A facility designed for qualified medical professionals to provide around-the-clock care to vulnerable adults should be the last place any abuse or neglect would occur. The unfortunate reality is that nursing home abuse is common in certain areas and facilities. As a family member or close friend of a resident in such a facility, it may fall to you to take action against this mistreatment on their behalf.
A Media nursing home abuse lawyer could provide the answers and information you need when you have questions about whether abuse may be affecting your loved one and what you can do to stop it. Then, when you want to seek financial restitution for harm your loved one sustained due to neglect or abuse by their caretakers, your compassionate personal injury attorney could guide you through the process of pursuing a civil lawsuit or settlement on their behalf.
While no form of neglect or abuse of a nursing home resident by facility staff or other residents should ever be tolerated, not every instance of mistreatment in a care facility warrants a civil claim. In some situations, resolving a minor lapse in a resident’s care or a small issue with a single staff member or resident can be as simple as speaking with facility management about the problem and ensuring it is fixed.
In more serious situations, the state Ombudsman Program within the Department of Aging has a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-490-8505 to report abuse and neglect in nursing homes, and it is possible to get help from law enforcement in removing a nursing home resident in an emergency. A Media nursing home abuse attorney can discuss these and other options for keeping a loved one safe from preventable harm during a private consultation.
When a nursing home resident suffers any physical trauma requiring professional medical care or passes away prematurely as a direct result of abuse or neglect inside their nursing home, a family member can file suit on their behalf and demand economic and non-economic compensation. This can include objective financial losses like additional medical bills and costs of replacing damaged personal property and various forms of physical pain, emotional anguish, and psychological suffering.
A nursing home resident or someone pursuing litigation on their behalf typically has two years after discovering harm was occurring in which to file suit. The deadline is also two years for family members filing suit over a loved one’s wrongful death inside a care facility, usually starting from the date of the deceased person’s death. A nursing home abuse lawyer in Media could ensure all paperwork is filed before the deadline.
Nursing homes should be safe and supportive residences for people with significant physical or cognitive challenges. Any employee, manager, or owner of such a facility who mistreats a resident should be held financially accountable for the harm they cause, and guidance from seasoned legal counsel can be essential to making sure that happens.
A meeting with a Media nursing home abuse lawyer could help you better understand your rights and the steps you should take to protect your family’s best interests. Call today to schedule a consultation.
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