If you believe that your loved one has been targeted inside a nursing home and has been treated inappropriately, you may have grounds to pursue a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
Filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit requires the insight of an experienced attorney but there are also certain steps that you should be mindful of in advance of filing. Unfortunately, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people searching for how to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
As the baby boomer population ages and enters nursing homes, families often have to make difficult decisions about how to hold these nursing homes accountable in the event of abuse. Every person living inside a nursing home or assisted living facility has basic human rights.
Unfortunately, nursing homes often allow staff members to engage in neglect or abuse or fail to provide appropriate supervision and staff members that would cut down on instances of abuse.
When you have discovered that your loved one has suffered at the hands of another resident or a staff member, you may be eligible to pursue a nursing home abuse lawsuit and it is imperative that you take steps to file such a legal action sooner rather than later.
Far too many cases of elder abuse across the United States go unreported but when you believe that there is strong evidence in your case that your loved one has been seriously injured, you need to take action immediately.
This is true even for licensed facilities that appear to present themselves as very safe and concerned about the care of loved ones. It is the case that only one out of every 14 claims of elder or nursing home abuse is ever brought to the attention of authorities, yet six percent of people living inside a nursing home may ultimately suffer from a form of abuse.
Many people choose not to report the abuse because they fear that it will get worse or they may suffer from dementia or other disabilities that makes it difficult for them to comprehend what is happening or to fight back. If you suspect that your loved one has already been seriously injured due to neglect or abuse, you need to gather your evidence and share it with the nursing home.
There is a strong chance that the facility may deny your allegations or claim that there is no basis for a further investigation.
However, you are still eligible to pursue a nursing home abuse lawsuit and request that the local authorities complete an investigation.
In some cases, this investigation will stop the abuse and it can be done very quickly, but in other situations, it may take months while the abuse continues or even gets worse.
Getting experienced legal representation is one of the most important steps that can be taken when filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
This is because of the many roles that a lawyer plays in your case such as helping to fight for the damages that your loved one deserves, notifying the proper authorities about the situation, helping to substantiate your beliefs about the abuse with an investigation, making other arrangements for your loved one and ultimately, holding the nursing home accountable in court and stopping the cycle of abuse that could endanger other residents.
Don’t attempt to pursue a nursing home abuse lawsuit alone. The support of experienced attorneys like those working at McDonald Worley will give you the peace of mind that you need to fight back during this very difficult and overwhelming time. You deserve a lawyer who cares about your family.