A loved one entering a nursing facility can be a difficult moment that requires substantial adjustment. The senior citizen may have hoped to stay in their home, and family members might have tried to care for them. Unfortunately, some health conditions associated with old age require professional care and around-the-clock support that most families cannot provide.
Most nursing homes treat the patients in their care with the compassion and dignity they deserve, but some establishments do not. Under-resourced facilities might have trouble attracting and keeping qualified staff, which could result in unfortunate neglect or abuse.
If you believe a senior care facility mistreated your family member, retaining a seasoned personal injury attorney is key. Working with a Georgetown nursing home abuse lawyer could improve conditions for your loved one, inspire other residents to fight against further neglect, and help your family collect the compensation you deserve.
Common Indicators of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
Identifying nursing home abuse or neglect can be difficult because the patient is usually already in a fragile condition. The stress of living in a facility could prompt personality changes that have no connection to neglect or professional abuse.
Even so, a few common signals could indicate mistreatment. Typical symptoms of nursing home neglect include a patient:
- Exhibiting poor hygiene
- Becoming anxious, despondent, secretive, or suspicious
- Halting communications with loved ones
- Losing significant weight rapidly
- Acquiring a sexually transmitted disease
- Suffering from unexplained bruising, cuts, or broken bones
- Developing bedsores
Any of these conditions could provide reason to be concerned. If a conversation with the facility administrator does not resolve these issues, a family member could
report their concerns to the state licensing agency.
A knowledgeable attorney in Georgetown could also begin investigating the abuse to help improve the situation for a nursing home patient.
Who Might be Responsible for Abuse in a Nursing Home?
When it is clear that a nursing home resident was definitely injured by unreasonable abuse or neglect, a family could pursue legal action. Through a personal injury claim, the patient seeks to hold the negligent individuals accountable for their behavior and collect financial compensation for their suffering.
There are often multiple parties whose negligence might have resulted in documentable abuse. Depending on the circumstances, the entity that owns the facility might need to assume liability for negligent hiring, careless supervision, a violation of operating standards, or maintaining an unsafe premises. In other situations, administrators or people with similar authority might need also need to face responsibility.
Finally, licensed medical professionals could also be partially to blame. For example, a nursing home patient could sue a negligent doctor, nurse, or pharmacist after receiving substandard care. If the licensed professional was aware of their abusive or neglectful behavior, a judge might label them responsible.
A detail-oriented lawyer in Georgetown could analyze the details of the nursing home accident to determine exactly which defendants need to assume liability for the abusive conduct.
The Importance of Quickly Reacting to Retirement Home Abuse
If a senior citizen hopes to collect monetary damages related to nursing home abuse, acting quickly is important. An injured plaintiff needs to recognize that
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 requires them to file a lawsuit seeking damages within two years of their injury. Anyone who fails to meet that deadline loses their right to sue and weakens their legal standing. Therefore, retaining a legal representative immediately after noticing mistreatment is crucial.
In addition to helping a claimant comply with the statute of limitations, a proactive attorney in Georgetown could fight to immediately end the abuse that impacts a nursing home patient. If necessary, a legal representative could arrange for the patient to be transferred to a safer space.
Speak With a Georgetown Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today
It is heartbreaking to witness a loved one’s physical decline and watching them experience neglect in senior care facility can be even more frightening. Unfortunately, poor treatment in long term care centers happens regularly.
If you believe a family member is being mistreated in their residence center, a Georgetown nursing home abuse lawyer could be an ideal ally.
Contact the offices as soon as you discover evidence of neglect to get started on your case.