When you choose a nursing home for your elderly loved one, you expect the staff to treat them with courtesy, respect, and compassion. Unfortunately, nursing home residents are sometimes abused or neglected in the place you trusted with their care. When this tragedy happens, you may be able to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against the responsible party.
A lawyer serving New Orleans from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help you identify the at-fault party and build your nursing home abuse case. For a free case review, contact a member of our nursing home abuse team by calling (504) 777-7777 today. At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we can represent you on a contingency-fee basis with no upfront payments required.
How Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help You with Your Case in New Orleans
When you choose Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to be your legal champions, we will work for you on a no-win, no-fee payment arrangement. In other words, you will not be charged any advanced payments upfront, hourly, or out of pocket, and we will take our fee when and if you are awarded compensation.
You should take time to focus on spending time with your loved one while we:
- Obtain the incident report
- Review photos and video surveillance
- Interview both eyewitnesses and professional witnesses
- Identify liable parties
- Study insurance policies
- Communicate and negotiate with the insurers
- File a lawsuit, if need be
- Prepare a case for court
Throughout the course of your case, you can expect us to regularly update you on any changes. Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us.
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The High Cost of Nursing Home Abuse
The financial impact of nursing home abuse may include medical treatments for injuries such as:
- Welts, wounds, and bruises
- Head injuries and broken bones
- Nutrition and hydration issues
- Increased risks for premature death
In addition to the physical and financial cost of nursing home abuse, it can take a high emotional toll as well. Victims may experience mental and emotional distress, such as anxiety or depression.
Possible Available Damages
The amount and kinds of damages you can recoup depend on the severity and nature of your loved one’s injuries, their prognosis, and how the abuse affected them emotionally, physically, and financially. Accordingly, the following damages may be recoverable in a nursing home abuse case:
- Current and future costs of medical treatment: These expenses might involve hospital stays, diagnostic tests, surgeries, medication, and ongoing appointments.
- Property loss: Your loved one might have had their property stolen or damaged.
- Disability: The injuries your loved one suffered might restrict their mobility and/or cognitive functions.
- Pain and suffering: This damage could account for the physical pain your loved one is enduring.
If your loved one’s death was caused by nursing home abuse, a different set of wrongful death damages may be available to you. These damages may include:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Pre-death medical care
- Loss of companionship, consortium, or guidance
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers also helps surviving family members file nursing home abuse wrongful death lawsuits.
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Ensure Timely Filing of Your Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit
Filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the nursing home where your loved one was victimized can be complex. Further, filing a lawsuit also has a state-mandated time restriction.
In Louisiana, CC Art. 3492 sets a general one-year statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits. The same deadline goes for wrongful death lawsuits under CC Art. 2315.2. A failure to take legal action by the deadlines that apply to your case could mean that your lawsuit gets dismissed, and you are unable to recover compensation for your damages.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help you understand what specific deadlines apply to your case when you call for a free consultation with our nursing home abuse team.
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Immediately Report Nursing Home Abuse
At the first sign of nursing home abuse, have your loved one seen by a healthcare professional. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), the following agencies may allow you to report nursing home abuse or have resources available for you if your loved one was abused in their nursing home:
- Louisiana Elderly Protective Services
- Louisiana Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs
- Louisiana Long Term Care Ombudsman
- Louisiana Office of Attorney General
- Louisiana Department of Health, Aging and Adult Services
- Louisiana Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs, Legal Assistance
These agencies may be able to investigate the nursing home and staff where your loved one was abused or neglected. In addition, Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers encourages you to call us for a free consultation after discovering nursing home abuse. Our nursing home abuse team can discuss your situation and the next possible steps during this call.
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Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
The NCEA reports that there were 14,258 reported cases of abuse, gross neglect, or exploitation in nursing homes in 2014. In addition to caregivers, other nursing home residents are sometimes the perpetrators of abuse. Commonly reported forms of nursing home abuse include:
- Physical: Pinching, slapping, hitting, or restraining someone against their will
- Psychological/emotional: Yelling, threatening, ignoring, or insulting someone
- Sexual: Forcing someone to participate in or watch sexual acts
- Financial: Stealing or using someone’s property without their permission
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
The signs of nursing home abuse or neglect can be difficult to recognize. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), warning signs that may indicate abuse include:
- Disinterest in usually enjoyable activities
- Messy, unkempt appearance
- Difficulty sleeping
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained bruises
- Bedsores or other avoidable health concerns
- Unsafe or unsanitary living space
Your elderly parent or spouse does not deserve to be mistreated. If you suspect your loved one has been abused in their New Orleans nursing home, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at (504) 777-7777 for a free consultation on your case with a member of our team. If you qualify, one of our lawyers may be able to fight for compensation on your family’s behalf.
Let Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers fight for Your Family
If your elderly parent or spouse was the victim of abuse in the nursing home you trusted with their care, you might have the basis for a claim for compensation. A New Orleans lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can manage all aspects of your nursing home abuse case when we represent you.
Contact the client intake team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers by calling (504) 777-7777 for a free case review. We can offer you legal representation on a contingency-fee basis with no upfront payments required. Reach out to us today.
Get The HelpYou Need(504) 777-7777To Schedule a FREE CONSULATION
24 hours a day • 7 days a week
