Deerfield Beach Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Seniors deserve quality care from nursing home facilities. Many choose to retire in Florida for the beautiful weather and beaches. However, when it comes to putting a loved one in a care facility, families are often hesitant. You are putting your trust in the nursing home to care for your family member’s daily needs. When the facility breaks that trust, when staff neglect or harm your loved one, the nursing home facility and staff need to be held accountable.

If you believe a facility is neglecting or even abusing your loved one, do not wait to report it. Seniors cannot always defend themselves or do anything to change their situation. Nursing home negligence is a time-sensitive matter. As soon as you suspect negligence or abuse, talk to an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer to discuss your options.

Common Signs of Abuse

Recognizing signs of abuse is not always easy. Not all seniors can speak for themselves. Residents with failing memories may not recall the incidents. Others may fear further harm from abusive caregivers if they speak up

Still, you can watch for signs of abuse. Keeping these indications in mind will help you recognize abuse or negligence earlier on.

There are more kinds of abuse than just physical. In addition to bodily harm, there is also neglect, emotional, and financial abuse. We will explore the different signs for each of these forms of exploitation. If you believe your loved one is in danger, report the abuse to law enforcement and contact an experienced lawyer immediately.

Neglect

Neglect may be intentional or not. Sometimes nursing home facilities are understaffed or have improperly trained caretakers. However, this does not excuse negligent conduct on the part of the facility or staff.

To recognize signs of neglect, take notice of your loved one’s surroundings, changes in behavior, and physical abnormalities. For example:

• Unsanitary Conditions
• Bedsores
• Ignored Medical Needs
• Disheveled Appearance (Dirty clothes, face, hands, or hair)
• Wrong Prescriptions
• Mention of Withheld Nutrition, Medication, or Other Necessities
• Drastic Weight Loss or Malnutrition

Physical/Emotional Abuse

Abuse includes emotional damage as well as physical. Your loved one may suffer emotional harm due to physical abuse or neglect. Look for signs of unusual behavior or personality changes in addition to physical injuries.

Indications of physical and emotional abuse may include:

• Unexplained bruises, cuts, fractures, or sprains
• Strong denial by the patient that anything is happening may indicate fear to speak up for themselves
• Marks that imply the patient was grabbed harshly, such as on their wrists or both sides of their body
• Unexplained changes in personality (for example, someone who was once outgoing and optimistic becomes withdrawn, depressed, or anxious)
• The patient shows signs of fear or withdrawal when a particular staff member walks into the room

Financial Abuse

Sadly, some may try to take advantage of seniors and their monetary status. Take note of any suspicious activity such as:

• Unusual withdrawals from bank accounts
• Unexpected changes to the patient’s will
• A sudden and close relationship with a person, especially someone much younger than the patient

Even with all these signs, distinguishing abuse might be difficult. A bruise may just be a bruise. Whether you are sure or not, it is better to act than to regret not taking action later. Gaining a second opinion from a professional nursing home abuse lawyer may help you get a better picture. We can help you decipher possible signs of abuse and decide if abuse or negligence is occurring.

A Resident’s Rights

Elderly abuse is a felony in Florida. Our state has laws specifically to protect the elderly from nursing home negligence. The Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) passed in 1987, outlines the rights of residents, which are:

• The right to privacy
• To receive mental, physical, and psychosocial needs
• To communicate freely
• To be treated with dignity
• To be free from mistreatment, abuse, and neglect
• To exercise self-determination
• To be free from physical restraints
• To voice grievances without reprisal or discrimination
• To participate in their care plan
• To engage in family and resident groups

If a nursing home fails to provide or hinders a patient from partaking in these basic rights, their negligence falls under medical malpractice, and your loved one is entitled to compensation.

Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence

A victim has the right to compensation for nursing home abuse, including both economic and non-economic damages such as medical bills, physical injuries and pain, and emotional anguish. If abuse leads to a resident’s death, the family may also receive compensation for their loss. In addition to the list above, this may include compensation for wrongful death, funeral costs, emotional suffering, and loss of companionship.

Remember, there are statutes of limitations for bringing lawsuits in nursing home abuse cases. In Florida law, you must file a lawsuit within two years of the abuse or from the time the abuse was discovered. However, if the nursing home intentionally hides the abuse, two additional years are allowed to file a suit.

If you choose to file a lawsuit, you should seek legal counsel to walk you through the process and will help you receive full compensation. Nursing homes may try to settle the case quickly and offer far less than your family deserves. An experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can guide you through the lawsuit process and negotiate on your behalf for a better settlement.

Talk to a Deerfield Beach Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Time is critical in nursing home negligence cases. If you believe your loved one is being abused or neglected, do not delay. Your family member may endure more pain or suffer worse injuries as time passes. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and how to move forward. Our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers are here to help you and your family receive due compensation for wrongs done against your loved one. Call for a free consultation: 954-951-0000.