Sacramento Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
It is heartbreaking to discover that a vulnerable elderly loved one is being abused by the very place that should give him or her the best care. But even at the very best nursing homes, neglect and abuse can happen. If a facility is understaffed or poorly regulated, it is easy for things to slip through the cracks, but this negligence is unacceptable.
Rosenthal & Kreeger, LLP is dedicated to handling civil litigation cases involving neglect and abuse at long-term care facilities licensed as nursing homes and in assisted living facilities. Whether the neglect or abuse is emotional, physical, or simple negligence, our Sacramento nursing home abuse lawyers can help. We represent families throughout Northern California. Call our office at (916) 774-7200 and schedule a free consultation today.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney at Our Firm Can Help
A nursing home resident and his or her family may have one of several types of claims against a nursing home that is complicit in the physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse of that resident. An elder abuse case may apply to residents over the age of 65, while neglect and negligent hiring also provide grounds for civil claims.
Nursing homes have a high standard of care subject to federal and state rules and regulations. When a facility fails to adhere to these standards and this leads to the neglect or abuse of a resident, then this provides grounds for a suit.
A Sacramento nursing home abuse lawyer helps by holding the nursing home accountable for its negligence. He or she also works to negotiate a fair settlement with insurance companies, demanding compensation for the family’s material and intangible losses. Finally, an attorney can help assure that the state files criminal charges against any parties who commit abuse. Our Sacramento injury attorneys have the qualities needed to pursue nursing home abuse suits successfully:
- Our attorneys have the willingness, ability, and resources to take on big corporations and insurance companies and win in tough cases for our clients.
- We achieve successful outcomes in over 99 percent of our cases through settlement, mediation or trial.
- We handle all cases on a contingency basis, meaning we never charge a fee unless we achieve a successful result.
We have over 25 years of experience handling nursing home abuse and other personal injury cases so we know what it takes to have a successful claim – and we want to put that experience to work for you.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Several different types of nursing home abuse exist:
- Neglect is one of the most common types of abuse in a nursing home setting. When it causes real or possible harm, it rises to the level of physical abuse. Common examples occur when nursing home staff does not provide adequate care to the resident, resulting in conditions like malnutrition or bedsores.
- Emotional abuse can lead to depression, fear or anxiety. A common form of emotional abuse in nursing homes is false imprisonment, in which the nursing home staff doesn’t allow a resident to leave a certain area.
- Sexual abuse in a nursing home setting is not as common, but it can occur. It often occurs in conjunction with emotional or physical abuse.
- Financial abuse occurs when a person steals a nursing home resident’s personal property or financial information. Staff or other parties may also take advantage of a resident’s emotions or mental status and force them to amend wills or deeds.
If any of the above happened to your loved one, learn your legal options by speaking with a caring nursing home abuse lawyer in Sacramento.
What Are the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect?
Different types of nursing home abuse may display different warning signs. In general, sudden changes in behavior or nursing home staff being unwilling to leave a resident alone with a family member are red flags. Specific signs of abuse include:
- Signs of dehydration – sunken eyes, skin tenting, dry mucous membranes
- Bruising
- Sudden or dramatic weight loss
- Bedsores
- Use of restraints
- Fall-related injuries
- Broken bones
- Over-sedation
- Side effects from uncontrolled medical conditions
Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse
- Bleeding or bruising of genitalia
- Contraction of sexually transmitted infection
- Torn or bloodied clothing
Warning Signs of Emotional or Verbal Abuse
- Excessive fear or anxiety, particularly around one person
- Self-blame for problems that are seemingly insignificant
- Visual signs of behavioral changes
- Signs of dementia in a person not suffering from it
Warning Signs of Financial Abuse
- Changes in spending behavior – for example, frequent withdrawals from a bank account
- New credit cards, mortgage contracts, or deeds
- Sudden amendment of will or trust
- Theft or loss of personal property
Any of these symptoms warrant an investigation. Anyone who suspects nursing home abuse should remove the resident from the situation immediately and work on verifying his or her story.
Learn How a Sacramento Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Help
In addition to our legal counsel regarding your questions and concerns, our firm handles all the investigation and evidence necessary to prepare a strong case on behalf of your loved one. From day one, we prepare your case for trial. Although most cases get settled out of court, there are others that don’t. That way, we are truly doing everything we can to ensure that you and your loved one get all the compensation you deserve. Contact Rosenthal & Kreeger, LLP to learn more about how we can help you through the process by calling our office at (916) 774-7200.