Fighting Nursing Home Abuse For Over 35 Years
Studies have found more than 30 percent of nursing homes in the United States have been cited for abuse. This statistic is upsetting and frightening. We place our elderly and disabled in nursing homes to ensure they receive proper care and attention, not so they can be neglected and mistreated.
At R.C. Shea & Associates, we fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. If you or a loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse, contact our firm. We will stop the abuse, hold nursing homes legally liable and get the compensation you need to make sure your loved one is given the care and respect he or she deserves.
Proving Nursing Home Abuse
Proving that abuse, neglect or mistreatment has occurred can be challenging. At R.C. Shea & Associates, we take immediate steps to stop and report the mistreatment. We summon all injury reports, interview other residents and nursing home staff and investigate every aspect surrounding the abuse or neglect. If negligence, recklessness or intentional mistreatment has occurred, we will file a personal injury claim on your behalf.
After reporting the abuse, the nursing home may attempt to settle. Do not try to negotiate with the nursing home on your own. The nursing home will have a lawyer or insurance claims adjuster leading negotiations — you need an attorney protecting your loved one’s interests.
We have more than 35 years of experience handling injury claims. Our attorneys are strong negotiators and skilled litigators. We are not intimidated by large nursing homes or insurance companies. We stand against abuse and stand up for our clients. Together, we will stop the abuse and hold wrongdoers liable for their actions.
Who Is Legally Liable?
Nursing homes owe their residents a strict duty of care. If you or a loved one was mistreated, abused or otherwise victimized by a doctor, nurse, volunteer or other nursing home employee, the nursing home can be held liable.
The following are common legal grounds for nursing home abuse or neglect claims:
- Negligent hiring or supervision of staff
- Inadequate training of staff and volunteers
- Understaffing
- Failure to provide proper security
- Failure to properly administer medication
- Failure to protect residents against safety hazards
- Failure to provide residents with proper food and water
- Violations of residents’ privacy and autonomy
- Isolation or unnecessary physical restraint
- Intentional abuse
How To Spot Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can be difficult to identify — especially if your loved one has memory loss or is unable to communicate. The following are common warning signs of abuse or neglect:
- Unsanitary conditions
- Broken bones or bruises
- Falls
- Bedsores
- Fear of caretakers
- Changes in emotional state
- Rapid weight loss due to malnutrition
- Infections
- Wandering
If your loved one has experienced one of these conditions, it is worth taking a closer look at the care facility to make sure he or she is not being abused or neglected.
Abuse is not always physical. Emotional abuse can also occur. Oftentimes this abuse takes the form of intimidation and is done to gain control of an elderly person’s finances. Warning signs of this type of abuse include unexpected changes in a will, power of attorney, or other estate planning documents, unpaid bills and large purchases.
Contact Us For Help
If your loved one was abused, neglected or mistreated by a nursing home employee, you have rights. We will help you enforce them. Call 800-556-SHEA (7432) or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We have offices conveniently located throughout Ocean County in Toms River, Manchester and Brick.
