Residents of nursing homes have the legal right to dignity, respect, privacy, appropriate treatment, access to medical and psychological services, and the freedom to communicate freely with their loved ones. Families make the difficult choice to place their loved one in a nursing home so they receive the care and attention they need to enjoy a high quality of life in a safe environment. If a family makes the horrific discovery that their loved one suffered abuse as a resident of a nursing home, they may not understand their next steps in order to receive justice on behalf of their elderly loved one.
If you suspect or discover that your loved one suffered any kind of abuse as a nursing home resident, consider calling our legal team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (800) 712-9119 to learn more about how a Salt Lake City nursing home abuse lawyer can help you ensure you receive justice for your family member.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can appear in different ways including physical, sexual, emotional, or financial. As a family member with someone in a nursing home, you should always look for any sign of potential nursing home abuse in order to ensure your loved one receives appropriate care and safety.
Signs of Physical Abuse
Some of the signs of physical abuse may include unexplained infections, sepsis, broken or fractured bones, bruises without explanation, bedsores, weight loss, dehydration, malnutrition, unwashed hair, unwashed clothes, genital injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, torn clothing, or any sign of physical restraint such as markings on the wrists or ankles.
Signs of Emotional Abuse
Psychological abuse can create just as many devastating consequences as physical abuse. Some of the signs of emotional abuse may include sudden changes in behavior, exhibiting unusual emotions, moods or outbursts, depression, acting fearfully, regressive behaviors, exhibiting violent behavior, or developing a sudden fear of the staff of the nursing home.
Signs of Financial Abuse
While the Nursing Home Reform Act indicates that all residents have a right to privacy in a nursing home, in most cases, the nursing home staff has access to nursing home residents’ rooms. As a result, they have the ability to often steal directly from a resident. If you notice any credit cards, cash, or personal belongings missing, it may be the result of the nursing home staff stealing from your loved one. In other cases, the staff of a nursing home may use manipulative tactics in order to endear themselves to elderly residents in an attempt to have them change their estate plan to become a beneficiary of their assets after their death.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer serving Salt Lake City, call 800-712-9119
Reporting Nursing Home Abuse
If you suspect any kind of nursing home abuse, you likely feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and unsure of your next steps. If you discover that your loved one suffered any kind of nursing home abuse, contact our legal team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC to learn more about how a Salt Lake City nursing home abuse lawyer can help you with your next steps. Other courses of action you can take if you suspect or discover any abuse of your loved one in a nursing home include the following:
Contact the Management of the Nursing Home
Your first steps should include alerting the management of the nursing home. Every nursing home should have a system in place regarding any complaints of neglect or abuse. If you find that the nursing home staff remains uninterested in pursuing your complaints or suspicions, you may have a serious challenge that is a systemic problem within the nursing home. If you notice that the nursing home fails to answer your phone calls or refuses to let you continue to contact your family member, you may want to consider escalating the matter.
Contact Adult Protective Services
You have the legal right to contact Adult Protective Services. Visiting with the Adult Protective Services in your area can help point you to all of the additional information and resources you need regarding a nursing home abuse claim. Additionally, the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) also has information and resources if you suspect that your elderly loved one suffered from nursing home abuse.
Contact Law Enforcement
If you believe that your loved one suffered physical, sexual, psychological, or financial harm as a result of their residency in a nursing home, you may want to consider contacting law enforcement in order to escalate the issue and cause the nursing home to understand that you take the matter seriously. Additionally, contacting the police will create a record of the abuse and put the nursing home on notice of the allegation and charge of nursing home abuse. Contacting the police may also prevent the same type of abuse from happening to other members of the nursing home.
Salt Lake City Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 800-712-9119
Learn How a Salt Lake City Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help You
Many times, a family will have grave suspicions that their elderly loved one suffered from either abuse or neglect as a resident of a nursing home, however, they may not have an understanding of what steps to pursue to develop a strong nursing home abuse claim to receive justice for their loved one. In some cases, a nursing home abuse claim can prove legally challenging and complex to develop. While no amount of compensation will ever repay the abuse of a loved one, filing a nursing home abuse claim can help assist with the additional medical bills, psychological treatments, as well as replacing any property or assets stolen.
Call our legal team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (800) 712-9119 to learn more about how a Salt Lake City nursing home abuse lawyer can explain how to pursue the legal rights and compensation your loved one deserves.
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