Placing your loved one in a nursing home can be an emotional decision, but you expect the home to provide medical care, social activities, and a healthy environment for your loved one. They’re able to have the level of care they deserve in a place tailored to provide them with a high quality of life. However, you may notice that your loved one’s care hasn’t seemed to the level where it should be, or that your loved one has been hurt because of the nursing home. If this is the case, a Tucson, AZ nursing home abuse lawyer can fight for your loved one to get justice.
Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm fiercely protects the rights of senior citizens. They have established rights as nursing home or assisted living residents. When an abusive or neglectful nursing home breaks the law and causes your loved one harm, we’re here to hold the home accountable and fight for your loved one to recover the compensation they deserve.
What Kinds of Abuse and Neglect Can Occur in a Nursing Home?
An abusive nursing home environment can affect your loved one in different ways. If abuse is occurring, it may be one of the following kinds:
- Physical. Hitting, pushing, grabbing, or handling your loved one too roughly are all forms of physical abuse. If the nursing home uses illegal physical restraints, then this can also harm your loved one.
- Sexual. This kind of abuse can include physical abuse, but physical contact isn’t the only form of sexual abuse. Forcing a resident to participate in something that they did not consent to, like showing inappropriate pictures, is sexual abuse.
- Emotional. Preventing your loved one from being around others, making threats, or berating them with rude language are forms of emotional abuse. When this occurs, it can severely affect your loved one’s self esteem.
- Financial. Staff may try to financially exploit residents by stealing money, checks, or taking valuables from their room.
While the forms of abuse usually involve someone deciding to do them, neglect is slightly different because it may not be because the staff is choosing to harm your loved one. However, there’s no excuse for your loved one to suffer injuries or harm at their home. Nursing homes can fail to provide your loved one with the care they deserve regardless of intent.
- Medication Error. Inexperienced or fatigued nurses could give your loved one the wrong medication, incorrect dose, or miss providing them with their medication.
- Lack of Personal Care. Some residents in nursing homes require help to get dressed, bathe, use the restroom, and keep up with other forms of personal hygiene. When there’s limited staff, your loved one may be in soiled or old clothes or bedsheets, have unbrushed teeth, and their room could be dirty.
- Missed Meals. If a nursing home doesn’t have the staff to care for all the residents, getting regular nutrition and liquids may not happen. Your loved on may have to wait a long time for a meal or they may miss a meal completely.
- Unsanitary Conditions. Cleanliness is necessary for quality of life and to prevent the spread of germs. If common areas aren’t cleaned consistently, your loved one could be in an environment where they’re more likely to contract an illness.
If your loved one has experienced any of the above, you need a Tucson, AZ nursing home abuse lawyer to stand up for them. Abuse and neglect can put your loved one’s health at risk and recovering can be an extensive process. Our lawyers will find out how they were hurt and who was responsible.
What Signs Indicate Elder Abuse?
As you visit your loved one, you can look for possible warning signs that they aren’t getting the best care or if their wellbeing is in danger. The following red flags could indicate forms of abuse or neglect:
- Unexplained Injuries
- Injuries at Different Healing Stages
- Withdrawn and Fearful Behavior
- Bedsores
- Contraction of STIs
- Lack of Eye Contact
- Agitation
- Doesn’t Speak in Front of Others
- Staff Won’t Leave You Alone
- Weight Loss
- Missing Items
If you try to get an explanation about one of the signs above and you can’t get a clear answer, then your loved one could be in an abusive or neglectful environment. You may want to keep a record of what you observe, which could help your nursing home abuse lawyer when they’re fighting for your loved one.
It can be devastating and terrifying to learn your loved one’s health is in danger. You can take steps to get them in a safe environment so you have peace of mind that they’re away from the nursing home. Then, you can look at how you can help your loved one recover. That’s where we come in.
How Can a Tucson, AZ Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Help?
Holding a nursing home or assisted living facility accountable for harming your loved one can be a complex process. A nursing home abuse lawyer in Tucson can help you stand up for your loved one. We’ll look into who interacted with your loved one and determine who perpetrated the abuse or neglected to care for them. We’ll consult with medical records and other information about the case to see who was responsible.
Our lawyers will also look at the injuries and losses your loved one sustained. We’ll seek maximum compensation on their behalf. This will include damages for their medical bills, lost property, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. We’ll look at how long your loved one will have their injuries before they heal and account for this when calculating their compensation.
If we need to fight for your loved one in court, we’re prepared. Our experienced lawyers have taken cases to court and know what it takes to build a strong case.
Seek Legal Options Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm
When your loved one is abused or neglected in their nursing home, you can take action to help your loved one get the recovery they deserve. Our lawyers will find the full extent of your loved one’s injuries from the abuse or neglect they endured. We’ll advocate for your loved one’s best interests and will do everything possible to secure their financial future so they can recover and live in a safe environment.
We can get started on your loved one’s case after a free case evaluation. Call us today to schedule. We’ll review what you’ve seen in your loved one’s care or lack thereof, how they’ve declined, and we’ll find out how we can help you and your loved one move forward.
