Making the decision to place your loved one into the care of a nursing home can be a difficult decision. While these facilities are designed to support and care for your loved one, nursing home employees can act carelessly or negligently towards elderly residents. If you suspect that your loved one in an Abbeville nursing home is being abused, Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help your family pursue justice.
When a nursing home mistreats your elderly loved one, an Abbeville nursing home abuse lawyer from our team can fight for compensation on your behalf. After investigating your loved one’s living conditions, we can file a claim or lawsuit against the responsible party.
To learn more, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at (337) 777-7777.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
If you start to suspect abuse against your loved one in a nursing home in Abbeville, Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help you file a complaint with the Louisiana Department of Health. However, before you file the complaint, you must consider the type of abuse that is affecting your loved one.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), elder abuse can consist of:
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is one of the more obvious signs of mistreatment since it can present visible signs. Some types of physical abuse may involve intentional acts of violence against your family member, such as hitting or restraining them. Physical abuse may also be the result of nursing home staff sexually assaulting a patient.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
According to the CDC, emotional or psychological abuse “refers to verbal or nonverbal behaviors that inflict anguish, mental pain, fear, or distress on an older adult.” This can include yelling, displays of disrespect, and humiliating a nursing home resident.
Neglect
When nursing homes neglect a senior, they may provide substandard care, such as not feeding them, supplying their medication, or providing sanitary conditions.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse can occur when nursing home staff members begin to illegally use or steal a senior’s money, benefits, assets, property, or personal belongings. In some cases, nursing home workers may purposefully extort money from seniors, which can result in financial strain.
Your loved one may have suffered a form of abuse or neglect not included on this list. If you suspect that your loved one is being mistreated, you should take immediate intervention in regard to their safety.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientRecognizing Symptoms of Abuse
If you are regularly visiting your loved one in a nursing home, you may gradually begin to notice signs of abuse or neglect.
When physical abuse occurs, be vigilant for scarring, bruises, or other uncommon physical ailments in your loved one. If your loved one has begun to change their behavior or mood, this may also be a sign of abuse. In terms of financial abuse, you may start monitoring your family member’s finances or check their spending habits for any unusual activity.
Other symptoms of abuse or neglect may include:
- Dramatic weight loss
- Changes in your loved one’s appearance
- Withdrawn or distant behaviors
- Poor hygiene
- Hair loss
- Unexplained health complications
- Episodes of intense anger or sadness
Again, if you suspect that your loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse or neglect, you should intervene immediately.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientIdentifying Recoverable Damages
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals created guidelines outlining seniors’ protections when living in a nursing home facility. For example, if a nursing home worker knows that a resident is being abused or neglected, they must report it or face a $500 fine.
An Abbeville nursing home abuse lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help your family pursue compensation for their damages. Through a claim or lawsuit, our legal team can fight to help your family secure fair compensation to address the trauma your loved one has experienced.
To calculate the potential value of your case, your lawyer will need to review the losses stemming from your loved one’s treatment.
You may be able to recover the following:
- Medical expenses (current and future)
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Funeral expenses, if your loved one passed away
- The cost of moving to a new care facility
In order to legally file a personal injury lawsuit in Louisiana, it must be done within the state’s statute of limitations. As stated under Louisiana Civil Code § 3492, claimants generally have up to two years to take legal action. However, this period may be subject to change based on when you discovered your loved one’s abuse or neglect.
To learn more about building a case, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers at (337) 777-7777.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientHow an Abbeville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help Your Case
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, our law firm can support your case throughout the entirety of its progression. We will investigate your case, gather evidence, list your damages, and identify all liable parties.
We can also:
- File your complaint to the appropriate authorities
- Manage communications with the nursing home’s administration, their insurance company, and any other involved parties
- Consult with medical doctors regarding your loved one’s health condition
- Interview other nursing home residents and witnesses
- Review the nursing home’s history to look for any previous allegations of abuse or neglect
- Handle the responsibilities associated with filing a lawsuit, if necessary
Our team’s goal is to help you receive compensation for your nursing abuse-related losses. We urge you to take legal action today as it could work to promote your loved one’s safety.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientContact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today
If your loved one in Abbeville has been abused in a nursing home, an Abbeville nursing home abuse lawyer can help you fight for a successful outcome.
To learn more about working with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, call us today at (337) 777-7777.