Facilities that provide housing and around-the-clock care for elderly people have a legal duty to act reasonably to protect residents from foreseeable harm. If you suspect your loved one’s assisted living facility is not providing the considerate care he or she deserves, it may fall to you to act on your family member’s behalf—especially if he or she has sustained any physical, psychological, or financial losses from such mistreatment.
Litigation over allegations of nursing home mistreatment can be complex and emotionally charged, so assistance from a seasoned personal injury attorney could be vital to achieving a positive case result. A Bedford County nursing home abuse lawyer could help you pursue justice on your loved one’s behalf and recover monetary damages for all his or her losses.
Unfortunately, mistreatment inside nursing homes can manifest itself in many ways, not all of which are obvious or easy for even attentive family members to detect. Physical abuse may leave injuries that are not visible to the naked eye or that may be explained away by staff as the result of everyday accidents. In addition, emotional and psychological mistreatment may manifest differently in each person, and the residents themselves may be hesitant—or cognitively unable—to explain what they are experiencing.
Ultimately, the people who will best be able to tell whether something feels off or whether a nursing home resident’s behavior or mood has changed will often be that resident’s close friends and family. Anything that seems even a little strange is worth investigating, if only to ensure nothing is wrong.
On the other hand, evidence of severe injuries, substantial psychological trauma, or anything else posing an immediate threat to a resident’s safety may be cause for a more proactive response, including the involvement of law enforcement or social service agencies to move the resident out of harm’s way. An experienced Bedford County nursing home abuse attorney could offer guidance about the best approach for a particular situation during a private consultation.
If a nursing home resident suffers any physical injury requiring professional medical attention because of neglect or abuse from facility staff members or administrators, that resident—or family members acting on his or her behalf, such as through a guardianship or power of attorney—may demand civil compensation for every negative effect that mistreatment has had and will have on him or her, including:
If abuse or neglect in a Bedford County nursing home directly leads to a resident’s premature death, a qualified lawyer could help surviving family members seek damages for ensuing losses in a wrongful death case, such as:
No one residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility deserves anything but the best possible care in every situation. That is not just a blanket moral statement, but a right backed up by state and federal law—and any such facility which harms a resident by violating those rights could hold financial liability for ensuing damages.
A conversation with a Bedford County nursing home abuse lawyer at Marcus & Mack could help you understand your options and choose the best path forward for your family. Schedule a meeting by calling today.
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