Top-Rated Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in Los Angeles, CA
Each year, millions of families consider placing a parent or grandparent who may suffer from physical or mental conditions in a facility where their medical and day-to-day living needs can be met. When you place an older family member in the confines of a nursing home, you are establishing trust in the institution and its team to tend to and respect them. When that trust is violated in the form of nursing home abuse—which transpires when a resident faces neglect or harm—it can result in severe illness, serious injury, psychological damage, and even death.
The decision to place your loved one in a nursing home is an indication of your confidence that the caregivers will provide the same standard of care that you would provide, but that is not always the case. Sadly, nursing home abuse and neglect are on the rise in the United States. For more information contact our personal injury lawyer.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
According to the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, elder abuse includes treatment that causes bodily harm, pain, or mental anguish, including neglect, physical abuse, financial exploitation, abandonment, isolation, and kidnapping. It can also be described as the withholding by a caretaker of goods or services required to prevent physical harm or mental anguish.
Residents, family members, and friends should be aware of the various types of abuse elders can suffer in nursing homes. Residents of nursing homes may experience the following types of abuse:
Serious Neglect
This typically means the elderly resident is not getting the care they should receive. Elder neglect may include failing to turn and reposition residents who cannot walk on their own, failing to bathe or clean residents on a regular basis, failing to provide the resident with needed medical services, failing to properly administer prescribed medications, or failing to respond to requests for assistance.
Physical Abuse
Many nursing home residents suffer from physical violence at the hands of certified nursing assistants and nurses. This abuse may include rough handling, punching, hitting, or otherwise causing the victim pain.
Emotional Abuse
As a result of their inherent vulnerability, nursing home residents often suffer from a disproportionately higher rate of emotional trauma than those outside nursing homes. If your loved one is showing signs of depression or anxiety, medical attention and legal representation may be needed to determine the reason behind this trauma.
Mental Abuse
Your loved one may experience misery and fear as a result of mental abuse. You may file a lawsuit if your loved one has been subjected to threats, intimidation, or especially inhumane or abusive language.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment in a nursing home is more prevalent than many think. This harassment can include unwanted touching, forced photographs, and other forms of sexual aggression.
Los Angeles Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 310-844-9696
How to Recognize the Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Our loved ones may not vocalize their suffering to us, so we must recognize the warning signs of abuse in nursing homes. Long-term harm can be avoided by identifying abuse and responding quickly. Residents, as well as their family and friends, must be made aware of the various signs of abuse.
Some of the most common indications a senior has experienced nursing home abuse include the following characteristics and behaviors:
- Bed sores or other open wounds
- Unexplained broken bones, dislocations, or sprains
- Bruising or scars
- Failing to take medications properly
- Signs of restraint, such as rope marks on their wrist
- Heightened levels of distress and anxiety
- Increasing depression or feelings of hopelessness
- Signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Likewise, it is important to note that when nursing home residents show signs of abuse, their caregiver may not let you be alone with them in order to avoid detection. If this is the case, it may be a red flag that abuse is occurring behind closed doors.
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Contact an Experienced Los Angeles Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today
Many people are uncertain about what to do if they suspect their loved one is experiencing nursing home abuse. In addition to calling the authorities and contacting Adult Protective Services, you should also consider speaking with a local nursing home abuse lawyer about your case. Legal actions may be necessary, and an experienced lawyer may be able to help you protect your loved one’s rights.
The nursing home abuse attorneys at Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team, LLP, can help you stand up for your rights and provide aggressive representation for nursing home negligence and abuse victims. At our firm, we are committed to helping our clients seek justice for the wrongs committed against them. As a 100% confidential and secure outlet, we can evaluate your case to determine your best course of action. Our attorneys are prepared to help you. Arrange a consultation by contacting us online or by calling (310) 844-9696.
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