A publication from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, titled Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America cites the following leading causes of nursing home and elderly person abuse and neglect:
- Caregiver stress
- Staff burnout
- Understaffing
- Lack of training
Finding out what causes nursing home abuse in elderly is an important part of lessening its prevalence and frequently. Regardless of the cause of nursing home abuse, your elderly loved one does not deserve to be a victim. If you find out they were a victim of elder abuse, get immediate help.
Your Loved One’s Nursing Home Must Protect Their Rights
When they do not require hospital care, but your loved one can no longer live independently, a nursing home is often an ideal setting. More home-like, than hospital-like, it can provide the skilled care your elderly parent or spouse needs.
Being a nursing home resident comes with a specific set of rights. The official government site for Medicare provides details on the rights of nursing home residents.
Your loved one is entitled to:
- Be treated with dignity and respect.
- Full disclosure of the total cost of nursing home care.
- Manage and control their own money.
- Privacy – as long as it does not harm others.
- Maintain and control their personal belongings and private property.
- Information about their medical condition, medications, and treatments.
- Choose their own schedule and activities.
If the rights of your elderly parent or spouse were violated in their nursing home and they became the subject of abuse, you have legal and financial options. Do not hesitate to pursue the nursing home and its insurance provider for the financial compensation you and your loved one are entitled to.
Nursing Home Abuse Happens Too Often
When you entrust your loved one to a nursing home, you expect them to receive the best available care and support. When that does not happen, you could have the basis of a financial recovery lawsuit. According to National Institute on Aging (NIA) statistics, when nursing home residents are the victims of abuse, it usually involves one of six types:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Abandonment
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse
There are more than 15,000 nursing homes in the US where 1.3 million residents are living and receiving care, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics. If someone you love is a nursing home resident and was the victim of nursing home abuse, you could be entitled to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit or insurance claim for financial recovery.
Signs Your Loved One Is A Victim of Elder Abuse
When your elderly parent or spouse goes through a drastic personality change or becomes suddenly secretive or reserved, it can be a sign they are being abused in their nursing home. According to National Institute on Aging research, these additional warning signs should alert you to potential abuse:
- Trouble sleeping
- Disorientation
- Depression
- Confusion
- Weight loss
- Signs of distress
- Cowering away from staff
- Stops socializing
- Has unexplained injuries
- Is dirty or disheveled
Your loved one might also be a victim of abuse or neglect if they develop bed sores or other medical conditions that result from them being neglected or inadequately cared for. If you see any of these warning signs and symptoms of nursing home abuse, get medical help for your loved one right away, then get legal help as soon as you can. A nursing home abuse lawyer in your area can help you build and prove a case for financial compensation against the nursing home where your loved one was injured.
Possible Recoverable Damages in a Nursing Home Abuse Claim
When your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse, you could have the basis of a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim. When you discover your loved one’s abuse, you could be in for a sudden influx of financial expenses and losses. The possible damages you can recover from the nursing home or its insurance company may include:
- Medical expenses
- Medical devices
- Lost income
- Physical disability
- Physical disfigurement
You might be entitled to punitive damages under certain circumstances. Discuss the full range of your financial recovery options with a member of our personal injury law firm.
Contact the Office of a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney to Learn More Today
Nursing home abuse can have physical, emotional, and financial consequences. Do you want to know what causes nursing home abuse and how you can recover from its financial impact? If your elderly parent or spouse was the victim of elder abuse, you have options for financial recovery.
Contact a member of our legal team at The Kryder Law Group, LLC by calling us at (312) 223-1700 today.
(312) 223-1700