You have legal options if you suspect a family member experienced abuse or negligence at a nursing home. In this situation, you can contact a Duluth nursing home abuse lawyer to review your next steps and get answers to your legal questions.
A Duluth personal injury lawyer can represent your best interests, collect evidence, and track the losses your family faces. You can rely on Slam Dunk Attorney and our decades of combined experience to help you get funds to cover medical bills, pain, and emotional suffering caused by nursing home abuse. Find out more about our services by completing our online contact form or calling today.
Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect that Should Not Wait
If your family member is in any danger to their health, such as being ill, suffering from open wounds, or otherwise in pain, call 911 for immediate help.
If you are not sure if abuse is occurring, there are several warning signs to look for that could offer insight into what may be occurring. Unfortunately, you cannot assume that the person in the nursing facility will be able to communicate their abuses. Instead, look for signs such as:
- Lack of mobility: A person who is not mobile is at a high risk of injury and abuse if they do not receive proper care. Look for any signs of skin irritation or damage, especially on their back and buttocks. If they suddenly are unable to walk or move, that could be due to poor nutrition as well.
- Bruising that is unexplained: Any type of nursing can be worrisome, but look for indications of abuse that seem to be more specific towards physical injury, such as bruises on the face or arms, hand-like or finger-shaped bruises on the arms or legs, or unexplained wounds on the chest or abdomen.
- Change in personality: Abuse in any form can cause a person to become less engaging and more withdrawn. A significant change in personality is something to speak to your nursing home abuse lawyer in Duluth about as soon as possible.
- Personal hygiene changes: Including wearing the same clothing several days in a row or not getting help with bathing.
- Anger and resentment or other changes to emotional well-being that are not attributed to their overall health.
- Weight loss that is not expected, especially if a person stops eating or drinking without explanation.
- Asking to leave and even begging to leave the treatment center.
- The onset of anxiety and depression impacting the quality of life.
If you believe your family member may be suffering from emotional, physical, sexual, or other types of abuse, seek the immediate care of a Duluth nursing home abuse attorney after you get them the care they need outside of that treatment center.
Doing so enables you to get the support you need to investigate the legal options and protect your family member’s life.
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When to File a Nursing Home Abuse Claim
Your family may qualify to file a nursing home abuse claim if someone at the facility neglects or abuses a loved one. If you believe there is a risk of nursing home abuse, do not wait to seek help for them. Our team can assist you if you suspect any type of abuse, including:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional or verbal abuse
- Financial abuse
- Sexual abuse
If you see any warning signs of abusive actions, like strange bruises, changes in a loved one’s behavior, or issues with medications, we recommend that you reach out to a legal team immediately to discuss your options.
We also recommend that you report elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation to the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services. You may need to have your loved one immediately moved to a hospital for proper treatment.
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Steps to Take if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
The sooner you act, the better for the sake of your family members. If you suspect abuse and you suspect that your loved one’s health is at risk, your first priority should be to get them the medical care they need. Then, consider the following steps to getting additional support:
- Report the incident to the Director of Nursing. Do not assume that the staff nurses or those who are on the floor will take action. Demand to speak to the head of nursing.
- Talk to your family member’s doctor. This doctor should not work with or through the nursing home but instead be supportive of your family member.
- Document everything you can about the incident. This includes images of injuries and losses, statements from others in the location who witnessed abuse, and information from your family member.
- Show up at odd times and random schedules to check on your family members. Ask questions about their activities, care, and needs frequently.
- Use video conferencing on a simple tablet device to help you connect with your loved one while you are not there. Show them how to record video and sound on the device when you are not there.
Many nursing homes restrict the access a person will have to outside information and resources, and that can be problematic. The better route to take is to simply reach out to a Duluth nursing home abuse lawyer who can put the steps into place to safeguard your family member’s health and life.
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Legal Elements of a Nursing Home Abuse Case
Proving nursing home abuse is challenging, but could be critical in safeguarding your loved one’s future. To recover damages, you must demonstrate that the losses present are negligent, and that requires specific steps and an understanding of your case. There are several ways your legal team will help you through this process:
- Establish a duty of care: The nursing home owes a duty of care to your family member if they are living there. Ensure that it is clear who is responsible for your family member.
- Breach of duty of care: Demonstrate a breach of duty of care occurred, such as showing a lack of staffing or poorly trained employees.
- Demonstrate cause: Show that the actions of the facility are what caused the injuries your family member has.
By working through this legal process, it is possible to build a strong case that shows who is responsible for your family member’s injuries and losses. This process can be complex, which is why working with a Duluth nursing home abuse attorney is so critical. Let us help you with that process.
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What Funds Can You Get with a Nursing Home Abuse Claim?
Financial compensation is far from the first priority for many people, but it can be critical in helping you to have the ability to protect your loved one’s future.
Consider what your nursing home abuse case may be worth: Your family may receive damages to cover the results of an act of nursing home abuse. We can assist you if you need compensation for:
- A Loved One’s Medical Expenses: Acts of abuse and neglect often result in physical injuries. Your loved one may need care for injuries like bedsores, dehydration, broken bones, or the effects of receiving incorrect medications.
- Future Medical Costs: An attorney can track your loved one’s current and future healthcare expenses.
- Your Lost Wages: You may need to take off work to care for your loved one after they experience abuse or neglect. In this situation, an attorney could help you get funds to cover your lost pay.
- All Pain and Suffering: Nursing home abuse can result in emotional pain and mental anguish. Our team will track the value of these non-economic losses and include them in your nursing home abuse claim.
Additionally, any costs related to moving your family member from one area to the next could be covered. Each situation is unique, but our team will help you navigate your rights throughout the process.
Why Choose a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Duluth
Our team can take charge after any instance of nursing home abuse and use our decades of combined experience to help with any challenges you face. We believe in open communication and will provide you with weekly updates until the whistle blows on your case.
A Lawyer Helps After a Deadly Act of Nursing Home Abuse
We know that some instances of nursing home abuse or neglect can have deadly results. In these situations, you can reach out to a Duluth wrongful death lawyer for compassionate guidance through each step of the legal process. We can explain Georgia’s wrongful death laws and answer all your family’s questions. We’ll handle all your legal needs so you can focus on caring for your loved ones emotionally.
Time Limit for a Nursing Home Abuse Claim
You must move forward with your play for compensation before Georgia’s statute of limitations expires for a nursing home abuse case. Typically, the court system gives you two years to seek damages. Our team can review your situation and provide information about the specific deadline to secure damages.
We’ll keep your claim moving and provide you with up-to-date information every step of the way. Read our FAQs to learn more about the statute of limitations.
How We Support Your Claim
We believe in aggressively building your claim with a focus on going to trial, and we make sure the insurance company will see us as a true risk. We help our clients connect with resources that can help them get back on track after an act of abuse.
We can also help you set up transportation to our office for a consultation when necessary. Contact us today to find out more about our firm and the services Slam Dunk Attorney can offer.
How We Will Investigate Your Claim
A full investigation into the losses your family member experiences takes a skilled and determined legal team. Our team will dig into the facts around your case and collect evidence to build a strong claim on your behalf.
Depending on your circumstances, we may:
- Speak to anyone at the nursing home who witnessed the abuse
- Go through medical records at the care facility
- Check for surveillance footage that could show abuse
- Get copies of all official reports about the neglect
- Document all injuries and statements from your family member, documenting the loss
- Speak to medical experts who can vouch for the types of injuries and their cause
- Utilize forensic evidence from the accident or injury to document what happened
As skilled trial lawyers, we can use the evidence we collect to prepare to take your claim to court. In some cases, we may also help you resolve your case through a settlement with the insurance company.
Our objective is to demonstrate who is at fault, what they did, and what your family member lost as a result, and you can expect our Duluth nursing home accident lawyer to do so with passion. Be sure to meet our team today.
The Cost of Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
Personal injury lawyers who handle nursing home abuse cases typically work on a contingency basis, so the cost to hire a law firm varies for each claim. The lawyer receives a percentage of your final compensation as payment for legal fees.
Our team only takes payment for these cases after we bring your family compensation. We’re ready to push through any defensive screen standing in your way, and we are not afraid to take a three-point shot to resolve your claim.
With a free consultation, you can learn more about your rights to protect your family member’s health and well-being. Our nursing home abuse attorneys in Duluth do not charge you anything for this conversation. It can give you peace of mind and direction.
Speak to a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Duluth
With help from a Duluth nursing home abuse lawyer, you can seek financial compensation. Our team stands up for your family and helps you review all your legal options.
With Slam Dunk Attorney, you can take charge of your future. Get in touch with our team to discuss your next steps by calling or completing our online contact form.
Call or text 404-951-3513 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
