Manchester Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Ready to Tell Your Story
Every elderly person or senior deserves respect and care. Many seniors choose to move into nursing homes or assisted living facilities for this reason, or their loved ones place them in a nursing home because they can’t give them the full and proper day-to-day care they need at home. Yet thousands of people in nursing homes will be abused or neglected in inexcusable ways each year.
Did you trust a nursing home in Manchester with the care of your elderly family member, but it allowed them to be a victim of abuse or neglect? Speak up with the help of Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. Our Manchester nursing home abuse lawyers are proud to offer our legal counsel to local families who need to bring lawsuits against negligent nursing homes. We’re ready to fight for the full compensation and justice that your entire family deserves.
You can request a free case evaluation with our firm. Call (603) 635-4099 now.
What is Nursing Home Neglect?
Harm can be done intentionally or unintentionally. When a nursing home resident is hurt unintentionally or due to a lack of action, it can constitute nursing home neglect.
Different types of nursing home neglect include:
- Poor medical care: Nursing homes are responsible for the day-to-day and emergency medical care of their residents, such as making sure prescriptions are taken as needed. When a nursing home is not equipped to meet the medical needs of its residents, serious injuries or illnesses may occur due to this form of negligence.
- Unclean facilities: Hygiene problems can cause health issues in any demographic and population, but elders are even more susceptible to illnesses caused by poor hygiene. Nursing home staff members must make sure all private and public quarters in the facility are well-kept and clean.
- Malnutrition: Elders rely on nursing homes to provide healthy meals at regular mealtimes. Staff must make sure all residents are given proper meals. Water must also be easily accessible. If a resident has trouble with staying hydrated, then the nursing home should take extra steps to make sure they get the hydration they need.
- Social isolation: It is important to not overlook the benefits of social activities in nursing homes. Elderly residents can feel forgotten or neglected if they are not given a chance to interact with others, which may happen to bedridden residents.
- Emotional neglect: Forgetting to check in on the emotional health of an elderly resident can result in emotional neglect, which may eventually manifest as depression, anxiety, or other mental health difficulties.
We know how to investigate nursing home neglect cases to find evidence of that neglect. For example, a check of the nursing home’s staffing records may show that there were not nearly enough staff members on hand for how many seniors were staying at the center.
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is an intentional act of harm inflicted on an elderly resident in a nursing home or assisted living center. Abuse can be carried out by staff members with ill intentions or power complexes, such as someone who takes a job as an orderly just to steal from elders. In some cases, though, elderly residents attack or harass other residents. When this happens, we can investigate to see why the nursing home failed to prevent such abuse from occurring in the first place.
Nursing home abuse can take different forms, such as:
- Physical abuse: Striking, pushing, and slapping are obvious forms of physical abuse, but this type of abuse can also be much more difficult to notice. For example, the misuse of physical restraints can be considered a form of physical abuse, especially when doing so results in a serious injury.
- Sexual abuse: In drastic cases of nursing home abuse, an elder may be the victim of sexual abuse, including sexual assault and exploitation. Oftentimes, an investigation uncovers that the offender was a nurse or caretaker who took advantage of an elderly resident with dementia or another limiting health condition.
- Financial abuse: Elderly residents can have trouble keeping track of their finances or might choose not to get involved in their finances at all due to the complexity. A bad actor at a nursing home can take advantage of these situations by stealing from the elderly resident. Theft can occur directly, such as taking money out of the elderly resident’s purse or wallet. It can also occur more subtly, such as gradually convincing the elderly resident to add the offender to their will.
- Emotional abuse: Although emotional abuse does not involve physical injuries, the harm it inflicts can still be devastating. Emotional abuse can include harmful actions like yelling, insulting, and belittling.
Nursing Home Abuse Warning Signs
Elderly residents who are subjugated to abuse or neglect may struggle to tell anyone about it for various reasons. For example, some might not have the cognitive wherewithal to speak up while others might be too afraid of retaliation to say anything. If you visit or speak with a loved one in a nursing home from time to time, then it might be up to you to notice the signs that something is wrong and take legal action.
Warning signs of nursing home abuse can include:
- Fear around a specific person
- Unexplained injuries
- Bedsores
- Malnutrition or dehydration
- Unclean facilities
- Missing property or medication
- New signs of depression
- Intentional social isolation
If you suspect that your elderly loved one has been abused or neglected at a nursing home, then please call our Manchester nursing home abuse attorneys at (603) 635-4099 now to discuss your options. If you are afraid that your loved one could be at risk of imminent physical abuse in a nursing home, you should call the local authorities first.
What Causes Nursing Home Abuse?
When nursing home abuse or neglect occurs, an investigation should be started immediately. Answers must be given as to why it happened and what can be done to make sure the same sort of issue never happens again. Some nursing homes might not be cooperative in completing such an important investigation, though. Not to worry – our highly reputable and experienced nursing home abuse attorneys have the resources to look into the matter on our own.
Common causes of nursing home abuse include the following and more:
- Not enough staff members on hand at any given time.
- Not enough training provided to staff members.
- Not enough security around the premises to prevent attacks or elopements.
- Inadequate internal reporting systems for accidents and injuries.
- Willful neglect of legal regulations for nursing homes.
What Compensation Could Be Available?
Our goal is to put your worries at ease and your mind at rest while we work on your nursing home abuse case. One way to do that is to handle all parts of the claim, so you can stay focused on taking care of your family. Another way to help you through this tough time with confidence is to fight for as much compensation as possible. We want to make sure that you are fairly compensated for what happened, so you can start putting it behind you on the path to recovery.
Compensation in a nursing home abuse claim could cover these damages:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death damages if applicable
- Lost wages if applicable
- And more
Review Our Elder Abuse Guide & Call Now
Taking legal action against a nursing home can be a complex process, especially when the nursing home responsible is solely interested in safeguarding its image and financial interests. With the support of our Manchester nursing home attorneys, who know the ins and outs of nursing home regulations, personal injury legislation, and civil litigation procedures, you can confidently pursue justice for your family. Initial consultations for nursing home abuse clients are free and confidential, so please schedule one today.
Want to talk to someone from our firm directly? Dial (603) 635-4099. Thank you.
