Brooklyn Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Families place great trust in the nursing homes they select for their relatives. These facilities must comply with strict guidelines and procedures to ensure the safety of their residents. When they cut corners and fail to meet these minimum standards, they risk the lives of loved ones.

A Brooklyn nursing home abuse lawyer can help if your loved one suffered such abuse. At Morelli Law Firm, we work to hold the liable parties accountable, seeking both justice and compensation for our clients and their families.

Call us today to get started on your case. Our Brooklyn personal injury lawyers can handle the legal process while you care for your loved one.

Warning Signs for Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing abuse can take different forms, and it can be difficult to recognize it, especially when your relative suffers from cognitive impairment, such as dementia. Some nursing home residents may not understand what is happening to them or be able to report abuse.

Family members can help by remaining vigilant on visits and looking out for the common warning signs of nursing home abuse. Our nursing home abuse attorneys in Brooklyn can help your elderly relative if they suffered any of the following types of nursing home abuse.

Physical Abuse and Neglect

Nursing home patients who suffer physical abuse will often be left with visible marks, such as bruises and cuts. Some injuries, such as genital bruises after sexual abuse, may be concealed by clothing, though. Various parties may be responsible, such as their caretakers, nurses, and even other residents.

Nursing home residents require varying levels of assistance with day-to-day tasks, like eating or going to the bathroom. Neglect involves a caretaker or administrator’s failure to meet their basic needs. It can result in serious medical issues, like malnutrition and dehydration.

Signs of nursing home neglect can include:

• A sudden decrease in weight
• Poor hygiene, dirty or soiled clothing, and body odor
• Bedsores from lying in bed without assistance to reposition themselves
• A drastic change in mood, depression, or anxiety
• Fall injuries from residents trying to walk without assistance
• Wandering off the premises due to lack of supervision and security

Emotional Abuse

Just as with physical abuse and neglect, emotional abuse can be dangerous to a loved one’s health. Nursing home employees and caretakers may be stretched thin and take out their frustration on residents. Whether they yell, scream, mock, intimidate, or even tease a resident, they are violating their rights and risking their wellbeing.

Signs of emotional abuse in elderly nursing home patients include depression, anxiety, and irritability. Remember, not all residents have the capacity to express their concerns verbally, so it’s important to check in with them as often as possible and observe their care.

Some victims of nursing home abuse may also fear retaliation from a caretaker. If you suspect any form of abuse, report your complaint about nursing home care to the New York Department of Health and relocate your loved one to a safe environment. Then, call Morelli Law Firm for legal representation.

Financial Abuse

Nursing home residents have varying access to their personal finances. Some people may keep cash, credit cards, or banking information on hand at the facility, and caretakers may exploit them financially.

If you notice strange charges on your elderly relative’s accounts or they complain about money going missing, follow up with their banks. They may have even been the victim of identity theft.

Our nursing home abuse lawyers in Brooklyn can investigate any discrepancies and build a case against the caregiver and the nursing home itself.

Our Brooklyn Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys Can Hold the Liable Parties Accountable

There is never any excuse for nursing home abuse or neglect. Still, our legal team must demonstrate negligence to build a personal injury case. We can gather evidence illustrating how a facility violated your relative’s rights and safety.

Common causes of nursing home abuse and neglect include:

• Understaffing: If there are not enough caretakers (RNs, LPNs, CNAs) to adequately address each patient’s needs, important, life-preserving duties can fall through the cracks. Overworked employees may also cut corners, like forgetting to check or update a patient’s medical profile, leading to grave medication errors.
• Unqualified employees: Nursing homes are responsible for vetting and training their employees. They must have certain licenses and certifications to ensure the safety of their residents.
• Failure to maintain a clean, safe environment: Nursing home administrators must also ensure that the premises are clean and safe. For example, walkways should remain clutter-free to reduce the risk of falling. Similarly, the premises should be cleaned regularly to prevent the spread of infections.

Seeking Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

Our Brooklyn nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers fight for fair compensation so you can help care for your loved one. You may qualify for the following damages:

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Reduced quality of life

If you lost a loved one to injuries that resulted from nursing home abuse or neglect, our Brooklyn wrongful death lawyers can fight for the justice your family deserves. We can handle the legal work while you grieve in peace.

Call Our Brooklyn Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm for Help Today

At Morelli Law Firm, we know nothing is more important than your family. We want to help you stand up for their rights and secure the compensation that can help them recover from nursing home abuse or neglect.

Your main focus can remain on securing a safe environment for your loved one and getting them the medical care they need. We can take care of investigating the abuse, identifying the liable parties, and holding them responsible.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We can explain more about how our nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys in Brooklyn can help.