In Las Vegas and the surrounding areas, elder abuse is an increasingly common issue. This alarming trend has been accelerated by the influx of venture capital funding in nursing homes, creating a new class of profit-driven corporate nursing homes that put their tenants’ needs last. These corporate interests are often hidden from prospective families who are considering entrusting these nursing homes with the care of their loved ones.
Putting profits over people in nursing homes and other senior care settings can have predictable and disastrous consequences. Neglect is the most common source of harm, as these facilities pass up experienced staff for lower-cost and undertrained workers. Similarly, these facilities have been known to seek out discount medical supplies and other resources.
Nursing homes have a responsibility to meet the standard of care for their residents. In an understaffed and undertrained setting, routine care procedures like assisting seniors in moving throughout the facility or changing their sheets can fall by the wayside. Seniors who suffer from this negligent care are often left with physical and emotional damages that can shorten their lives and cause them suffering.. Our team of Las Vegas personal injury lawyers is determined to fight back and stop these unjust practices. We are trial lawyers with over 300 years of combined experience – we know how to hold these facilities accountable.
Many of our attorneys have aging parents and have seen firsthand the potential for harm when seniors are abused. These cases are deeply personal for us. We bring a strong track record of success, with well over $1.5 billion recovered. We are proud of the work we do on these cases and the justice we pursue on behalf of our clients – contact us today if you or a loved one has experienced elder abuse.
What qualifies as elder abuse in Las Vegas?
In most cases, if a senior suffers harm due to someone else’s negligence – particularly in ways that spring from the unique vulnerabilities of older individuals – this may constitute elder abuse. It is important to consult with an experienced Las Vegas elder abuse lawyer to understand the full scope of your legal actions. Sometimes, what may appear to be a common injury for a senior such as a slip and fall can actually be an example of elder abuse and neglect.
Most often, elder abuse falls into one of the following categories:
- Physical Abuse and Neglect. A facility and its employees have the duty and responsibility to keep the people in their care safe, healthy, and meet their basic needs. But often, seniors are neglected, overlooked, and even abused. When that happens, seniors can quickly suffer slip and fall accidents, pressure sores, medication errors, malnutrition, and the distress of isolation.
- Psychological Abuse. Especially in settings where inexperienced and undertrained employees have been brought in to cut costs, seniors might suffer psychological abuse. This most often takes the form of an impatient or uncaring professional verbally abusing a vulnerable senior because the professional is struggling to meet the senior’s needs.
- Financial Abuse. Criminals, shady contractors, and other bad actors, take advantage of seniors through a myriad of schemes. These schemes get more and more sophisticated and often use a variety of technological means. Banks and other institutions often ignore warning signs put in place to protect seniors from such fraud. Victims of financial elder abuse also suffer shame, embarrassment, and often a shorter life span after they fall victim to these schemes. .
- Sexual Abuse. If you discover a loved one has suffered sexual abuse, it is important to contact the police. Our team of Las Vegas elder abuse attorneys will help you pursue justice following this particularly egregious form of elder abuse.
Elder abuse can take a variety of forms, both intentional and unintentional. Our team is dedicated to bringing justice to the families of those who have suffered the horrors of elder abuse. It is deeply traumatizing to discover this has taken place – contact us today to learn how we can help.
What types of damages can I sue for due to elder abuse in Las Vegas?
Damages in elder abuse cases take a number of forms. First, economical damages compensate the survivor and their families for medical, funeral, and other direct expenses. Non-economic damages compensate the survivor and their families for sufferings, emotional damage, loss of love and companionship. Additionally, for elder abuse cases, survivors and their families can collect punitive damages meant to punish the defendant for their conduct,if that conduct is fraudulent, oppressive, or intentional.
Our team of experienced Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers has the knowledge and expertise to secure you justice and the financial compensation you deserve. Contact us today.
Las Vegas Elder Abuse Lawyer Near Me 310-844-9696
How long do elder abuse cases take in Las Vegas?
In the ideal scenario, the responsible parties will accept accountability for their negligence quickly and provide you with the financial compensation you deserve via a settlement. In many cases, however, the defendants will refuse our demands and insist on litigation. Even throughout litigation, a settlement can happen at any time. Our team of elder abuse lawyers at Arias Sanguinetti are trial lawyers – we are thoroughly experienced in every stage of litigation including trial.
Barring a settlement, a case will be determined by a judgment or verdict. Generally, the stages of litigation are:
- Investigation. Our independent investigation of the incident you or a loved one experienced is a crucial part of our litigation process. Each new piece of information informs our approach and increases our leverage in negotiations. Our team will rely on available medical and police reports, your testimony, and other information to build a thorough picture of what occurred.
- Negotiation. Armed with a thorough account of events, we will then send the defendants a demand letter. This kicks off negotiations – ideally, the defendant will agree to our proposed settlement. Your leverage in negotiation is increased with a trial lawyer by your side. Trial is expensive and risky for defendants – many prefer to settle when faced with an experienced Las Vegas elder abuse attorney.
- Litigation: Filing a Complaint. Filing a complaint initiates a lawsuit through the courts. The complaint will thoroughly detail the findings of our investigation into your case. We will be in communication with you every step of the way.
- Discovery and Depositions. In most civil cases, the defense is required to turn over all relevant information that they are in possession of including but not limited to internal recordkeeping, texts between employees, and any reports that were filed within the facility in question. We will also complete depositions – recorded, under-oath interviews with relevant witnesses.
- Potential Mediation and Further Negotiation. Under certain circumstances, our team of Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers will pursue mediation. Mediation is a form of structured negotiation in which a third party, commonly a retired lawyer or judge, will act as a mediator between us and the defense. This can be a productive means of reaching an agreement and avoiding the risk of trial.
- Motions and Trial. This is where our team of Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers can be especially effective. We take pride in being trial lawyers – our experience and resources enable us to effectively pursue justice for our clients in the courtroom. We are active in fine-tuning our practice, regularly attending seminars and instructing continuing education events.
- Judgment or Verdict. If we go to trial, your case will likely be decided by a jury of your peers. The standard of proof in civil cases is lower than the criminal court’s better-known “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard. We have been able to deliver successful results time and time again in jury trials.
At every stage of litigation, our team of Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers will be in contact with you. We believe that strong communication is the basis for an effective relationship. Our team is dedicated to securing justice for our deserving clients – contact us today.
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How much is my Las Vegas elder abuse case worth?
Each case is unique and the damages we recover depend on the details of the harm you suffered. A crucial aspect of our investigation is assessing the claims we can make on your behalf. Also, the potential financial compensation related to your case may be augmented if punitive damages are involved.
Broadly, our team of Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers commonly pursues the following categories of damages on behalf of seniors who have been abused:
- Medical Expenses, Past and Future. Medical expenses can be extremely burdensome, leading some families to bankruptcy. If someone else’s negligence caused harm that incurred medical bills, the financial burden of covering these medical costs should be theirs. You can also obtain financial compensation to cover future foreseeable medical costs related to the incident or incidents.
- Monetary Losses. Especially in cases of financial abuse, you may have a claim to recover funds lost directly caused by the abuse. In some cases, this may include residency fee reimbursement.
- Emotional Counseling. Experiencing abuse in care facilities, particularly neglect and sexual abuse, can be a deeply traumatizing experience. Our team believes you and your loved ones deserve the tools to recover.
- Pain and Suffering. Your pain and suffering are part of your damages and you deserve financial compensation for this aspect of your experience.
- Lost Wages. If you lost wages in the process of addressing and recovering from the abuse of your loved one, these wages can be part of your claim.
Our team of Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers believes you deserve to be compensated for the full scope of your damages. We will never accept a lowball offer and will advocate tirelessly on your behalf – contact us today.
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How much does a Las Vegas elder abuse lawyer cost?
Our team believes that how much money you have should never determine whether or not you get justice. To make this a reality, our team of Las Vegas elder abuse lawyers works on a contingency basis. With regard to legal fees, our services are completely free to you until we win for you. Every aspect of your case, from your initial compensation to your representation in trial, is completely free until we win for you. We have seen firsthand the doors to recovery that justice can open. Everyone deserves to be heard.
If you’re ready to pursue justice, contact us today.
Call or text 310-844-9696 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
