Lafayette Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Name: Nursing Home Abuse
Brand: Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers
Rating: 4.9 (1027 reviews)

Placing a loved one in a nursing home could be one of the most difficult decisions a family member has to make.

It might be painful to take your loved one out of their home and place them in the care of strangers, but one may do so if they believe a nursing home is better qualified to provide 24-hour care for their loved one’s specific needs. While these facilities often advertise their dedication to giving the care and attention your loved one deserves, nursing home employees may take advantage of seniors’ inability to care for themselves.

If you suspect or know that a loved one is being abused in a nursing home, a Lafayette nursing home abuse lawyer may be able to help you put a stop to it and hold responsible individuals accountable. A Lafayette personal injury lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers may help you recover compensation for any injuries and losses suffered due to mistreatment.

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What to Do If You Suspect Your Loved One Has Been Mistreated

Protecting your loved one is the greatest concern if you suspect mistreatment. You may contact the authorities if you believe your loved one is in danger. If you don’t feel the need to contact the authorities, you may bring your concerns to management at your loved one’s nursing home. Hiring an attorney should also be a priority. Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers staffs attorneys who have experience in nursing home abuse cases. We will:

Help you ensure your loved one is safe
Act quickly to document any injuries your loved one has suffered
Secure physical evidence, witness accounts, medical records, and any other pertinent items
Explain your options for seeking justice

Our firm will lead your case from start to finish. We will hire any nursing home abuse experts who can help your case.

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(337) 777-7777 Call Us 24/7

Why Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers?

Of all the law firms serving Lafayette, consider hiring Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers. Our dedicated staff will handle your case with care and empathy. Just read the experiences of our former clients :

“I had a very positive experience with Laborde Earles. They provided excellent service, demonstrating professionalism and personal attention to detail.” – Danielle, former client
“Laborde Earles went above and beyond my expectations. Great experience overall, they understand their clients and my needs were put first. I can’t say enough about them…” – Brenda, former client
“Great firm and easy to deal with. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. We’ve never had to use a lawyer before, and these guys made it easy. Thank you for the great service.” – Alexis, former client

Don’t wait to reach out for help. We take pride in defending the defenseless, including elderly victims of mistreatment.

Types of Abuse to Consider

Residents of nursing homes should be treated with dignity and respect, but nevertheless, various abuses may occur. This includes physical abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and emotional abuse.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse may include situations where the nursing home staff intentionally harms the resident by hitting, restraining, sexually violating, or force-feeding the resident.

Neglect

Neglect might occur if the nursing home staff fails to care for their residents properly, including failing to:

Feed the resident
Provide sanitary conditions within the nursing home
Provide required medical care
Provide all necessary medications

Financial Exploitation

Financial abuse may occur if nursing home employees have access to residents’ checkbooks or other financial information. This provides staff members with an opportunity to forge signatures, write phony checks, or encourage the nursing home resident to change the victim’s will or engage in other ill-advised financial transactions.

Emotional Abuse

Many residents may also suffer from emotional abuse. This form of abuse may occur when members of a nursing home staff insult, humiliate, or threaten the nursing home resident. Isolating the resident is also considered emotional or psychological abuse. A Lafayette nursing home abuse lawyer from our team can help you if your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect.

Strict Time Limits for Filing a Nursing Home Abuse Claim

When a loved one suffers from nursing home abuse or neglect, your primary focus is keeping them safe. However, it is critical to understand that Louisiana imposes strict legal deadlines on your right to file a lawsuit and demand compensation. In Louisiana, these deadlines are legally known as "prescriptive periods."

Thanks to recent civil law updates under Louisiana Act 423, the time limits depend directly on when the injury took place and the specific nature of the abuse:

Incidents on or after July 1, 2024: For general negligence and standard personal injury claims arising from nursing home abuse (such as physical assaults, slip-and-falls due to poor maintenance, or financial exploitation), you have two (2) years from the exact date of the injury to file a lawsuit.
Incidents before July 1, 2024: Any elder abuse claims that occurred prior to July 1, 2024, are bound by Louisiana’s older statutory framework and must be filed within one (1) year of the date of the injury.
The Medical Malpractice Exception: It is important to know that if the nursing home neglect involves professional medical care (such as severe bedsores from lack of turning, critical medication errors, or failure to provide ordered medical treatments), the case may be legally classified as medical malpractice. Under Louisiana Revised Statute § 9:5628, medical malpractice claims are strictly limited to one (1) year from the date of the negligent act or the date the injury was discovered.

Because the line between general negligence and medical malpractice can be incredibly narrow in a long-term care facility, you should never assume you have the full two years. Consulting an experienced Lafayette nursing home abuse attorney immediately ensures your family's rights are legally protected before time runs out.

Common Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse

Family members who have entrusted their loved ones to the care of a nursing home must remain vigilant to detect the symptoms of potential abuse. These symptoms may include:

Evidence of physical abuse or neglect, such as bruising, scars, and bed sores
Changes in your senior’s behavior, including being withdrawn and not communicating
Unusual financial activity that does not match the nursing home resident’s typical spending patterns
Extreme weight loss
Other alterations in the resident’s appearance and general hygiene
Unanticipated changes to the resident’s will

A nursing home abuse lawyer in Lafayette can help if you see any signs of concern.

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Over 1,700 5-Star Reviews

Our Legal Team We fight for our own.

Meet Our Team

Digger Earles

Founding Partner

Hunter, fisherman, and aggressive trial attorney, most recently securing a historic $5 million bad faith excess verdict.

Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyers
Acadiana Profile Top Lawyer
Top 100 National Trial Lawyers

David Laborde

Founding Partner

In addition to owning a ranch and hunting on the weekends, David is recognized as a top trial lawyer in Louisiana, most recently winning a $7.2 million settlement.

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
Acadiana Profile Top Lawyer
Multi–Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Alexis Davis

Associate

Personal injury attorney at Laborde Earles, Alexis combines award-winning legal writing with diligent advocacy, focusing on protecting clients’ interests throughout Louisiana.

Best Case Note
Law Review award winner

Aaron Bergeron

Attorney

Personal injury attorney Aaron Bergeron brings a client-first approach shaped by courtroom and judicial experience.

Law Clerk, 27th Judicial District Court
Graduated cum laude, Southern University Law Center

Ben Alexander

Attorney

Litigation attorney Ben leverages years of experience defending catastrophic, maritime, and insurance cases, including those involving the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Deepwater Horizon MDL
Rising Star 2013–2018
Top 100 honoree

Cade Melancon

Attorney

Cade brings judicial and court experience, as well as catastrophic injury litigation skills developed from pre-suit preparation through trial support and appeals.

Federal court internship
District staff attorney

Carolina De La Peña Rogers

Attorney

Carolina represents motor-vehicle crash victims, applying nationwide immigration litigation experience with a proactive strategy, clear communication, and client-focused guidance.

Spanish speaker
Immigration courts admitted
Louisiana Association for Justice

Daniel Snellings

Attorney

With more than 30 years in complex litigation, Daniel represents injured victims in auto, maritime, product liability, toxic tort, and class matters.

Martindale-Hubbell rated
Best Maritime Attorneys 2022
NITA skills certificate

David Charles Laborde Jr.

Attorney

DC handles diverse injury matters, using prior insurance-defense and entertainment-law experience to anticipate tactics, strengthen claims, and guide clients through every step.

Former defense attorney
Louisiana Bar admitted
Tulane football letterman

Derek B. Hebert

Attorney

Personal injury attorney Derek Hebert takes a proactive, detail-driven approach, building cases early to apply pressure and pursue strong results.

Full-Tuition Merit Scholarship Recipient
Certificate in Civil Law Studies

Frances Gossen O'Neal

Attorney

Fran is an experienced litigator with strong research roots, clerkship experience, and broad court admissions, providing thoughtful, steady representation for injured clients.

23rd JDC clerkships
LSU Law J.D.

Jeanne Laborde

Attorney

Personal injury attorney Jeanne has spent decades guiding clients through treatment, billing, and insurance issues with diligence, clarity, and compassion.

Bilingual English/Spanish
20+ years serving clients

Jennifer Coussan

Attorney

Lafayette native Jennifer brings sharp judicial perspective from federal and appellate clerkships, strengthening litigation strategy, motion practice, and outcomes for clients.

Federal law clerk
Third Circuit attorney

Jonathan Chatwin

Attorney

Jonathan focuses on workers’ compensation and personal injury, combining accounting training and Army service with practical, disciplined advocacy for Louisiana clients daily.

U.S. Army veteran
Fifth Circuit admitted

Kade Stutes

Attorney

Storm claim attorney Kade serves Acadiana homeowners with local roots, judicial-clerkship experience, and a steady, responsive approach to complex insurance disputes.

27th JDC judicial clerk
Society VP
Louisiana Bar 2023

Kelby Rasmussen

VP of Legal Operations/Attorney

Kelby practices personal injury law, drawing on courtroom insight from district-judge clerkships, to provide clear answers and steady guidance to clients following serious accidents.

36th JDC law clerk
LAJ member

Kristen Broussard Guidry

Litigation Attorney

Kristen brings more than 25 years of experience and deep insurance-defense insight, now using industry knowledge to zealously advocate for injury clients.

Top 15% LSU
Outstanding Young Lawyer
Past YLA President

Mary Cryar

Attorney

Mary turns two decades of insurance and injury defense experience into advocacy for people facing serious injuries or denied insurance claims today.

NITA instructor
Taught LSU trial advocacy
Multi-state bar admissions

Nicholas R. Rockforte

Attorney

Nicholas represents clients in injury, complex litigation, and class actions, bringing a first-in-class mindset and underdog focus to every case for clients.

Top 40 Under 40
Levee counsel

Paul Laborde

Attorney

Personal injury attorney Paul Laborde brings a thorough, disciplined approach shaped by strong legal training and a deep respect for the profession.

LSU Law Graduate
Judicial & Legislative Experience

Ryan Saunders

Attorney

Ryan brings first-responder experience and trial-driven precision to complex matters, dedicated to helping clients who need a prepared, strategic advocate always today.

First responder 10+ years
Felony defense
Patent bar passed

Scott Higgins

Attorney

Scott is a seasoned injury litigator handling wrongful death, maritime, and complex multi-party cases, valuing client relationships as much as results always.

AV Preeminent rated
Licensed in Louisiana/Texas

Shawn Bordelon

Attorney

Shawn is a personal injury litigator with defense-side insight, representing clients through trial and appeals, including matters that reach the Louisiana Supreme Court level.

Former defense counsel
Louisiana Supreme Court experience

Victor Rushing

Attorney

Victor is a pre-litigation attorney who guides injured clients through early case strategy, providing clear communication and responsive, detail-oriented representation.

Western District admitted
Knights of Columbus

Wesley Elmer

Attorney

Wesley evaluates claims from both sides, helping clients understand strengths and risks while pursuing fair outcomes in personal injury matters statewide fully.

Dual-perspective counsel
Fifth Circuit admitted
Former parish bar president

Will Casanova

Attorney

Will devotes his practice to Louisiana workers’ compensation, providing injured workers with steady, informed guidance to navigate benefits, treatment, and claims.

Past Acadia Bar President
Southern graduate

Amit Gulati

Attorney

Attorney Amit Gulati brings courtroom-tested advocacy and a trial-first mindset to personal injury and criminal defense cases.

Former Orleans Public Defenders Attorney
Extensive Felony Trial Experience

The Shocking Reality: Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

Elder abuse and facility neglect are far more widespread than most families realize. Because residents are often frail, isolated, or suffering from cognitive decline like dementia, a devastating number of incidents go completely unreported.

The data paints a clear picture of why aggressive legal advocacy is necessary to protect our seniors:

Millions Affected Annually: As many as 5 million older Americans experience some form of elder abuse every single year. Tragically, a large portion of these victims are vulnerable seniors residing in nursing homes and long-term care environments. (Source: National Council on Aging)
Widespread Neglect and Silence: In a landmark study involving interviews with over 2,000 nursing home residents, a staggering 44% reported that they had personally experienced abuse. Even more alarming, 95% of those surveyed stated they had either been personally neglected or had witnessed the severe neglect of another resident. (Source: National Institutes of Health / PMC)
Massive Financial Devastation: Abuse is not always physical. Financial exploitation targeting our elderly population causes an estimated $28.3 billion in financial losses each year, often stripping vulnerable seniors of their life savings and their ability to pay for quality care. (Source: National Council on Aging)

What does Justice for an Abuse Victim Look Like?

At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, our job is to obtain justice for abuse victims. So what might justice look like for your loved one? We generally help our clients by securing a financial recovery. This recovery may allow your loved one to move forward without worrying about finances. A recovery is also a measure of justice against those who have wronged loved one.

Your loved one’s financial recovery may account for:

Their pain and suffering: Abuse of any kind inflicts great suffering. Your loved one may receive compensation commensurate with their pain and suffering.
The cost of their time in the home where abuse happened: Nobody should have to live in an abusive situation. We may recover the cost of your loved one’s stay in an abusive nursing home setting.
Medical costs: Any medical expenses related to abuse may be recoverable.
Relocation costs: The cost of moving your loved one to a new nursing home or assisted-living facility may be included in a financial recovery.
Any other economic or non-economic harm related to abuse: Our team will create a detailed list of your loved one’s losses. We will seek fair coverage and nothing less.

Each case of abuse is different. We will speak with you, your loved one, their doctors, and other experts. Combined, we’ll have a full picture of your loved one’s damages.

Work with a Lafayette Nursing Home Abuse Attorney from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers

If your loved one has been abused while residing in a nursing home, they may be entitled to recover damages. A Lafayette nursing home abuse lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers may secure justice. We will aggressively pursue the compensation your loved one deserves.

Since large corporations with extensive legal teams own many nursing homes, it could be important to contact an attorney as soon as any symptoms of abuse appear. Consult a Lafayette nursing home abuse attorney to discuss your right to compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Home Abuse

What are the most common signs of nursing home neglect?

Neglect occurs when a facility fails to provide the basic necessities of life and health care. Common warning signs include the development of advanced bedsores (pressure ulcers), sudden or unexplained weight loss (malnutrition), signs of dehydration, poor personal hygiene, frequent or unexplained falls, and an unusually dirty or unsanitary living environment.

How long do I have to sue a nursing home for abuse in Louisiana?

For standard negligence or personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a claim. However, if the injury occurred before that date, or if the court determines the neglect constitutes medical malpractice (such as a failure of professional nursing or medical care), a strict one-year deadline will apply. Always consult a lawyer to verify your exact deadline.

Can I file a claim if my loved one has dementia and cannot fully explain what happened?

Yes. Residents with cognitive impairments like Alzheimer's or dementia are among the most frequent targets of abuse because perpetrators assume they won't be believed. You do not need a perfect statement from your loved one to move forward. An experienced attorney can build a powerful case using medical records, facility staffing logs, expert testimony, and physical evidence of injury.

Who can be held legally responsible for elder abuse in a long-term care facility?

Liability often extends beyond the specific staff member who committed the abuse. Under Louisiana law, the nursing home corporation or facility owner can be held liable for systemic failures. This includes corporate liability for chronic understaffing, failing to perform thorough criminal background checks, failing to properly train employees, or prioritizing facility profits over patient care.

What should I do immediately if I suspect my family member is being abused?

If your loved one is in immediate physical danger, call 911 right away. Next, document everything you see—take photographs of any visible injuries, bruises, or unsanitary conditions, and write down the dates and names of any staff members involved. Report the situation to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Health Standards Section at (888) 810-1819, and contact a dedicated Lafayette nursing home abuse lawyer to step in and investigate.

Do you have more questions?

Our team is here to answer every question about your case—clearly and honestly.

(337) 777-7777 Call Us 24/7

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