Entrusting a nursing home with your loved one’s care is a difficult decision. However, you might have concluded that because you’re unable to provide the degree of care and support they need, they’re safer in the hands of someone else.
Regrettably, these hands are not necessarily safe because many nursing homes prioritize profits over people.
If your loved one or family member has been abused in a nursing home, please contact the Athens Georgia Nursing Home Abuse lawyers. Kenneth S. Nugent, P.C. can assist you in filing a suit against the institution and protecting your loved one’s rights.
Around one in every ten Americans aged 60+ has been a victim of elder abuse of some kind.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states:
Elder abuse is defined as a single or recurrent act, or a failure to respond appropriately, that occurs within any relationship based on an expectation of trust and results in injury or distress to a vulnerable adult. This sort of violence violates human rights because it comprises physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse; material and financial abuse; desertion; neglect; and a significant loss of dignity and respect.
There are times that nursing home staff purposefully injures or exploits residents, but in other cases, residents’ wellbeing is disregarded. All forms of nursing home abuse and neglect have significant ramifications.
Frequently, a care facility will not hire the required personnel for patients to comply with federal regulations. This results in patients receiving insufficient care, resulting in catastrophic injuries or even death.
As per the National Council on Aging, elders who’ve been abused face a 300 percent increased chance of death (NCOA). Bedsores and falls, in particular, can have a long-term effect on a nursing home resident’s health.
Furthermore, nobody deserves to be neglected or to suffer misery. If you or a loved one has been harmed, you deserve justice.
While a lawsuit cannot undo what has occurred, it can assist in accounting for the effects abuse has on the life of an older adult. Damages may assist you in paying for future treatment and ensuring the comfort and security of your entire family.
Georgia’s climate and landscape attract retirees. The number of retirees in Georgia is increasing, and others from surrounding states are visiting warmer weather towns like Augusta and Atlanta.
According to AARP, only a third of Georgia care homes and long-term care facilities are rated above average. However, auditors inspecting nursing homes report that the necessary and desired treatment is not commonplace. Regrettably, Georgia’s hospice quality ranks 25th nationally.
Georgia has about 300 nursing institutions, with over 160 ranked below average or worse. The best institutions are non-profit, yet 68% of the state’s nursing homes are. This means they are more prone to make profit-driven judgments like over-housing or understaffing. Fewer beds and more personnel in larger facilities have worse consequences.
Nationally, staffing is an issue. Most long-term care institutions are understaffed, unable to give residents the 2 hours of care mandated by HHS. A surprising 31% of the understaffed homes cannot deliver 12 minutes of nursing attention daily. The lack of nurse contact jeopardizes residents’ care and wellbeing.
Georgia law safeguards the rights of vulnerable nursing home patients. If a family member is mistreated and injured, Georgia statutes entitle both of you to monetary damages. This means that if a nursing home facility harms or injures your family, you can sue it and get monetary compensation.
What’s the purpose of suing a nursing home? Indeed, there’s no amount of financial restitution or sentiments of justice that can heal the suffering that your family member endured. Taking legal action against cruel and negligent nursing facilities, is one of the most potent instruments at your disposal. It helps you seek reimbursement for your case and also protects other people in the future.
Because of Georgia’s nursing home care situation, protecting your loved one from neglect and abuse is critical. If you suspect your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home, contact a law firm for nursing home abuse to ensure that your beloved receives justice for past mistakes and, also, the facility provides safer care in the future.
When people place their loved ones in nursing home facilities, they most likely expect that they’ll be treated respectfully. Unfortunately, this is not the case; abuse does occur. Here are a few misconceptions concerning nursing home abuse.
Your loved one is fine if no physical indicators of abuse exist.
When they brood over nursing home abuse, many individuals think of bruises, wounds, and shattered bones. But just because your loved one isn’t showing physical signs doesn’t mean they aren’t being abused. Financial exploitation and emotional abuse, for example, have no visible indicators.
Nothing happened if no one complained.
Unfortunately, not every nursing home resident speaks openly about their experiences with abuse. They may be ashamed or afraid to speak up. That’s why it’s critical to recognize signs of abuse and take action.
Stressed-out nursing home staff abuse patients.
Working in a care home can be highly stressful at times. Staff members frequently work long shifts and are responsible for many residents. But that’s no excuse for abuse.
If you have a loved one in a nursing facility, you may see indicators of mistreatment. Signs of abuse can emerge in numerous ways, including personality changes, increased bruises, or other unusual markings. Knowing the signs of abuse can help you help your elderly relative.
Neglect
Neglect is a very insidious kind of abuse. From food preparation to taking prescriptions punctually, there are numerous things that older individuals struggle to accomplish on their own.
If a caretaker is purposely withholding help or ignoring someone in their care, they might require an attorney. This disregard for essential body functions or vital treatments may result in your loved one becoming ill or hurt.
Financial Exploitation
In some instances, nursing home employees may profit from the income and savings of elderly residents. This could be because older adults are likelier to believe scams or the persons behind them under certain circumstances.
Victims of elder abuse can suffer greatly when someone attempts to fake checks in their names or steal money from their pockets or purse. If you’re in this circumstance, seeking the assistance of a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney may be beneficial.
Emotional Abuse
Constantly insulting or yelling can make anyone feel withdrawn and terrified. This abuse might not seem noticeable at first but can intensify with time. Verbal threats and humiliation from employees are destructive approaches to control elderly seniors.
If you see your loved one becoming more reclusive or avoiding direct responses, this could be a sign of emotional abuse.
Physical abuse
Strange bruises and unexplained blemishes on the body of your senior loved one may be the result of physical abuse. This can result in serious health problems for residents or even cause death.
Physical abuse also occurs when someone is restrained against their will. Elderly individuals may encounter staff that doesn’t respect their limits or autonomy.
What can a nursing facility abuse lawyer in Athens do for your family now that you’ve discovered some of the indications of abuse? If an adult is abused while residing in a nursing home, they can file a lawsuit against the institution.
Note that an attorney is knowledgeable and experienced in nursing home abuse laws. They’ll assist you in understanding your case and guide you through the whole process.
When pursuing an action against a nursing facility in Athens, GA, an experienced law firm attorney will establish the following:
One of the primary tasks for a law firm for nursing home abuse is to defend your family legally and guarantee that you receive the outcome you deserve allowing you to move on from the negligence or abuse that occurred.
Having an expert and committed attorney on your side may boost your chances of obtaining the financial compensation necessary to ensure your financial security in the future.
They will assist you in navigating the legal system and obtaining financial compensation for the harm sustained. Having an abuse attorney on your side increases the victim’s chances of receiving compensation with a nursing facility.
Nobody wants to suffer or witness their loved one suffer for the rest of their life because of a staff member’s or a facility’s negligence. Attorney Ken Nugent is familiar with nursing facilities’ regulations and will thus ensure that your loved one’s well-being is protected.
Perhaps, like most abuse victims, you don’t particularly like searching for a nursing home abuse lawyer. However, there comes a time when such is inevitable.
It’s worth noting that this type of abuse is a delicate subject that requires a specialized law firm. These lawyers must possess the correct combination of talents and experience to ensure you receive the best outcome.
However, how can you know you’re going to hire a good lawyer? The following are the characteristics that every nursing facility abuse attorney should possess.
They should be well-acquainted with Athens, Georgia
You want an attorney who’s familiar with the laws in your state and neighborhood. Knowing the area will be critical since they will almost certainly have prior information about the nursing facility.
They may be acquainted with some of its workers or have a relative who resides in the home. Knowing the individuals involved facilitates an easy acquisition of information that may prove critical to your case.
They must have adaptable skills
It’s worth noting that nursing home abuse incidents vary significantly. Was it a case of neglect? Was it an instance of sexual abuse? You need an attorney capable of dealing with all of these issues. If your attorney cannot defend a range of different types of lawsuits, you’re out of luck.
Indeed, you can find an attorney you enjoy working with, but if they lack the necessary abilities for your situation, they may not be the best fit. Always inquire about their case outcomes and their level of expertise. Additionally, inquire about their ability to deal with whatever situation, regardless of the horrors uncovered during the probe.
They Have Experiential Knowledge
Simply put, you want an experienced attorney. Additionally, it would help if you had someone who has handled instances similar to yours. A knowledgeable attorney is more likely to obtain a good outcome in your case.
They know how to obtain relevant information and conduct a comprehensive investigation if necessary. You don’t want them scrounging for difficult-to-obtain information. Additionally, you want a track record of success in court. How many victories do they have?
Finding the appropriate attorney might be challenging. However, if you follow the list above, locating an experienced nursing home abuse attorney in Athens, GA, such as the legal team at Kenneth S. Nugent P.C., should be a lot easier. Call us today at 1-800-CALL-KEN.
