According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.3 million elderly or dependent adults live in nursing homes across the United States. Nursing homes can offer 24-hour medical care and supervision, social opportunities, and recreational activities for your loved ones. While many residents enjoy nursing home life, others are not as fortunate. Sadly, abuse and neglect sometimes occur at the hands of staff members who you should be able to trust.
If your loved one suffered from abuse while living in a nursing home, you might be able to take legal action. In some cases, victims of abuse and their families can collect compensation by filing a legal claim. A Deerfield Beach nursing home abuse lawyer can help you learn more about your options during this difficult time.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at 800-959-1444; a team member is available to discuss your case in detail.
Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Abuse encompasses a range of intentional behavior that causes harm to another person. Abuse includes harmful behavior of a physical, emotional, financial, or sexual nature.
Neglect in a nursing home setting involves the failure of a caregiver or facility to provide a resident with appropriate or necessary care. Neglect is not always intentional, but it can seriously jeopardize a victim’s health and well-being. Examples of neglect include:
- Failure to administer medications correctly.
- Lack of supervision for residents with cognitive disorders.
- Unsafe living conditions.
- Malnutrition.
Nursing home abuse and neglect are more prevalent than you might expect. The Department of Justice (DOJ) estimated that on an annual basis, approximately 10% of elderly adults will experience a form of abuse. Shockingly, according to a 2020 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), over 64 percent of caregivers at nursing home facilities admitted to mistreating a resident in the previous year. These startling figures do not include unreported cases, and the WHO estimates actual cases of elder abuse could be as many as 24 times the reported number.
Any nursing home resident is in danger of abuse or neglect. While nothing can make up for the pain and suffering your loved one and family has experienced because of abuse, the silver lining during this difficult time is that you could receive justice and compensation through legal action. If you would like to learn more about what you can do to seek justice for your loved one’s pain and suffering, call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, to speak with a team member today.
Perpetrators of Abuse
Abusers often prey on elderly victims because of their physical or mental impairments. Abusers can be facility staff members, caregivers, contractors working at a nursing home, or even other residents and visitors. Because potential perpetrators of abuse abound at a nursing home, recognizing the warning signs that something might be wrong can help you determine if your loved one was a victim.
Signs That Something Could Be Wrong
If your loved one exhibited or currently displays any of the following signs of abuse or neglect, it could indicate that something happened:
- Changes in personality.
- Decreased mood, anxiety, or depression.
- Fear of an individual staff member.
- Complaints about specific caregivers.
- Staff avoiding your questions, not answering phones, or acting unusually.
- Physical signs of trauma, including bruises, scrapes, cuts, or broken bones.
- Loss of appetite or weight loss.
- Suddenly deteriorating physical health.
Florida Statutes 400.022 spells out the requirements that all nursing home facilities must uphold when caring for their residents. Abusive and neglectful behavior is not only immoral and dangerous, but it is also illegal based on state and federal law.
Reporting your suspicions of inappropriate or abusive behavior can help you stop the abuse and prevent further victims from suffering. Abuse and neglect are grave threats to the health of your loved one and other residents. If you sense that something is wrong, report it immediately to the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and local law enforcement.
How Abuse Affects Victims
Abuse can forever impact your loved one and your family. Some abuse victims require ongoing physical therapy or emotional support following the traumatic experience. You should take every act of abuse seriously, regardless of how minor it might seem. Your loved one could experience physical, emotional, and financial effects that can linger for years to come.
Your family could also feel the impact of the trauma. Seeing your loved one suffer and losing trust in the nursing home facility you thought would treat your loved one with care can affect you more than you might expect.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer serving Deerfield, call 800-712-9119
Potentially Recoverable Compensation
In some cases, victims can seek justice and hold those responsible accountable for their actions by filing a legal claim. Victims of abuse are sometimes eligible for the reimbursement of medical expenses, moving expenses to another facility, and legal fees following a successful claim.
In other cases, the court might award damages for your loved one’s pain and suffering and punish responsible parties. A Deerfield Beach nursing home abuse lawyer can help you explore your legal options and determine if compensation is possible. Keep in mind that Florida Statutes 400.0236 sets a two-year time limit on filing nursing home abuse lawsuits. An attorney can help you avoid missing the deadline, which could bar you from recovering an award.
Deerfield Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 800-712-9119
Contact Us Today
Dealing with the aftermath of nursing home abuse can be a stressful and overwhelming time for you and your loved ones. While nothing can take away the traumatic abuse that your loved one experienced, you have legal options that can help bring justice to your family by holding the responsible parties accountable for their actions.
A Deerfield Beach nursing home abuse lawyer can help you learn more about what you can do next. Ben Crump Law, PLLC, is here to answer your questions. Call 800-959-1444 today to speak with a team member about how to begin putting this difficult chapter behind you.
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