When the times comes that we can’t take care of our parents, we may decide to place them in a nursing home. As they get older, our loved ones need care that we just can’t provide. When we make the decision to move our loved ones into a nursing home, we question if we did the right thing. Our biggest fear is that the nursing home won’t take care of our parents. We’re afraid that they’ll be neglected or hurt. When our worst fear comes true, we don’t know what to do. When this happens, the best thing to do is to contact a nursing home neglect attorney in Los Angeles.
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Take the Advice of a Los Angeles Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
If you learn that your loved one has become the victim of nursing home abuse, you need to take immediate action.. Even if you just suspect abuse, you need to protect yourself and your loved one.
Your Los Angeles personal injury attorney offers the following advice when it to comes to protecting your parent from abuse:
- Move your loved one to a different facility immediately. The hospital social workers should help you do this. Your nursing home abuse lawyer may have some recommendations.
- Document your loved one’s injuries. Take pictures of any bruises or obvious injuries.
- Document your loved one’s injuries. Ask the emergency room physicians for help getting this proof.
- Contact the nursing home administrator and let her know your family member will not be returning to his facility.
The last thing you want to do is let your loved one stay somewhere they may be being abused. You have no idea how long the abuse has been going on. You can’t really afford to risk your loved one getting hurt worse than they already are.
If you’re not sure how to handle this, contact a lawyer. We can guide you through the process and even contact the nursing home on your behalf.
Types of Cases Involving Elderly Abuse
There are many different types of nursing home abuse. Some abuse is suffered at the hands of nursing home staff. Others are caused by strangers or third parties. Roommates are often the perpetrator of nursing home abuse. Either way, it’s the nursing home’s duty to make sure your loved one is free from all abuse.
Physical Abuse
This type of abuse involves force being used against a nursing home resident. This involves slapping, punching, kicking, and shoving. There are less obvious types of abuse as well. Some of these include over-medicating, using painful restraints, and dropping a patient.
Sexual Abuse
Nobody wants to imagine this happening to your loved one, but sexual abuse does happen in nursing homes. It may be at the hands of staff or other residents. It doesn’t always involve actual sex. It can be similar to sexual harassment, such as forcing the patient to watch pornography or having sex in a patient’s room. while they are in there. Los Angeles nursing home abuse attorneys make sure all parties are held responsible for sexual abuse of your loved one.
Emotional Abuse
This may be the most common type of elderly abuse. This is because it’s hard to detect. A lot of older patients can’t communicate very well. It’s hard for them to let us know that they’re suffering. Emotional abuse can be verbal or non-verbal.
Some examples of emotional abuse include:
- Verbal –
- Yelling at the patient
- Blaming the resident for things they didn’t do
- Calling the resident horrible names
- Humiliating the resident
- Threatening the patient
- Non-Verbal –
- Ignoring the patient or pretending you don’t hear their needs
- Saying and doing things to purposely scare the patient
- Keeping the resident from visiting with family and friends
Your nursing home abuse attorney in the city of Los Angeles will gather evidence to prove the abuse took place. It’s not easy. He’ll have to deal with nursing home staff who are reluctant to divulge information. Other residents aren’t always helpful because they’re afraid to say what they know. They’re afraid if they say anything, they’ll be abused as well.
What Kind of Damages Can Your Nursing Home Neglect Attorney in Los Angeles Demand?
If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, your lawyer will fight to get you damages. It’s important that the responsible parties be held accountable. It’s your nursing home abuse lawyer’s job to make sure this happens.
In California, your loved one is entitled to the following damages:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Costs of additional medical care
- Out of pocket expenses for transfer to a different nursing home
- Compensation for any personal property taken or damaged
- Mental pain and suffering
Your Los Angeles nursing home abuse lawyer will demand that your parent be compensated for all of these things. He’ll work hard to negotiate a settlement so your loved one doesn’t have to deal with a trial.
Keep in mind – most cases do settle. Nobody wants to deal with a trial. Trials are time-consuming and expensive. There is always the risk that you’ll lose. This is why it’s important that your attorney works hard to settle your case.
Call and Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation with a Los Angeles Nursing Home Neglect Attorney Today
If your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse, they’re entitled to compensation. An experienced nursing home neglect attorney can help do this. You should call and schedule your free initial consultation with a Los Angeles injury firm today.
An experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can answer any questions you may have. He can also review your case and let you know what it may be worth. Call and schedule a consultation today. It is absolutely free and you pay nothing unless you settle your case.