Your loved one may need professional care to maintain their health as they get older. Sometimes, the best option for them may be to move to a nursing home. In this environment, they have access to people who can provide them with the care they need in a safe and supportive place. However, some nursing homes may not have staff who can properly take care of your loved one or are abusing their status as a staff member. If your loved one is harmed in their nursing home, you can take action. A Phoenix, AZ nursing home abuse lawyer from Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm will stand up for your loved one and help them hold the nursing home accountable for their actions.
The consequences of elder abuse or neglect can be potentially life-threatening to your loved one. With our lawyers at your side, you can count on us to fight for their rights. We’ll seek full and fair compensation so your loved one can move forward.
Is Your Loved One Experiencing Nursing Home Abuse?
When you’re visiting your loved one in their home, you may be able to see signs that indicate abuse or neglect is occurring. If you go during less common visiting hours, you can get a better idea of what the regular care is like. Speaking with other families and residents about their care can also give you information about the nursing home’s care.
Some signs that can indicate abuse and neglect include:
- Injuries. Your loved one may have consistent injuries that can indicate abuse. This can range from minor injuries like bruises to significant injuries like broken bones. If your loved one always has injuries and you cannot get a reasonable explanation for what happened, then abuse may be occurring.
- Illnesses. If your loved one always seems to have a cough, the common cold, or gets the flu on a regular basis, then the nursing home may not have strong protocols to prevent the spread of illnesses. This can also indicate that they aren’t regularly disinfecting to kill germs, either.
- Weight Loss. Rapid weight loss could mean your loved one isn’t getting regular meals or enough nutrition. They may also be dehydrated. Both these conditions can be dangerous for your loved one’s health.
- Dirty Bedsheets/Clothes. Residents should have clean sheets and clothes every day. If you notice that your loved one is in soiled sheets or clothes, then they aren’t getting the attention and care they need on a daily basis.
- Lack of Personal Hygiene. You may notice that your loved one hasn’t bathed or they haven’t had help with brushing teeth or hair. These signs are also indicators that they’re in a neglectful environment.
- Messes. Accidents happen. But if the nursing home needs to clean something, it should be done as quickly as possible. Letting messes sit can mean germs can spread and makes an unfavorable living environment.
Noticing these signs can be jarring, but you can protect your loved one. A Phoenix, AZ nursing home abuse lawyer can hold the negligent nursing home accountable for the abuse or neglect that harmed your loved one.
What Are the Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?
Abuse and neglect may be used simultaneously, but they can refer to different situations. Nursing home abuse is when there’s intent behind the action. This can occur in a few ways:
- Physical Abuse. When this type of abuse occurs, staff may harm your loved one through physical violence. Hitting, shoving, gripping too tightly, or roughly handling your loved one are forms of physical abuse that can injure your loved one.
- Psychological Abuse. Staff that ignore your loved one so they feel isolated or demean your loved one with rude, insulting language are both forms of psychological abuse.
- Financial Abuse. Your loved one may have staff that steal from them. This could be personal belongings, checks, and cash.
- Sexual Abuse. This type of abuse occurs whenever a senior doesn’t or cannot provide consent. Some seniors may have memory issues or other cognitive conditions that inhibit them from providing clear consent.
Neglect occurs when the nursing home cannot care for your loved one. This can range from not having the experience to handle your loved one’s medical care to not having enough staff to give each resident the time and individual attention they need. While neglect may not have intent, it’s still detrimental to your loved one’s health and they deserve to live in a safe environment where they will get the care they need to maintain a high quality of life. When this isn’t happening, a nursing home abuse lawyer in Phoenix can help you and your loved one.
A Phoenix, AZ Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Is on Your Side
As a resident in an Arizona nursing home, your loved one has rights that are protected by law. Some of the rights your loved one has include:
- The right to be treated with respect, dignity, and full recognition of individuality.
- The right to be free from interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal.
- The right to a dignified existence and self-determination.
There are rights in all kinds of categories, including admission, freedom from restraint use, visiting rights, privacy rights, quality of life in nursing home rights, and more.
The nursing home abuse lawyers at our law firm know your loved one’s rights and will conduct a full investigation to find out what rights were violated. We’ll also find out who was in charge of your loved one’s care and who saw them regularly. Our lawyers will determine who harmed your loved one and hold them accountable.
You can count on your nursing home abuse lawyer in Phoenix to assess the total damages your loved one incurred. We’ll examine the financial and emotional losses that have affected them and how these losses will continue to affect them.
As we fight for your loved one, we’ll fight to recover the following:
- Past and Future Medical Bills
- Property Damages
- Pain and Suffering
- Mental Anguish
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Your loved one deserves to get the recovery they deserve in a safe environment. They may need to spend some time in the hospital to heal from injuries or illnesses. Their care could also require future appointments with specialists or other forms of physical therapy so they can regain and maintain their strength. That’s why we’re going to get the full scope of how your loved one was hurt and seek compensation that will cover their losses.
When your loved one has the financial security they need, you don’t have to worry about how they’re going to afford the medical care. You can be at their side during their recovery to support them.
Reach Out to Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm for Help
While it’s difficult to know that your loved one suffered in their nursing home, you can fight for their future with our law firm at your side. We stand up for seniors who have been injured or otherwise harmed because of their nursing home. To get started on your case, contact Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm for a free case evaluation today.
We can go over where your loved one was receiving care, how they were treated, and how they’ve been affected. Our nursing home abuse lawyers will start building a strong case on their behalf so we can secure their financial future. We’ll fight diligently to get your loved one the justice they deserve.
