Elgin Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Having to place your parent, grandparent, or spouse in a nursing home can be a traumatic experience. Naturally, people want their loved ones to live with them as long as possible, but sometimes, they simply need additional medical care that standard homes cannot provide. This process can be difficult in that families must entrust strangers to care for their loved ones.
Many nursing homes provide excellent care and many caregivers in those facilities work hard and are honest and compassionate to the residents of the nursing home. However, some nursing homes neglect their patients and allow abuse to occur.
If you believe that someone you care about has been abused in a nursing home, then you should consider hiring an Elgin nursing home abuse lawyer. A compassionate personal injury attorney can work hard to achieve the compensation your loved one deserves.
Physical and Sexual Abuse
If someone asks any Elgin nursing home abuse lawyer, then they will learn that there are numerous types and forms of abuse. Staff members may abuse patients physically, emotionally, verbally, or sexually. Since many patients may no longer be as mentally competent as they once were, they may be subject to manipulation tactics from dishonest care workers.
Physical abuse and neglect is the most common form of nursing home misconduct, and if someone notices the following signs during a visit, their loved one may be experiencing abuse or neglect:
- Cuts, bruises, and broken bones
- Dehydration or malnutrition
- Bed sores
- Unsanitary living conditions
- Improper medication dosages
Sexual and emotional abuse are also serious problems in nursing homes. Seniors are often in vulnerable positions, and it is not uncommon for perpetrators to intimidate or threaten their victims into silence. When visiting a friend or family member in a nursing home, it is always important to look for the signs above and keep the lines of communication clear.
Psychological Manipulation
Psychological manipulation tactics are common forms of elder abuse. Often, seniors feel alone and emotionally vulnerable, and ill-intentioned individuals can sense this.
Financial exploitation is one of the more common types of manipulation. There have been cases of caregivers committing the following acts against an older individual:
- Identity theft
- Forging signatures
- Stealing money or personal belongings
- Misuse of credit cards or banking information
- Lastly, Unauthorized withdrawals of cash
Nursing home care is exceptionally expensive, and elders are often on a limited budget. When a dishonest individual takes advantage of an older individual financially, the victim can lose their ability to pay for care.
Obligations of a Nursing Home
No one has the right to abuse anyone’s loved one, especially those charged with caring for them, and an individual and their family will need an Elgin nursing home abuse lawyer to take their issues to court. Even if there are no criminal charges, they can still seek compensation through a civil court.
Nursing homes have an obligation to ensure that their patients are taken care of by maintaining a clean and sanitary environment, performing thorough background checks on employees, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the home.
When they fail to do this, predatory individuals can be employed and elder abuse can fly under the radar.
Contact an Elgin Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today
Loved one is being subjected to abuse or neglect in a nursing home? Please contact an Elgin nursing home abuse lawyer.
Elgin attorneys strive to get justice for all clients. You will greatly benefit from the wealth of legal experience and knowledge. Contact us today for a free consultation.