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Placing a loved one in a nursing home, assisted living or hospice situation is a difficult decision. A nursing home should be a place of expert care and rehabilitation for elders, the sick, and the infirm. By their very nature, they must provide compassionate, dignified care to their residents and meet strong standards for quality that are guaranteed by state and federal law. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
If someone you love is the victim of nursing home abuse, do not hesitate to contact Nicholson Revell LLP. Our Augusta, GA-based nursing home abuse attorneys have years of experience handling elder abuse and neglect lawsuits. We have the resources needed to help abuse victims and their families receive the justice and compensation they deserve.
Nursing home abuse is a serious crime that can ruin a senior citizen’s life. It can both cause new injuries and exacerbate existing injuries and conditions. It is important to partner with an attorney on a case where so much is at stake. If your loved one has serious injuries from this heinous crime, a lawyer can make sure the nursing home is held accountable.
A nursing home abuse attorney in Augusta can explain and protect your loved one’s rights in Georgia. Your lawyer can negotiate with the home’s insurance company on your behalf for adequate compensation for your loved one’s injuries and losses, as well. If negotiations do not result in a fair settlement, your lawyer can represent you in court instead. An Augusta personal injury lawyer can help your family recover the money it needs to finally move forward – including compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, or wrongful death.
Nursing home abuse is a crime in which a person in a position of power intentionally causes harm or injury to a senior citizen – specifically, one who is a resident at a nursing home or similar facility. The most common culprits to commit nursing home abuse are staff members, caregivers, and nurses. Employees may take advantage of their closeness with seniors to abuse or neglect them for their own purposes, such as financial gain.
There are four main types of nursing home abuse to look out for if your loved one lives in a long-term care facility:
Nursing home abuse can happen for many reasons or no reason at all. The unfortunate reality is that many nursing homes in Georgia hire inexperienced workers, pay them low wages for long shifts and understaff their facilities. This leads to conditions that can be dangerous and harmful for elderly residents.
Unlike nursing home abuse, neglect does not have to be intentional. A nursing home or one of its employees can be guilty of neglect unintentionally, such as at an overcrowded facility with an insufficient number of staff members to properly care for each resident. Neglect refers to failing to provide proper care and attention to a nursing home resident. Neglect can be extremely harmful to a senior citizen physically and emotionally – especially a high-need nursing home resident.
Neglect can come in the form of failing to feed a senior citizen, forgetting to administer necessary medications, failing to provide proper medical care, and failing to keep a senior clean and orderly. It can also refer to ignoring, isolating, or improperly retraining a senior citizen for any amount of time, which can be a significant threat to his or her mental well-being.
In many ways, neglect can be just as harmful as nursing home abuse. Both can cause significant health problems, preventable injuries and wrongful death. Sadly, many abused and neglected seniors do not report their abusers. Instead, it is often up to the victim’s family members to watch for possible red flags and to come forward.
Visit your loved one as often as you can at a nursing home in Augusta. Pay attention to changes in your loved one from visit to visit. If you notice anything amiss, either physically or emotionally, ask your loved one directly about any incidents of abuse or neglect where he or she is staying. You can also search for signs of abuse yourself. Common signs of different types of nursing home abuse are:
If you notice any potential signs of nursing home abuse or neglect, act immediately. Report your suspicions to the nursing home itself, as well as to the authorities. You can call the police or the ombudsman program in your community to request an investigation. If you believe your loved one is in immediate danger, take him or her to a safe place right away.
Document your loved one’s injuries, any changes in mental state, and any other signs of nursing home abuse. Have your loved one record or write down his or her story of what happened, if possible. Take photographs of any visible injuries. Obtain copies of medical records, as well. Then, take all of this documentation to a nursing home abuse attorney in Augusta for review.
No person or family should ever have to deal with nursing home abuse or neglect. Sadly, abuse is the reality for hundreds of seniors in Georgia. If your loved one has been injured by nursing home abuse or neglect, our attorneys can help you fight for justice and compensation.
The Augusta, Georgia law offices of Nicholson Revell LLP Attorneys at Law, are ready to help you navigate what can be a long and difficult legal journey. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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