Scottsdale Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Scottsdale, AZ

Nursing home abuse and neglect should always be taken seriously, and help from a nursing home abuse lawyer Scottsdale, AZ families trust from SL Chapman Trial Lawyers, should be sought if signs of mistreatment are present. Nursing home neglect is the improper care of senior nursing home residents, and is a shockingly common problem. Most nursing homes have claims against them that their staff have neglected, abused, or witnessed others partaking in mistreatment without intervening or reporting it. Not receiving the care that you need in a nursing home can have serious and life-threatening consequences. Residents and their loved ones can take certain steps to help prevent neglect from happening.

Nursing home neglect is a type of abuse that seniors may experience, especially when living in assisted facilities. Essentially, neglect entails a breach of duty that staff and doctors have to provide quality assistance. Neglect is not as violent as other types of nursing home abuse, however, the harmful impacts can be severe and long-lasting. If there are signs of neglect, then family members must take action immediately for their loved one, so repeated incidents do not occur. Examples of nursing home neglect include:

• Leaving senior resident with mobility issues in their room or other area stranded for hours at a time
• Not calling for a nurse or doctor when needed
• Not providing clean bedding or clothes regularly
• Not cleaning the resident on a consistent basis
• Not providing enough food or clean water 
• Not treating a resident’s illness or injuries within a reasonable time frame
• Failing to provide a correct diagnosis or treatment plan

Medical Neglect

If nursing home staff don’t properly treat or prevent health issues, then they may be engaging in medical neglect. This can cause problems such as bedsores, infections, worsened condition, new ailments, mobility difficulties, and more. If your loved one is showing signs of medical neglect, we urge you to contact a Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer for intervention. We can help make sure your loved one gets relocated safely and that the offenders are held responsible. 

Abandonment

Those who care for an elderly resident may abandon them without regard for their wellbeing. Staff may leave the resident alone and unable to move somewhere in the facility, or they may force them out entirely. Those with conditions such as dementia and diabetes are likely to suffer greatly without assistance and their required medications. There is no excuse for nursing home abandonment. 

Emotional or Social Neglect

Seniors in a nursing home should be provided outlets for socializing and connecting with peers. Emotional or social neglect can happen if the staff do not let seniors interact with their co-residents, or their family and friends. Those with mental and physical disabilities are at a higher risk for social neglect, since they rely on caretakers to help them get around and interact with others. 

We understand the serious nature of nursing home abuse and neglect. If your senior relative is exhibiting signs of mistreatment, please call a Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer from the team at SL Chapman Trial Lawyers right away.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Scottsdale, AZ

If your family member has been mistreated in a nursing home, you may want to speak with a nursing home abuse lawyer Scottsdale, AZ residents trust. Your loved one deserves justice. A lawyer can help you pursue a timely injury claim against the negligent party.

Common Myths About Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is more common than people think and includes several types harmful behaviors, like physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect. Here are some common myths about nursing home abuse:

• If a nursing home resident denies abuse, it’s definitely true. Unfortunately, many seniors are reluctant to admit that they are being mistreated at a nursing home. They might feel too embarrassed or ashamed to talk about. Some nursing home residents may also feel too scared to report abuse due to fear of retaliation. That’s why it’s important for family members of nursing home residents to pay attention to signs of abuse.

• Nursing home abuse is always obvious. Some people associate nursing home abuse with visible injuries, like cuts and bruises. However, just because your family member doesn’t have obvious injuries, does not mean that he or she is not being mistreated. For example, if your loved one has been emotionally abused or neglected, he or she might not show obvious symptoms. 

• Nursing home staff members harm residents because they are stressed. There is no denying that working at a nursing home is a stressful job. As a Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer can confirm, nursing homes are often short on staff and staff members may have to work a lot of hours. However, stress is not an excuse to commit abuse. 

• Abusers always get caught. While this would be nice if it were true, it is not always the case. As mentioned above, many nursing home residents are too scared or ashamed to report abuse. As such, many abusers don’t get caught and punished.

• Nursing home abuse is always violent. Another common myth about nursing home abuse is that it is always physical. However, nursing home abuse can come in many different forms and not all of them are violent. Financial or emotional abuse, for example, might not be physically violent, but it can still be very traumatic for victims.

Getting Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse

If you have reason to believe that your loved one has suffered abuse at a nursing home, it is important to consult a skilled nursing home abuse lawyer promptly. A lawyer can review the circumstances of the case and determine if you have a strong case or not. He or she can help you gather the necessary evidence to prove negligence and handle negotiations with the defendant’s insurance company. Your family member may be eligible to receive compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Mental health counseling
• Cost of moving to another nursing home
• Pain and suffering
• Reimbursement of stolen or damaged property

Schedule a consultation with a Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer from SL Chapman Trial Lawyers today.

Nursing Home Need Statistics

A Scottsdale, AZ nursing home abuse lawyer from SL Chapman Trial Lawyers knows that the need for quality nursing home facilities will continue to increase as the average life span in this country continues to rise. Studies show that more than half of all adults in the United States will need some kind of elderly nursing home care in the future. These predictions are alarming, especially given the current state of nursing home facilities and the high rate of abuse and neglect cases that occur every day.

Congressional Studies

Each year, the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) releases a report to Congress that provides an overview of the state of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the nation. The latest numbers reveal what a Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer already knows – the number of nursing homes cited for violations each year is unacceptable.

According to the current numbers, approximately one-third of all nursing home facilities have been cited for violations that either did result in harm or could have resulted in harm to residents.

Even more tragic is the percentage of nursing home residents surveyed – almost half – who say they have been abused. Ninety-five percent of nursing home residents surveyed say they have been victims of neglect by nursing home staff.

Acts of Negligence

Each Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer from our firm has extensive experience in nursing home abuse cases. Some of the more common acts of neglect and abuse our firm has successfully handled include:

• Staff ignoring illnesses
• Staff ignoring injuries
• Staff failing to provide daily hygiene for residents
• Staff failing to provide adequate food and water for residents
• Staff failing to provide appropriate clothing for residents
• Staff keeping residents isolated
• Staff failing to administer correct medication and/or skipping residents’ schedule medication

Types of Cases

Nursing home abuse can take on many different forms. At our law firm, we have successfully advocated for victims and their families who have experienced the following types of abuse:

• Physical abuse, including slapping, pinching, hitting, and kicking
• Emotional abuse, including insulting, demeaning, and humiliating the resident
• Overuse of restraints or using excessive force on the resident in order to restrain them
• Sexual assault
• Financial exploitation

How Can Our Firm Help?

If your elderly loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, there are critical steps your family should take in order to protect them. A Scottsdale nursing home abuse lawyer can help your family navigate through this process, including making sure that all the proper municipal and/or state agencies are notified and complaints filed. Our firm can also help your family file a nursing home abuse lawsuit to make sure your family gets financial justice for your loved ones’ abuse. Call SL Chapman Trial Lawyers to schedule a free and confidential consultation to find out what legal recourse you and your family may have.