Discovering that a loved one may be suffering from neglect in a nursing home is a deeply distressing and painful experience. You placed your trust in a facility to provide compassionate care, only to be met with the fear that their basic needs are being ignored. When you need to protect your family member and hold a facility accountable, a dedicated Johnstown nursing home neglect lawyer at Marcus & Mack can stand with you. We believe in seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our community and are committed to doing what is right for your family.
At Marcus & Mack, we understand the trust you place in us during such a difficult time. Our mission is to provide strength and support, helping change our clients’ lives for the better by fighting for the respect and care they deserve.
When you choose Marcus & Mack, you are choosing a firm with a deep connection to the Johnstown community and over 100 years of combined legal experience. We are not just attorneys; we are your neighbors, committed to upholding the safety and dignity of our elders. Our approach is built on a foundation of compassion and a relentless drive for accountability. We understand that this isn’t just about a case; it’s about your parent, grandparent, or loved one.
Our firm is structured to provide comprehensive support for your family.
Our entire team is unified by a passion for helping people through challenging periods. We believe caring for others is the cornerstone of our culture and our commitment to the families of Johnstown and Cambria County. Contact us today for a free and confidential case consultation.
It’s important to understand what nursing home neglect means from a legal standpoint. Neglect is different from intentional abuse. It is a type of substandard care that happens when a facility or its staff fails to meet a resident’s fundamental needs. This failure can cause serious physical, mental, or emotional harm.
In Pennsylvania, nursing homes have a legal “duty of care.” This is a responsibility to provide a safe environment and a standard of care that prevents foreseeable harm to residents. When they fail to uphold this duty, whether due to understaffing, poor training, or simple carelessness, they can be held responsible for the consequences.
This failure can manifest in many different ways, from a resident not receiving proper nutrition to living in an unsafe environment.
When your loved one is in the care of a nursing facility, it’s essential to know how to recognize the signs of neglect. Because residents may be unable or afraid to speak up, families must be vigilant. Keep an eye out for changes in your loved one’s physical condition, emotional state, or living environment.
Some of the most common indicators of neglect include:
These signs should never be dismissed as normal parts of aging. They are often direct results of a facility failing to provide the attentive care your family member deserves.
The consequences of nursing home neglect extend far beyond what you might see on the surface. A fall caused by an unsafe environment can lead to a broken hip, which can dramatically decrease an elderly person’s mobility and quality of life. Malnutrition and dehydration can weaken the immune system, making a resident more susceptible to serious infections.
Emotionally, the impact can be just as damaging. Residents who are neglected may experience feelings of:
The emotional toll of realizing you have been forgotten or that your needs don’t matter can be devastating. At Marcus & Mack, we fight to address both the physical and emotional harm caused by a facility’s carelessness.
Every nursing home in Johnstown and throughout Pennsylvania operates under a strict set of state and federal regulations. A core component of these regulations is the legal concept known as “duty of care.” In simple terms, this means the facility has an obligation to act as any reasonably prudent long-term care facility would under similar circumstances to keep residents safe from harm.
This duty is comprehensive and covers all aspects of a resident’s life at the facility.
When a nursing home breaches this duty of care and a resident is harmed as a result, the facility can be held legally liable. A Johnstown nursing home neglect lawyer can help establish this breach and connect it to the injuries your loved one sustained.
To protect the dignity and health of people in long-term care, Pennsylvania law provides a specific Bill of Rights for Nursing Home Residents. These rights are legally enforceable and are intended to ensure every resident is treated with respect. Understanding these rights can help you identify when they are being violated.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, every resident has the right to:
These are just a few of the many protections afforded to residents. When these fundamental rights are ignored, it is a serious violation of the law and the trust placed in the facility.
Nursing home neglect is not a single act but can be a pattern of ongoing failures in care. The nursing home neglect lawyers at Marcus & Mack have the experience to identify and build cases around various forms of neglect. Families across Cambria County, from Westmont to Geistown, deserve to know their loved ones are safe. We are here to help when that safety is compromised.
Common types of neglect include:
Each of these forms of neglect can cause significant harm, and our firm is prepared to investigate the specific circumstances of your loved one’s situation.
If you believe your family member is being neglected, it’s important to take calm, deliberate steps to protect them and preserve your legal rights. Documenting your observations and reporting them through the proper channels is crucial.
Here is a general guide on what you can do:
Taking these steps can help ensure your loved one’s immediate safety while also creating a record of the problems, which can be vital for any future legal action.
Pursuing a claim against a nursing home can be a complex process. These facilities and their insurance companies often have powerful legal teams dedicated to minimizing their financial responsibility. Having an experienced lawyer from Marcus & Mack on your side levels the playing field. We handle all the legal work so you can focus on what matters most: your loved one’s health and recovery.
Our team will immediately begin working to build a strong case on your behalf.
Our mission is to be your strong and brave advocate, providing all the necessary support to see you through this difficult time.
A nursing home neglect lawsuit is about more than just money; it is about accountability. It sends a powerful message that substandard care will not be tolerated in our community. The compensation recovered in a successful claim is intended to help your family manage the financial burdens caused by the facility’s failures.
Financial recovery may be available for:
At Marcus & Mack, our focus on your bottom line means we aggressively pursue the maximum compensation you rightfully deserve.
Here you can find answers to some common questions our clients have about nursing home neglect claims.
While they can overlap, they are distinct. Medical malpractice involves a licensed medical professional making an error that falls below the accepted standard of care. Nursing home neglect often involves failures by the facility or its non-medical staff, such as failing to provide food, water, or a safe environment. A single case can sometimes involve both types of claims.
In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases, which typically includes nursing home neglect, is generally two years from the date the injury occurred or was discovered. It is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible, as gathering evidence and building a case takes time.
Strong evidence is key to a successful claim. This often includes photographs of injuries and conditions, detailed medical records showing a decline in health, statements from witnesses, and the nursing home’s own records, such as staffing sheets and incident reports. Your personal notes and journal can also be very powerful.
Absolutely. Many residents in neglect situations cannot communicate effectively. The case can be built on physical evidence, medical records, and observations from family, friends, and sometimes even facility staff. A Johnstown nursing home neglect lawyer is experienced in pursuing cases for residents who are unable to speak for themselves.
The lawsuit is typically filed by the resident who was harmed. However, if the resident is incapacitated, a family member with a durable power of attorney or a legally appointed guardian can often file the lawsuit on their behalf. If the neglect resulted in death, the personal representative of the deceased’s estate can file a wrongful death claim.
There are no upfront costs. We handle nursing home neglect cases on a contingency fee basis. This means our fee is a percentage of the total recovery we obtain for you. If we do not win your case, you owe us no attorney’s fee.
Robert S. Marcus Johnstown Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer
If you suspect a loved one is being neglected in a Johnstown-area nursing home, do not wait. Your family deserves answers, and your loved one deserves justice. The compassionate and determined attorneys at Marcus & Mack are here to help you take a stand. We are part of your community and are ready to fight for the safety and dignity of your family.
Whenever you call—24 hours a day, 365 days a year—you will talk to a knowledgeable, understanding person who can help. Helping injured people is what we do. Contact us today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation to learn how a Johnstown nursing home neglect lawyer can assist you.
