When moved from the comfort of home and into a New Haven nursing home or long-term care facility, your loved one should be provided with a high level of care. Sadly, these expectations often go unmet. The websites and advertisements for such care facilities portray cozy rooms, friendly staff, and fun activity centers for residents. The reality, though, may be a filthy or unsafe facility run by overworked nurses.
We expect nursing home staff to treat our loved ones with care, compassion, and respect. If you suspect that your family member has instead been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, don’t stand idly by and let the situation continue a moment longer. Elder care facilities in New Haven, Connecticut, have a legal and ethical duty to protect residents and should be held accountable for acts of abuse and neglect. Act now and get fast justice for your family!
At Gould Injury Law in New Haven, CT, our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers advocate for the residents of Connecticut. After taking on your case, our law firm works fast to hold these facilities accountable for acts of abuse and neglect. Contact our legal team today at 888-WIN-FAST to schedule a free consultation of your case with a nursing home abuse lawyer.
Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in New Haven, Connecticut
The level of care and supervision that a resident needs varies on a case-by-case basis. For example, a patient with dementia who is prone to wandering outside will need different supervision than a resident whose memory is intact. Regardless of a patient’s needs, it is the duty of the nursing home to ensure that there are sufficient staff and resources to care properly for every single resident.
At Gould Injury Law, we are outraged when we learn of elderly ones being neglected in a New Haven nursing home. If your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse and neglect, our law firm will work fast to help you recover financial compensation and hold the nursing home and staff responsible for their actions.
Nursing home neglect can come in many forms:
- Failure to keep residents from wandering: Just as parents keep a close eye on their small children to keep them from wandering into harm’s way, so too elderly patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia must be protected from placing themselves in danger. A wandering patient could get hit by a vehicle, be assaulted, or worse. When a nursing home agrees to care for your loved one, it should have enough staff members available for all residents to be properly supervised.
- Improper repositioning of patients: If residents are left in one position for an extended period of time, they are at risk for developing bedsores. Bedsores are extremely painful and, if left untreated, can be fatal. Bedsores occur when a patient is left lying or sitting, without much movement, for an extended length of time. Sadly, this condition is one of the most common signs of neglect found in nursing homes.
- Misuse of restraints: There are certain situations when restraints may be necessary in a nursing home, but they should never be used as a substitute for proper care and supervision. If you suspect that restraints are being improperly used on your loved one, watch for signs of abrasions on the wrists and ankles, and stop by the nursing home frequently to check on your loved one.
- Unexplained weight loss or gain, or dehydration: It is the nursing home’s obligation to make sure the nutritional and dietary needs of all patients are being met. If you notice a drastic fluctuation in your loved one’s weight, this could mean that he or she is not receiving proper nutrition regularly.
- Failure to prevent falls: Falls can be fatal for elderly residents, so nursing homes need to have the proper equipment and enough staff on hand to prevent falls from happening. For example, beds found in these facilities are often far off the ground and should thus be equipped with proper bed rails to create a safe environment. Also, residents should be able to move freely around their rooms, in common areas, and down the facility’s hallways without having to worry about tripping and falling.
Is Your Loved One Being Financially Abused By a Dishonest Nursing Home?
When you entrust the care of your loved one to a New Haven nursing home, you expect that the staff will keep your loved one free from all sorts of abuse, including financial. Some might not view theft as a form of abuse, but it is.
Our legal team at Gould Injury Law has helped clients get fast relief by holding nursing home facilities liable for financial abuse cases involving the following:
- Theft of personal belongings: Staff members may take advantage of older ones by stealing their personal possessions. If you visit your loved one and notice that jewelry or other valuables are missing, he or she may be a victim of financial abuse.
- Coercion: Staff members may befriend nursing home residents with the intent of coercing them to give out bank account information, social security numbers, or credit card numbers. Some dishonest staff members have even tricked residents into giving them power of attorney or changing their wills.
- Fraud: Nursing home facilities usually have financial information on file for residents. This might include banking info, lists of assets, and, in some cases, their powers of attorney. Staff could abuse this knowledge by transferring money from bank accounts, opening false accounts in the resident’s name, or making property title changes.
Signs of Physical Abuse in a Nursing Home in New Haven, Connecticut
Sadly, some occupants of nursing homes in New Haven, Connecticut, may lack the physical and mental capacity to report abuse, while others may be afraid of the repercussions of doing so. Staff members may try to prevent them from reporting abuse by threatening them with further harm.
Since nursing home abuse cases often go unreported, it’s important for family members to advocate for the legal rights of their loved ones. Common signs abuse include:
- Unexplained cuts or bruises
- Broken or fractured bones
- Sprains
- Pressure marks or bruising from restraints
- Burns
- Cuts
You know your loved ones best, so watch out for any personality or behavior changes. For instance, if they suddenly have a fear of physical contact or they seem withdrawn and depressed, these could be signs of physical abuse.
Also, be aware of how your loved ones act around certain staff members. Do they flinch or cower when a particular staff member enters the room? Do staff members prevent you from being alone with your loved one when you visit? If so, you may very well have a nursing home abuse case.
Signs of Sexual Abuse in a New Haven, Connecticut Nursing Homes
There are few topics that are grimmer than sexual abuse in long-term care facilities. Sexual predators often take advantage of the residents that are most vulnerable such as those with physical and mental disabilities.
The legal team at Gould Injury Law in Connecticut finds these acts detestable. The anger that we feel motivates us to fight even more aggressively for our client’s rights. We will act fast to hold nursing home facilities accountable for the suffering they are allowing their residents to endure.
It’s important for family members to visit their loved one in person at the nursing home and watch for any signs of abuse. The following may be signs of sexual abuse:
- Pelvic pain or bruising
- Anal or genital bleeding
- Complaints of genital pain
- Depression
- Unexplained aggression
Getting to the Root Cause of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
When your loved one sustains an injury in a nursing home–whether it be a medication error, a broken bone, or a bedsore–the root cause is likely a problem deep within the nursing home system. The lawyers at Gould Injury Law will work fast to investigate your case and determine what is making the nursing home an unsafe environment. We have handled claims and lawsuits based on the following.
Understaffing
Nursing homes are required to provide adequate staffing for all residents under their care. There needs to be enough nurses, PCAs, and other employees on hand at all times to provide proper and timely care for each resident. After taking on your case, we will act fast to obtain all related data necessary to determine if improper staffing was to blame for your loved one’s injuries.
Medication errors
Most residents take some sort of medication for their health. These medications need to be administered properly, as too much or too little medication could lead to your loved one being injured or killed. If improper administration of medication caused injury in your loved one’s case, the nursing home doctor, nurses, or pharmacist could be held accountable.
Negligent hiring
Proper hiring is imperative to ensure that nursing home residents receive needed care. All staff’s credentials should be verified before hiring; each individual should be fully licensed and qualified for his or her position. Complete background checks should be conducted on all potential employees, and everyone hired should be properly trained for the positions they hold. If a nursing home is found to be negligent in their hiring or training, it may also be found liable for abuse.
Hire an Experienced New Haven Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nobody should be forced to live with people who neglect, mistreat, or abuse them. The elderly deserve to be treated with dignity, care, and respect. Our legal team at Gould Injury Law in New Haven firmly believes that Connecticut nursing homes should be held liable for acts of abuse that happen in their facility. Our Connecticut personal injury law firm proudly advocates for nursing home residents and will work fast to find you and your family relief.
If you suspect that your loved one has been a victim of any kind of nursing home abuse, don’t delay in reporting the situation to the proper authorities. Please contact a Gould Injury Law personal injury lawyer to discuss holding the nursing home liable for any injuries or losses your loved one has suffered.
Call New Haven Gould Injury Law at 888-WIN-FAST to schedule a free consultation of your case today. We will work fast to obtain justice for you and your loved one. Our law firm handles all nursing home abuse cases on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t get paid until you and your family receive financial compensation for the injustices your loved one has faced.
Gould Injury Law
Top Rated Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in New Haven, Connecticut
900 Grand Ave #1, New Haven, CT 06511
Phone
(203) 773-0817
(888) 946-3278
