Nursing homes provide a vital service to elderly members of the community, supporting their health and well-being. Unfortunately, these facilities which we trust with the care of our loved ones do not always provide the safe environment we expect. If you or a loved one suffered abuse in a nursing home, an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer in Las Vegas can help.
At Arias Sanguinetti, our experienced legal team has a long history of helping those who have suffered nursing home abuse recover damages. Our team of Las Vegas personal injury lawyers brings over 4 decades of experience to help get you the money you deserve. Contact us today by phone or through our website to set up a free case consultation.
Don’t Wait to Hire an Experienced Las Vegas Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
After suffering nursing home abuse or discovering that your loved one has been mistreated, you need to understand that you have limited time to file a lawsuit. According to the Nevada personal injury statute of limitations, there is a two-year limit to file a lawsuit following the abuse in most cases.
If you fail to file the necessary paperwork before the deadline, you will likely be unable to pursue damages from the liable party. Hiring an experienced nursing home abuse attorney in Las Vegas soon after the abuse is the best way to ensure you meet all deadlines. Your lawyer can review your claim, identify any potential exceptions, and file the required documents on time.
Acting quickly also opens the door for a more thorough investigation. In cases of this nature, interviewing witnesses can be harder the more time passes. There may also be other crucial evidence like security tape footage that could dissipate with time. Even if you’re not ready yet to take legal action, it’s wise to take steps to preserve potential evidence.
Hiring a Las Vegas elder abuse lawyer early has the added benefit of putting them in the best position to build a strong case on your behalf. We can be better positioned to collect evidence, which may include video surveillance from the nursing home facility, before it is lost or corrupted. In addition, we are prepared to speak with witnesses while the events are still fresh in their minds.
There Are Many Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Elderly people are one of the most vulnerable groups, which is why they are commonly targeted for various forms of abuse. Abuse can come in many forms, and is often made possible by understaffing or undertraining. Some of the most common forms of abuse in nursing homes include:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
- Neglect
Physical Abuse
Nursing home residents are most often physically abused by those charged with their care. Abusive workers most often target single residents who have memory challenges, trouble communicating, and rarely have visitors.
The level of physical abuse can vary significantly. Some abusers will lash out in frustration and shake a senior. Some abusers may stage abuse to look like an accident and inflict more serious harm, including knocking residents over and making it look like they fell on their own. While this level of intentional violence is rare, it’s essential that there’s accountability when it happens.
Psychological and Emotional Abuse
Many types of emotional abuse can be inflicted upon a nursing home resident. A nursing home worker may verbally berate a resident, scolding them or yelling at them. Another form of abuse is to gaslight a resident, such as making false accusations, blaming the senior for problems they did not cause, or intentionally causing long waits for basic care. Seniors who have trouble speaking are especially vulnerable to these mistreatments.
A nursing home worker may even steal letters and packages and deflect phone calls to make the residents feel cut off from their loved ones. There may also be non-verbal emotional abuse, such as ignoring the elder or isolating them from friends or family.
Financial Abuse
Nursing home residents are often targets of various forms of financial fraud, as they are viewed as easy targets by scammers. Some of the most common forms of financial fraud in nursing homes include:
- Encouraging the victim to put their money into a fraudulent investment opportunity
- Manipulating the resident so they change their will to leave their savings to the nursing home worker upon their death
- Stealing a resident’s account passwords or even persuading the resident to give the passwords to the worker so they can “help” them manage their money
- Stealing cash from the resident’s room
Note that, in some cases of financial abuse, the victim’s bank may be liable for allowing it to happen.
Neglect
Neglect is one of the most common forms of nursing home abuse. Workers intentionally or unintentionally failing to provide the care needed by the resident can result in significant problems, including:
- Malnourishment
- Bed sores
- Depression
If you or your loved one suffered abuse, an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer serving Las Vegas can help. If your loved one was killed as a result of nursing home abuse, a Las Vegas wrongful death lawyer can help you pursue legal action.
Las Vegas Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 310-844-9696
The Majority of Nursing Home Abuse Cases Are Resolved Through Out-of-Court Settlements
When pursuing compensation for nursing home abuse, the reality is that your case is unlikely to go to trial. With that said, we are trial lawyers at Arias Sanguinetti. We have the resources and experience to take any case to trial. Our reputation as trial lawyers significantly strengthens our position in settlement negotiations.
A settlement can offer you an avenue to recover money far more quickly than would be possible through a trial, which is particularly important for older clients. For the nursing home where the abuse occurred, a settlement can help them avoid the bad press that would likely come with a trial.
We will never encourage you to accept a low-ball offer. Have an experienced nursing home abuse attorney in Las Vegas review any offer to ensure it is fair.
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Reach Out to an Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Serving Las Vegas Today
After nursing home abuse against you or a loved one, obtaining fair compensation from the liable party can be transformational. The best first step to take is hiring an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer from Arias Sanguinetti. Our team of lawyers has recovered well over $1.5 billion in damages for those we represent.
Get in touch with us today to schedule a free case consultation with a member of our legal team. We encourage you to review our past case results to learn more about how we have helped past clients.
Call or text 310-844-9696 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
