain and suffering, and transfer to a different facility. Consulting a nursing home abuse legal advisor in Olive Branch could be the best way to determine if circumstances merit a personal injury claim.
Warning Signs of Abuse in Olive Branch Nursing Homes
All too often, nursing homes maximize their profits by neglecting necessary care for their residents. They tend to cut corners and place their facilities in a constant state of understaffing. This type of environment may increase the potential for incidents of abuse and neglect.
Families must be vigilant to spot signs of elder abuse, as they are not always apparent. These signs may be challenging to recognize, especially when residents are already ill, frail, or suffer from dementia. By visiting their loved ones regularly on varying days and times, family members could be in a better position to identify signs of abuse or neglect, such as:
- Unexplained bruises, marks, broken bones, or other injuries
- Sudden changes in mood, withdrawal, or a reluctance to talk
- Financial irregularities or missing personal items
- Excessive weight loss, hunger and thirst, constant pain, or poor hygiene
Some residents also are more vulnerable than others due to physical immobility, mental impairment, or unhealthy relationships with adult children. By understanding the potential signs of elder abuse and neglect, families may be able to intervene and resolve these issues before any significant injury occurs. However, if the injury has already occurred despite the best efforts of the family, getting the advice of a nursing home abuse legal representative in Olive Branch could be wise.
Talk to an Olive Branch Nursing Home Abuse Attorney for Legal Action
Care facility abuse is among some of the most devastating types of mistreatment and exploitation that can occur. Unfortunately, families often learn about incidents of abuse well after severe injuries have already occurred. In circumstances such as these, an Olive Branch nursing home abuse lawyer could be vital to pursuing compensation for the injuries your loved one has suffered.
Abuse and neglect often exacerbate existing physical and mental problems and can even hasten death. By seeking help from the legal counsel of David E. Gordon, you could be in a better position to hold negligent care facilities accountable for their unforgivable behavior in failing to care for and protect your loved ones. Call today to schedule a free case consultation
