Nursing homes provide necessary care for people when they reach old age so they can enjoy their final years in safety and comfort. Unfortunately, some nursing homes do not perform their duties well. They can neglect the care of their residents. Worse, some staff members are outright abusive.
If you believe a nursing home employee has neglected or harmed your loved one, their life may be at risk. Speak with our Carbondale personal injury lawyers to see if you can hold them liable for damages. Our experienced lawyers are prepared to take on your case.
What Damages Could I Receive in a Nursing Home Abuse Case?
Once you hire a nursing home abuse lawyer from Morelli Law, we can begin an investigation of the facility your loved one is in. The evidence we find could help you recover compensation for several damages, including potential punitive damages in cases of severe abuse or death.
Economic damages can cover the expenses your loved one suffered because of what happened to them. Non-economic damages compensate for the emotional and psychological damage suffered by the victim.
We can tell you which damages your case is eligible for when we create your case. You can use the money to cover your loved one’s medical needs, and may receive enough to move your loved one to a safer facility.
Who Is Liable for Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse and neglect can be caused by nursing home staff, an outside contractor, or the nursing home itself. Figuring out who is liable is vital to start your case because we must prove that the defendant’s actions harmed your loved one.
Figuring out who is liable can be challenging in nursing home cases. In many personal injury situations, the victim can explain what happened and who they believe is at fault. However, some victims suffer from memory problems or live under the threat of retaliation while they’re in the home.
Getting to the bottom of the situation can be nearly impossible to do on your own. You need someone who can force the nursing home to turn over evidence and perform an investigation. Morelli Law’s nursing home abuse lawyers in Carbondale can help you.
Carbondale Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
Why Nursing Homes Are Responsible for Abuse
There is a massive shortage of proper training and proper staff numbers in many nursing homes. This is a recipe for creating neglect inside homes. The extra pressure this puts on the existing staff can push them toward abusive behavior.
Some actions that could point to neglect by the facility include:
- Failure to provide basic necessities to residents
- Lack of medicine or medical care
- Failure to properly vet and train new employees
- Failure to maintain medical equipment
- Lack of security
- Inappropriate follow-up for complaints
If we can show something like this happened, we can help you pursue a nursing home abuse claim against the facility. You can receive damages for what happened to your loved one.
How Our Attorneys Will Help You
If you believe your family member has suffered abuse or neglect at a nursing home, you may wonder where you can turn for help. Turn to Morelli Law’s nursing home abuse lawyers in Carbondale. We can pursue your legal case while you focus on helping your loved one recover from what happened.
Our team will gather evidence to support your claims and identify who is liable for what happened. Once we have finished our investigation, our team will:
- File the paperwork to start your claim or lawsuit
- Speak with the nursing home and their attorneys on your behalf
- Determine the value of all of your damages
- Give advice about settlement offers and your legal options
- Prepare you for giving testimony about what happened
- Pursuing your case in court, if necessary
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
You may not see your loved one as often once they are in a nursing home, especially if they show signs of dementia. However, you need to visit occasionally to check for signs of potential neglect or abuse. Here are some signs that may mean you need to speak with a lawyer:
- Less talkative
- Sudden changes in behavior, like more anger or more withdrawal
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
- STDs or bleeding in private areas
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, or wounds
Some of these signs are subtle. Regular visits can help you identify a problem before it threatens the life of your loved one. If you notice a situation but it hasn’t harmed your loved one yet, you can speak with Illinois’ long-term care ombudsman to complain formally.
If your loved one has died and you believe it was because of abuse, you must act quickly. There could be physical evidence on the body that must be preserved so you can win a wrongful death claim. It may be hard to reach out while you’re grieving, but your opportunity for justice against the home that killed your loved one is short.
Financial Abuse
A special category of nursing home abuse is financial abuse. Residents cannot monitor their bank accounts or their insurance policies. A staff member might steal a bank card or a checkbook, or even try to change a will or gain power of attorney.
If you suspect that your family member is getting targeted for financial abuse, contact your bank to stop the charges and then contact our lawyers. If you find whoever was liable for the financial harm, our Carbondale nursing home abuse lawyers can help you hold them accountable.
Call Morelli Law for a Free Consultation
If your loved one is in immediate danger, contact the police and Illinois’ Department of Adult Protective Services. They can take your loved one into custody to remove them from the situation. Meanwhile, contact Morelli Law to speak with our Carbondale nursing home abuse lawyers.
Our team can help you recover financial compensation to help you pay for your loved one’s care. Our team will work tirelessly to hold whoever harmed your loved one accountable and we have decades of experience fighting cases. Put our expertise to work for you.
Call now to get a free consultation. Your loved one’s life may depend on it.