Nursing homes are supposed to be safe places for our loved ones. But with the rising amount of misconduct and abuse within facilities across the country, it becomes more likely that your loved one may suffer from abuse in a nursing home. So it’s important that if you witness any type of abuse within a nursing home, you should report it immediately.
At the Buzbee Law Firm, our nursing home attorneys strive to get justice for you and your loved ones after they suffer abuse at the hands of a nursing home. Our team is dedicated to getting the compensation you and your loved one deserve so you can return to living life.
What Types of Nursing Home Abuse Should I Report?
Even though nursing homes are supposed to be a place free of abuse for our families as they age, there continues to be widespread abuse in the industry. There are various types of elder abuse that can occur in a nursing home. It’s important to know the different types of abuse and how to recognize them.
We’ll discuss the most common types of abuse that you should report if you see any of them occur. You should report the following types of abuse if you witness any of them:
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse occurs when staff members or even other residents at nursing homes take advantage of residents’ financial possessions. This can include stealing money, credit cards, or any property from residents.
If you witness financial abuse, you should contact the nursing home’s management or administration and report the issue. By doing so, you are preventing further abuse from occurring in the future.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse, unfortunately, occurs often in nursing homes. Physical abuse is the easiest type of abuse to identify because of the visible marks you may see on residents. Physical abuse is defined as any physical harm a staff member, third party, or another resident inflicts on a resident.
Physical abuse can include tripping, punching, pushing, excessive force, and even sexual abuse. If you witness a resident suffering from physical abuse, you should report it to the nursing home’s administration. And if the nursing home doesn’t handle the issue the correct way, you can contact law enforcement.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is another frequent type of abuse that happens in nursing homes. However, it may not be as obvious as physical abuse is. Emotional abuse, also referred to as psychological abuse, can include yelling, shaming, threatening, and humiliating.
This type of abuse can be traumatizing for elderly residents, especially if they are already emotionally vulnerable. If you see psychological abuse happening in a nursing home, you should report it to the nursing home or local law enforcement.
No abuse is ever acceptable in a nursing home. If you have witnessed abuse take place in an elderly care facility, you should report it to the nursing home’s administration or law enforcement.
How to Report Nursing Home Abuse
If you witness any of the above-mentioned types of abuse, you should report it immediately. We previously mentioned that you should report abuse to the nursing home and local law enforcement. In addition, you should report it to as many parties as you can. You can report nursing home abuse by:
- Calling a 24/7 nursing home abuse hotline
- Contacting an ombudsman that represents nursing home residents
- Connecting with Adult Protective Services
After you report the nursing home abuse to one or more of the officials above, you may want to consider contacting a nursing home attorney. Our team of nursing home attorneys an help you navigate the legal process and get you the compensation you and your loved one deserve.
How a Nursing Home Attorney Can Help You
When you contact a nursing home abuse lawyer, you can get assistance with knowing when to file your nursing home abuse claim. This is one of the most important steps of a nursing home case because it determines whether or not you get compensation. If you don’t file within the appropriate time frame, you will not be eligible to receive compensation.
Another part of the legal process a nursing home attorney can help you with is insurance negotiation. Insurance adjusters always try to devalue your claim, so they don’t have to pay out the settlement you and your loved one actually deserve.
A nursing home lawyer can also help you gather evidence to support your nursing home abuse claim in court, if necessary. By having strong and relevant evidence, you will have a higher chance of winning your case at a higher value. Relevant evidence can include photos of injuries, statements from other residents and staff, security camera footage, and employees’ time cards.
Contact the Buzbee Law Firm to Get Help with Your Nursing Home Abuse Case
If you witnessed any type of abuse of your loved one in a nursing home, you should report it to the appropriate parties. And if the nursing home or another party does not handle the situation properly and give your loved one the reimbursement they deserve, then it’s time to contact a lawyer.
At the Buzbee Law Firm, our nursing home attorneys can help you get the compensation and care you need for your loved one. Call us or fill out the contact form on our website page to start your free consultation today.
