Some of the most vulnerable people in the world are older adults. They have to rely on others for their meals, medical care, financial decisions, and even daily needs. This is why family members put their older loved ones into the care of nursing homes.
It is expected that the nursing workers would take care of their elders with dignity and respect, combined with their facilities. Unfortunately, however, neglect and abuse in nursing homes are surprisingly common.
Nursing home abuse can sometimes be sexual, mental, or physical. Most nursing home residents are incapable of speaking out about their mistreatment; they might be embarrassed, too ill, or don’t want to get into trouble.
For the above reasons, it becomes important for friends and family members to take note of any abuse signs or potential issues that may arise. In addition, you should be able to advocate for your parents or loved ones by reporting any abuse to your local or state authorities.
Below are some of the reasons why you should hire a nursing home abuse attorney:
- For Safety
Sometimes you might be suspicious of cuts or bruises that are unexplained. When you notice such things, it may be time for you to contact an attorney to help investigate the nursing home about your concerns. If you don’t know one, you can check out this nursing home abuse attorney.
Physical abuse like bumps, cuts, and bruises are easily identified. However, it is quite hard to detect other types of abuse. Other types of abuse could range from sexual abuse, financial abuse, or psychological abuse.
Seeking the aid of an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer might help uncover evidence that would point out the mistreatment or evidence of negligence at the facility even when you can’t find anything wrong after visiting.
- Theft
Theft is quite common in nursing homes. Though some people might view theft in nursing homes with disregard, it could be agonizing for older adults to get their belongings stolen from them.
Scenarios like these are where getting an experienced nursing home abuse attorney comes into place. When you hire attorneys specializing in nursing home abuse, they would properly investigate and know the best method of proceeding with the case to get the proper compensation you need.
In fact, they would also be able to take measures to prevent such instances from repeating themselves. Whenever such cases occur, getting compensation for your elder one’s injustice is the norm, and nursing homes abuse lawyers are professionals in this field.
- Neglect
Sometimes your elder ones could be neglected by the nursing home. You should hire a nursing home abuse attorney in such cases. Elder ones need care, and when they are neglected, it could be detrimental to their wellbeing and health.
Signs of neglect include dirty rooms with soiled beddings, unkempt patients or signs of not being bathed regularly, changes in body condition, and unexplained injuries. When you notice such suspicions about neglect, you should report it immediately to avoid cover up due to suing.
- To avoid looking over evidence
Before you can make a claim against any nursing home, you need much evidence. But unfortunately, nursing homes could weaken your case by refusing to release evidence voluntarily. Sometimes, the evidence could even be destroyed or altered.
Hiring a nursing home abuse lawyer could ensure that an immediate investigation is started while ensuring the availability of crucial evidence. Your attorneys can sometimes even file subpoenas to obtain withheld evidence.
Moreover, your attorney would also know the suitable types of evidence needed to help strengthen your claim.
- To avoid mistakes
When saddled with home abuse cases, you could make countless mistakes. Failing to mitigate damages, posting the case on social media, providing recorded statements, failing to keep important documentation, and not tracking injuries are some mistakes that can lead to delays and costly disputes.
Hiring a qualified attorney would help you avoid such mistakes.
- To show your seriousness
Sometimes the insurance company may try to be inflexible during settlement negotiations when you represent yourself. However, when you hire a seasoned nursing home abuse attorney to help with your case, the opposing party would be more inclined to cooperate since your attorney would have a deep understanding of the relevant statutes and case law.
Final Words
There are various reasons why you must hire a nursing home abuse attorney when you put your elderly ones in a nursing home. But, first, you should ensure that they are not neglected and treated right and, most importantly, that they are not injured in a place that is supposed to be safe.
