The decision to put an elderly parent or another family member in a nursing home is a difficult one to make. You trust that the nursing home will provide the care that you are unable to give—from medical care to round-the-clock nursing in a safe environment. It is terrible to discover that your trust has been violated. It is incredibly painful to learn that your loved one has been neglected or abused by the nursing home that promised to be caring and nurturing.
Many nursing home residents are too weak to defend themselves from the neglect and elder abuse that they may suffer. The personal injury lawyers at Gould Injury Law are here to defend them. We advocate for the rights of the elderly and use the law to bring them justice–fast.
When a nursing home is negligent in Hartford, it can be held accountable by a Connecticut court. For this, you need an attorney. To receive justice and a fair settlement as quickly as possible, contact the Gould Injury Law nursing home abuse lawyers. Call 888-WIN-FAST or fill out the online form for a free consultation.
Types of Nursing Home Injuries
By 2015, some 1.3 million people were living in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities in the United States. And there are 65 nursing homes here in the county of Hartford, Connecticut. Many of these are quality nursing homes that take good care of their patients. Unfortunately, though, there exist nursing home management and staff that may neglect the care of their patients, abuse them, and steal from them.
The circumstances surrounding abuse and neglect cases in nursing homes are diverse. Nursing home abuse injuries are often because of lacking staff, unqualified or untrained staff, poor management, or poor communication by the nursing home administration.
Nursing home abuse and neglect frequently include the following:
- Physical violence and abuse
- Preventable slip-and-falls
- Unsuitable confinement and isolation
- Emotional abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Intimidation
- Failure to help the patient remain clean
- Failure to ensure proper nutrition
- Sexual assault and inappropriate physical contact
- Bedsores and other serious infections
- Identity or other theft and forgery
- Extortion of patients and their families
- Overmedicating abuse of patients, either intentionally or unintentionally
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
How can you know if your loved one is experiencing nursing home neglect or abuse? Of course, not all cases are the same, but there are signs of abuse you should be aware of and keep an eye out for.
These are some of the most common indications of elder abuse in a nursing home that you may notice with your loved one:
- Displaying fear of physical contact
- Socially withdrawn
- Completely uncommunicative
- Residents strangely sedated
- Disarranged living conditions
- Bank account withdrawals without explanations
- Inadequate hygiene maintenance
- Weight loss
- Poor skin condition and bedsores
- Injuries that are unexplained
- Indications of dehydration
- Marks on the body from restraints
- Fractures and broken bones
- Genital bruising indicating sexual abuse
- Unknown injuries and bruises
Why bedsores are a serious symptom of neglect
Bedsores might not seem serious, but they definitely are. Do not ignore the symptoms of bedsores, also called pressure ulcers or pressure sores. It can be a serious sign of nursing home neglect. These skin lesions are painful and dangerous. When not treated quickly, bedsores result in serious health problems.
Patients that are restricted to bed must be regularly turned and moved. This reduces the risk of the patient developing an ulcer. Nursing home staff must remain attentive to their patients and make sure they do not develop bedsores. An understaffed or negligent nursing home can fail to regularly attend to your loved one, which can cause painful complications.
What causes bedsores?
Mainly, bedsores are the result of reduced blood flow under the skin. Skin injuries can come about after rubbing against clothing or bedding for a long time. Other common factors that contribute to bedsores are:
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Overmedicated patients
- Immobility
Do Not Let a Nursing Home Get Away with Elder Abuse or Neglect
Don’t ignore the signs of nursing home neglect and abuse. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home or assisted-living facility, it’s vital to report it. First, call the authorities and seek the safety of your relative. Then file your complaint of nursing home abuse or neglect with the Connecticut Facilities Licensing and Investigation Section.
Next, don’t delay in contacting our nursing home abuse lawyers at Gould Injury Law to make sure the nursing home is held accountable. Victims and their families may be able to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit against the facility responsible for their pain and suffering. Our nursing home abuse lawyers will aggressively pursue legal action against the nursing home facility for subjecting its residents to danger in the name of profit.
A lawsuit can provide abuse victims and their loved ones:
- A monetary settlement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, a better nursing home facility for the victim, and other restitution
- The opportunity to hold the responsible facility accountable for elder abuse
How Long Will a Nursing Home Settlement Take?
Personal injury lawsuits have many factors that affect how long it can take to receive compensation. In general, a settlement is less expensive than a trial and requires less time. A case that goes to trial usually takes 1 to 3 years to reach a verdict.
The vast majority of nursing home abuse cases settle out of court. A settlement can be reached within six months to a year. No doubt you want to reach a conclusion and receive fair compensation as fast as possible. The lawyers at Gould Injury Law in Hartford will work quickly to get your settlement in the shortest possible time.
Other advantages of pursuing a settlement out of court include:
- The amount of compensation can be negotiated, agreed upon, and guaranteed
- In general, if you do not have a lot of evidence, you will have better results settling out of court
- Privacy is maintained with a settlement; in a trial, the record is public.
- The decision is final; there is no appeal
How Much Can I Get in a Nursing Home Abuse Settlement?
Based on a recent study in the journal Health Affairs, the average amount recovered in nursing home abuse cases is $406,000. They also reported that “nursing home wrongful death cases have some of the highest settlement amounts of any nursing home abuse case type.” Of course, each case is different. Many circumstances can affect the value of your claim.
Primarily, the value of a nursing home abuse case is determined by the extent of the injuries to the victim, property losses, as well as the pain and suffering the victim experienced from the abuse and neglect. The damages fall into two categories.
Economic damages–Including hospital bills and stolen property or money
Non-economic damages–Such as compensation for pain and suffering the victim experienced
After the settlement or judgment is reached, the financial recovery process is brought to a close. The settlement money of the elder abuse case goes to the victim’s lawyer. The distribution of funds includes paying the medical bills and other expenses incurred. Finally, the victim is compensated with the remaining funds.
As you can see, the more money you get, the more money is left over for you and your family. Discuss your case with a lawyer at Gould Injury Law to make sure you get the full compensation of your specific claim fast.
Contact Gould Injury Law for Fast Results
We know your loved one is precious to you. The thought of him or her experiencing elder abuse is distressing. Having an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer on your side can help to reduce your emotional stress. Let us do the difficult legal work for your case, thus allowing you to focus on helping both your loved one and your family heal.
Settling a nursing home abuse lawsuit is a complex process. Having the assistance of a Gould Injury Law nursing home abuse lawyer could mean the difference between receiving a small settlement offer and receiving the just compensation your loved one deserves. Either way, you could find yourself waiting far too long to find out what you will receive.
The lawyers at Gould Injury Law in Hartford, Connecticut, can help you and your family on the road to recovery to get results fast. Contact us at 888-WIN-FAST today or fill out the online form and schedule your free consultation.
Hartford Nursing Home Abuse Cases
In Connecticut, personal injury cases for elder or nursing home abuse can only be pursued for 2 years after the incident. That’s why it’s so important to get legal help–fast! At Gould Injury Law, our nursing home abuse lawyers take pride in having our client’s best interests at heart. If your loved one was the victim of nursing home abuse, we want to help you.
We know that you and your loved ones need the compensation that you deserve from your case to live your best lives going forward. That’s why our lawyers are committed to helping you, faster than the other guys. Each and every attorney in our law firm wants to get you justice fast. Call us today for a free consultation to get started on your Connecticut nursing home abuse case.
