Wesley Chapel Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
Nursing homes are supposed to provide safe, 24-hour care to vulnerable residents. Alarmingly, many nursing homes fall well short of this ideal. Instead, they hire staff who abuse residents with little pity and expect no one to find out.
Learning that a loved one has been abused is an outrage. Moore Law stands with our clients as we hold nursing homes accountable for unacceptable behavior that endangers the most vulnerable members of society. Our Wesley Chapel nursing home abuse attorney can sweep in to move your loved one to a safer facility and sue the parties responsible for the abuse.
Nursing Home Abuse is Widespread
A Congressional Report from 2001 found that residents were abused in 1 out of 3 nursing homes. Other studies have found similarly high percentages. Unfortunately, many residents are unable to communicate with family members, either because they are afraid or because they are suffering from dementia. For these reasons, many staff continue to abuse residents without any intent of stopping.
Abuse can take many forms:
- Physical abuse, such as slapping, pinching, hitting, suffocating, or denying a resident food, water, or medicine.
- Emotional abuse, such as harassment, name-calling, or refusing to speak to a resident.
- Sexual abuse, including rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.
- Financial abuse, including stealing from residents or identity theft.
- Chemical abuse, such as giving residents certain drugs without a prescription to restrain them.
Neglect is not abuse, but its effects can be just as devastating. Neglect occurs when staff fail to look after those in their care, and residents are injured in the process. The key difference is intent. Whereas abuse is almost always intentional, neglect stems from being careless or distracted.
Investigate Any Suspected Abuse or Neglect
If you suspect a loved one is being abused, then promptly investigate. Your loved one might be too afraid to say anything, so take the initiative yourself. You can file a complaint with the nursing home administration and even the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration. You should also contact a Wesley Chapel nursing home abuse attorney.
How do you know if a loved one is being abused? There are some tell-tale signs:
- Your loved one is injured and/or taken to the hospital, and the nursing home has no good explanation why.
- Dramatic weight loss, again with no good explanation.
- Mood changes. A talkative relative might immediately become quiet and afraid when certain staff members enter the room.
- The room or linens are unclean, or your loved one’s clothes are not washed. Your loved one might not be bathed, either.
Legal Help is Available
Abuse and neglect are illegal. They are also torts, which allow your loved one to bring a lawsuit for personal injuries and emotional distress suffered because of the abuse.
Nursing homes owe a duty of care to its residents, and they can violate it by failing to supervise employees, understaffing, and refusing to investigate complaints. Some nursing homes are so desperate for workers that they perform inadequate background checks or turn a blind eye to questionable behavior, such as an applicant who was fired from a prior nursing home.
Call Our Wesley Chapel Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today
When you suspect abuse, time is of the essence. Contact Moore Law to speak with our Wesley Chapel nursing home abuse lawyer in a free, confidential consultation.
