Nursing homes are a crucial part of our healthcare system. Families rarely have the resources or training to care for their elders. A quality nursing home gives them a comfortable place to live out their final years of life. At least, that’s how it should go.
For some residents, nursing homes are a nightmare because of abuse and neglect. It can put your loved one’s sanity and even life at risk, but there is something you can do to stop it. You can pick up the phone and call a Hempstead nursing home abuse attorney at Morelli Law Firm for advice.
Why does Nursing Home Abuse Happen?
There are multiple causes for why nursing home abuse and neglect happen. One of the most common is understaffing. If there aren’t enough workers to maintain care, standards drop and neglect occurs. Be wary of any home that has a low caregiver to patient ratio.
Many staff members are also underpaid and/or undertrained, which also contributes to medical errors and a feeling of being undervalued. Poor nursing home management can also push better-qualified workers into leaving or doing things they shouldn’t, especially when there is a lack of consequences.
Finally, there are the true rotten apples that abuse patients for their own reasons, such as burnout, poor mental health, personal issues, or a history of abuse. These individuals take their stress out on patients in troubling, even violent, ways.
What Compensation Could I Receive?
There are several damages your loved one could receive in their case. We should note that, unless your loved one has died, the compensation will go to them under New York law. In the event of a wrongful death, it will go to the person who filed the claim.
Damages in a nursing home abuse or neglect claim include things like medical bills for treatment, both physical and mental. This may also include the costs of moving your loved one away from a dangerous home into a safer one. They may also be eligible for many non-economic damages.
With elder financial abuse, the recovery would include the money stolen from your loved one. It could also include any diminishment of care or life because that money was not available to the victim.
Hempstead Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
Reporting Dangers to Government Regulators
A key step in any nursing home abuse case is to get government regulators involved. They can gain access to the home and investigate things you cannot. Regulators can also obtain evidence for the case.
In New York, these regulators are part of the long-term care ombudsman program. As part of your case, we will make a complaint to them. Through their investigative authority, they can also call in police to arrest abusers, investigate the causes of neglect, and force recommendations to fix issues that threaten the safety of a nursing home.
Furthermore, a formal complaint like this can threaten sources of state and federal funding if problems aren’t resolved. For many nursing home owners, this is a sufficient threat for them to solve the problem even if your loved one’s case is still in process.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Helps You
Besides getting the attention of regulators, your nursing home abuse lawyer in Hempstead will help you make a nursing home abuse claim or lawsuit against the responsible parties. To do this, your lawyer will do things like:
- Interview the victim and the staff at the home
- Gather evidence of abuse
- Help you report your case to the authorities
- File the claim against the nursing home and any other relevant parties
- Negotiate a settlement or, if necessary, take your case to trial
At all stages of the process, we will keep you informed of what’s happening and what the next steps are. We will also explain all the relevant laws and give advice to you and your loved one about what to do to protect yourselves.
Morelli Law Is Ready to Help You Today
If you find your loved one is in immediate danger, call 911 so that they can get help in an outside facility first. If they are safe at the moment but you believe they’ve been abused, contact Morelli Law Firm. Our team of Hempstead nursing home abuse lawyers can help you recover compensation.
To start your free case evaluation, call or contact us online. We’ll be glad to help you.