It’s often a difficult decision to place your loved one in a nursing home. If you can’t care for them yourself, you need to find a facility that can provide them with the medical treatment and daily assistance necessary to keep them safe and healthy. At OnderLaw, we understand how devastating it is to discover that the staff you thought you could trust abused or neglected your loved one. It’s unfair and upsetting. You want to hold them liable for what they’ve done but might not know the steps you need to take.

Our Long Beach nursing home abuse lawyers have the experience, knowledge, and resources to help you pursue the compensation your loved one deserves for the suffering they endured. The negligent doctor, nurse, or other staff member should face the consequences of their misconduct. Our legal team will be your advocate and fight for the justice you and your family member deserves.

If you want to learn more about how we can help, call the Long Beach personal injury lawyers of OnderLaw today for a free consultation.

What Is Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect?

Nursing home abuse and neglect are any types of harm suffered by a nursing home resident due to a caretaker’s negligent actions or omission. The different types of nursing home abuse include:

  • Physical abuse – Inflicting physical pain or injuries by using physical force, such as slapping, kicking, punching, or shoving. Severe injuries can occur, and some incidents could lead to the patient’s death.
  • Sexual abuse – The use of coercion, threats, or force to engage in unwanted sexual contact.
  • Emotional abuse – Using verbal and nonverbal actions to inflict psychological distress, pain, or anguish. Common forms of emotional abuse are intimidation, yelling, harassment, and humiliation.
  • Neglect – Nursing home neglect is the failure to provide a patient with their basic needs, such as food and assistance with performing routine tasks. Dehydration, malnutrition, and bedsores are common injuries resulting from neglect.
  • Financial exploitation – Financial abuse occurs when someone uses another person’s money, assets, or personal property through improper or illegal means. A nursing home employee might financially abuse a resident by forcing them to transfer money from an account, forging their signature on a financial document, or stealing property from their room.
  • Abandonment – Abandonment occurs when the person responsible for providing a patient with medical care deserts them. For example, a nurse might fail to attend to a patient’s injury or leave them alone in a wheelchair for hours.

Unfortunately, any of these types of abuse could happen in a nursing facility. Older adults are vulnerable to caretakers mistreating them, especially if they have a physical disability or mental impairment. If you believe that your loved one suffered injuries from abuse or neglect, you should contact OnderLaw so we can investigate.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect

Many nursing home residents can’t speak for themselves or even recognize when they’re in danger. If a patient has Alzheimer’s disease, they might not remember what happened to them. Others worry about what their abuser might do if they report them. It’s often a challenge to notice when someone you love has become the victim of abuse, but signs and symptoms could indicate a problem.

Physical abuse warning signs might include:

  • Broken bones
  • Fear of specific individuals
  • Burns
  • Bruises
  • Missing teeth
  • Damaged personal items, such as eyeglasses

Sexual abuse warning signs might include:

  • Pelvic injuries
  • Torn or bloody underwear
  • Diagnosis of a new STD
  • Bruised genitals
  • Difficulty walking or sitting
  • Genital pain

Emotional abuse warning signs might include:

  • Low self-esteem
  • Withdrawing from favorite activities
  • Isolation from family and friends
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Mood swings
  • Depressions

Financial abuse warning signs might include:

  • Unusual account transfers or ATM withdrawals
  • Unexplained changes to the power of attorney or will
  • Missing cash and expensive personal property
  • A staff member showing interest in their patient’s finances
  • Financial activity lacking the necessary documentation

Neglect warning signs might include:

  • Dehydration
  • Malnutrition
  • Dirty living conditions
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Bedsores
  • Untreated injuries

Abandonment warning signs might include:

  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Sudden mobility issues
  • Infections
  • Poor hygiene
  • Depression or withdrawal from people and activities
  • Malnutrition and dehydration

You must be your loved one’s advocate during their time of need. If you suspect abuse, you must remove them from the dangerous situation and seek immediate legal action. They shouldn’t remain in a facility that doesn’t provide the medical care and assistance they deserve.

What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect

The first and most important step you should take if you think your loved one was abused is to remove them from the facility. Arrange for transportation to a hospital so a doctor can evaluate their physical and mental condition. The physician should treat any injuries and might recommend a treatment plan. It’s critical that you listen to the recommendations and ensure your relative receives the care they need to heal.

You should also hire a Long Beach nursing home abuse lawyer. You might think you can handle the case alone, but it’s a complicated process. Dealing with insurance companies, paperwork, and deadlines can be stressful. If you run into any problems and don’t know how to resolve them, you could end up with a denied insurance claim or dismissed lawsuit.

OnderLaw can take on the responsibility for your case and complete each step from start to finish. We know how to investigate nursing home abuse and determine who should be held liable. With our help, you have a better chance of recovering the maximum compensation necessary to pay for your family member’s medical treatment and other expenses.

Maintaining records is another vital part of pursuing a nursing home abuse case. You should keep copies of every document you receive associated with the incident. Medical records show the date of the injury, the timeline of necessary treatment, and the recovery progress. You should also keep letters you receive from the insurance company, receipts from payment for prescriptions, and a detailed list of out-of-pocket costs. If your loved one suffered financial abuse, print out bank statements and other documentation showing unusual activity.

There are various resources available when someone you love becomes the victim of nursing home abuse. If you want to file a police report, you could call contact the Long Beach Police Department at 562-435-6711. You can also reach out to a local Ombudsman to report what happened. You might also want to file a formal complaint with the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect Claims

Losses are likely when there’s nursing home abuse. Whether physical, sexual, or financial, your loved one probably suffered some losses. You could file a claim or lawsuit against the nursing home or individual responsible for the injuries.

The losses you might obtain compensation for could include:

  • Physical impairment or disfigurement
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of future earnings
  • Medical bills
  • Emotional distress
  • Damage to personal property
  • Pain and suffering

The amount of compensation you recover will depend on a range of factors associated with your case. Generally, severe injuries deserve a higher financial award, while minor injuries might get less compensation or nothing at all. The Long Beach nursing home lawyers of OnderLaw will review all factors to calculate the correct number to demand from the negligent party. You should receive the compensation you deserve to cover your losses.

Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

Federal regulations and state laws are supposed to protect nursing home residents. Unfortunately, not all facilities follow those regulations, increasing the risk of injuries and fatalities.

According to statistics, one in 10 adults 60 years of age and older experience abuse in the United States. However, most victims never report what happened.

The National Center for Victims of Crime determined the prevalence of each type of abuse:

  • Physical abuse – 27.4%
  • Physical or sexual resident-on-resident abuse – 22.1%
  • Psychological abuse – 19.4%
  • Gross neglect – 15.3%
  • Financial exploitation – 7.9%
  • Sexual abuse – 7.9%

A study of elder abuse around the country found that California is one of the states with the highest prevalence of elder abuse. Unfortunately, this is due to the limited number of resources available to protect senior citizens from being victimized.

California Adult Protective Services gathered data on elder abuse over ten years and found:

  • 25,662 physical abuse cases
  • 810 sexual abuse cases
  • 54,108 financial abuse cases
  • 23,057 neglect cases
  • 1,495 abandonment cases
  • 47,180 psychological/mental abuse cases

Why Choose OnderLaw?

The Long Beach nursing home abuse lawyers of OnderLaw have been representing abuse victims since 2002. We have been able to collect over $3.5 billion for our clients. When you hire us, we will provide the personalized service you deserve and remain by your side to help you through the legal process.

We take cases on contingency, so you don’t have to worry about whether you can afford an attorney. There are no upfront fees or costs, and we don’t charge you unless we secure compensation for you. If we lose your case, you won’t have to pay us.

OnderLaw offers 24/7 customer service so you can reach us when you need us. You can call us at a time that’s most convenient for you to address your concerns, receive a status update on your case, or ask questions you may have. We know how important it is to remain in constant contact with us. You can count on open and honest communication from start to finish of your case.

Contact Us

At OnderLaw, our legal team will fight for you and your loved one. We believe in advocating for older adults who can’t speak for themselves. You have a right to pursue compensation on behalf of your relative, and we can help.

If your loved one suffered injuries from nursing home abuse, call us for a free consultation today.