As the population of older adults increases, nursing homes and facilities are seeing a rise in the number of residents under their care. Sadly, in some facilities, residents are neglected, either through carelessness or understaffing, or intentionally abused.
Should this happen to your loved one, call on a Horn Lake nursing home abuse & neglect lawyer from Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, who will fight to hold abusers accountable so your loved one gets the care and respect they deserve. An attentive personal injury attorney from our team will review your case and advise you on the next steps.
Signs of Abuse in Nursing Homes
Horn Lake nursing home abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial. Common signs of abuse include:
- Malnutrition
- Bedsores
- Jaundice
- Infections
- Cuts, lacerations, or excessive bleeding
- Severe weight loss
- Missing or broken personal items
- Dehydration
- Evidence of improper restraint, such as bruising around wrists and ankles
- Unsanitary living conditions
- Changes in emotional state
- Fearful attitudes toward facility workers
Financial abuse is harder to detect, but signs include staff taking bank account information, adding themselves to the resident’s bank or credit card accounts, and checks made out to staff.
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Causes of Nursing Home Neglect in Horn Lake
Neglect is another form of abuse that occurs when caregivers ignore residents’ needs. Caregivers must feed, change, bathe, administer medicine, and perform other specific duties for those under their care. When caregivers fail to fulfill these duties, they are guilty of neglect.
Neglect is not always intentional. In recent years, especially, understaffing in nursing homes has become a major problem. Workers are often exhausted and without reinforcements and resources to help them provide proper care. That said, neglect still puts Horn Lake nursing home residents in danger, whether intentional or not.
A Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Will Investigate
If your loved one experiences abuse or neglect, a nursing abuse and neglect attorney in Horn Lake will investigate to determine who is responsible and hold that party accountable. They can guide you on how to file a claim against the facility, doctors, staff, or other liable party and bring your loved one justice through a substantial financial settlement.
For example, facilities are responsible for doing background checks on and adequately training new staff so all residents are properly cared for. Staff must be prepared to administer medicine correctly and on time, handle mobility issues, provide social interaction, and ensure all residents are fed, bathed, and have access to clean clothes and bedding.
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How to Report Nursing Home Abuse And Neglect
The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) reports disturbing statistics regarding the prevalence of nursing home abuse. As disturbing as those numbers are, the NCEA cautions that they under-represent the actual incidents of abuse, as victims are too scared or disabled to report.
Mississippi has civil and criminal laws against the abuse of vulnerable adults, such as residents of nursing homes. If you suspect your loved one, or another resident, of being neglected or abused in a Horn Lake nursing home, you must make a report.
The Adult Protective Services branch of the Mississippi Department of Health and Human Services (MDHS) provides an abuse hotline and online portal for reporting abuse. You should also report the abuse to the facility administrator and to a Mississippi Ombudsman, who will serve as an advocate for your loved one or other victims.
Secure Representation from a Seasoned Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney
It is important for the authorities to investigate, charge, and punish abusers for their appalling behavior. It is also important for your loved one to be compensated for the losses and pain they have suffered, and a Horn Lake nursing home abuse & neglect attorney will fight to secure that compensation.
A settlement can cover or acknowledge:
- Medical costs incurred by the abuse, whether for physical or emotional injuries
- Financial or property losses, if abusers stole your loved one’s assets
- The physical pain and emotional or psychological suffering caused by the abuse
Your loved one may also receive punitive damages. Punitive damages are not compensatory but act to punish the abuser. Though no amount of money can erase the effects of abuse, punitive damages can help restore your loved one’s sense of dignity and empowerment.
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How a Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorney Can Help
To pursue a settlement, you must file a claim according to Mississippi’s statute of limitations, which is three years from when your loved one’s abuse should have been reasonably discovered or was discovered. Contact an attorney promptly upon suspecting abuse so they can investigate the situation and file a claim before that legal deadline.
To collect a settlement, you must prove the at-fault party’s liability, and an experienced attorney is best equipped to make that case. In nursing home abuse cases, your attorney will enlist experts and use extensive resources to prove your loved one was under the facility and staff’s explicit care. They can also demonstrate that those entities lapsed in or showed complete disregard for your loved one’s standard of care.
Your Horn Lake nursing home negligence attorney will also work to prove causation, which shows the nursing facility’s failure to administer proper care harmed your loved one. Nursing homes often cite pre-existing conditions to deflect pain for your loved one’s condition, but the team at GKBM is well prepared to fight this accusation. Finally, your attorney will calculate your loved one’s losses, both tangible and intangible, and demand a just settlement.
Partner With a Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer in Horn Lake
Our loved ones trust nursing care facilities to keep them safe and well cared for during their most vulnerable years. When facilities or staff dishonor that trust and abuse or neglect residents, they need to be held accountable, and your loved ones need to see justice.
Visit our contact page for help from an experienced, compassionate Horn Lake nursing home abuse & neglect lawyer from GKBM. Our team will give your loved one the respect they deserve and fight for the settlement they need to heal.
(901) 526-2126
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