Houston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nursing home abuse can take many forms. Some of it is intentional while oftentimes the abuse is in the form of neglect. We all deserve to be treated with dignity. When a nursing home resident is treated with neglect or deliberate abuse, talk to our nursing home neglect attorneys about how you may be able to hold the nursing home facility accountable.
Every year, thousands of older Americans are mistreated in nursing homes. The abuse usually is due to lax policies which allow careless assistants to continue abusing residents. According to a recent study conducted by a nonprofit organization, Texas nursing homes rank among the lowest in the nation.
Vulnerable older people often cannot defend themselves or properly report neglect. It is usually family members who notice neglect. If you have a loved one who is not getting appropriate care or has been abused, call our Houston nursing home lawyer today for a free consultation.
If you have noticed a sudden change in your elderly relative’s condition, talk to the nursing home staff. If their explanations do not make sense, or if they have no explanation, talk to an experienced personal injury attorney and wrongful death trial lawyer.
Does the patient have bedsores? Bedsores are painful — and nearly always preventable. If your loved one is in a nursing home and has bedsores, you should seek to protect their interests and stop such neglect. Our Houston nursing home abuse lawyer can help.
Understanding Nursing Home Abuse: Types, Signs, and Legal Recourse
- Neglect: This form often stems from carelessness rather than deliberate harm. Common manifestations include medication errors, poor personal hygiene, dehydration, malnutrition, and failure to respond to residents’ needs promptly. Neglect can lead to serious health complications and a significant decline in the quality of life for the residents.
- Physical Abuse: This involves any use of physical force that causes harm to the resident, such as hitting, shoving, or improper use of restraints. Signs include unexplained injuries, frequent hospitalizations, and reluctance to explain how injuries occurred. Physical abuse can lead to severe physical and psychological trauma.
- Emotional or Psychological Abuse: The most commonly reported type, this abuse includes actions or words intended to cause distress, fear, or anguish to the resident, such as insults, threats, isolation, or humiliation. This can significantly impact the resident’s mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
- Sexual Abuse: This type of abuse includes any non-consensual sexual contact or activity. Residents who are disabled or unable to give consent are particularly vulnerable. Signs include injuries around the genitals, STDs, and psychological distress.
- Financial Abuse: This occurs when someone illegally or improperly uses a resident’s assets. This can range from stealing personal items to misusing power of attorney. It can lead to significant financial loss and emotional stress for the resident.
- Elder Abandonment: This less common form involves leaving a resident who needs assistance to fend for themselves, which can lead to severe consequences if the resident is left without care
Empowering Victims: How Houston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Offer Support and Justice
A Houston nursing home abuse attorney can really make a difference if you’re dealing with abuse in a care facility. They start by digging into the abuse details, talking to everyone involved to figure out what happened and who’s responsible. They’ll also collect key evidence like video footage and medical records to build a strong case.
Their main goal is to show that the nursing home didn’t do its job right, leading to harm. This involves piecing together proof that the staff’s actions or lack of action directly caused the issue.
When it comes to getting you or your loved one the compensation you deserve, they’re all about negotiating with the nursing home or its insurance to cover things like medical bills and other related costs. Just remember, there’s a time limit (usually two years in Texas) for taking legal action, so it’s important to get started sooner rather than later.
In short, a nursing home abuse attorney is your go-to for standing up to negligence in care facilities, aiming to get justice and compensation for the harm done.
Here are some situations in which our Houston nursing home abuse attorneys can help:
- Did the patient wander off? Improperly monitored nursing home patients may become confused and wander off. There is no reason an elderly resident should be permitted to wander away from their home.
- Did the patient fall? Improper bed transfers can result in a fall and broken bones. These types of injuries are common and completely preventable.
- Was the patient abused? Nursing home residents are easy victims of those who physically and sexually abuse others. Yes, this happens at many retirement homes. It can be prevented if the staff and administration are vigilant.
In Texas, the Department of Family and Protective Services is a department of Adult Protective Services that investigates allegations of abuse as a state-supported institution. The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services provides for the licensing and regulation of assisted living facilities in this state.
Contact Our Houston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Don’t wait. Contact our nursing home abuse attorney in Houston now.
