Nursing home staff members play an important role in the wellness of a particularly vulnerable segment of the population. Unfortunately, nursing home staff members may sometimes fail to address the needs of their residents. There are even instances when nursing home workers may be deliberately abusive.
This is a more common problem than many realize. If you believe a loved one is being neglected or abused in their nursing home facility, you should speak up on their behalf. Not only could you help your family member, but you may also help other residents in the process.
Nursing home facilities are responsible for providing safe environments to occupants. When they do not, they may be held financially accountable. To learn about your legal options, review your case with a Pennsylvania nursing home abuse lawyer at Stark & Stark. It costs nothing unless we win your case.
Click here to contact a lawyer
Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Cases: What You Need to Know
As baby boomers age, the number of nursing home residents is expected to continue to increase every year. This is particularly true in Pennsylvania, which ranks as the fourth state with the most residents over the age of 65.
It is impossible to determine precisely how many nursing home residents are abused in the United States every year as many nursing home abuse cases go unreported. That said, data from the World Health Organization indicates approximately one out of every six individuals over the age of 60 are abused in some capacity every year. Many elderly victims of abuse or neglect are nursing home residents.
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can take many forms. The following are merely some of the most common:
- Stealing from a resident or otherwise taking advantage of them financially
- Sexual abuse
- Failing to provide for a resident’s basic needs (including toileting, feeding, and administering medication)
- Physical abuse
If you suspect someone is the victim of any type of nursing home abuse, you should err on the side of caution and investigate the matter.
Click here to contact a lawyer
Possible Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Just as there are many potential forms of nursing home abuse, there are also numerous potential indicators that a nursing home resident is being abused. They include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Bedsores, which develop on a person’s skin when they remain seated or bedridden in the same position for a long period of time
- Sudden and significant changes in weight
- Unexplained bruises, broken bones, or similar injuries
- Evidence of being forcibly restrained, such as rope marks
- Behavioral changes, particularly those associated with depression
- Apparent fear of being in the presence of certain nursing home staff members
You may not always be able to easily determine if nursing home abuse is happening. However, any signs that something may be wrong should be taken seriously.
Why Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Occur
Nursing home abuse often involves clearly and undeniably malicious behavior on the part of nursing home staff members. However, neglect can be just as damaging to a patient. This may occur because staff members are overworked—not necessarily because they wish to harm a patient. However, that in no way justifies this behavior.
Nursing home neglect abuse is often a byproduct of insufficient staffing and a lack of adequate procedures and management. Nursing home facility owners may be held liable for instances of abuse and neglect that happen in their residences. If they fail to hire enough employees, do not properly screen workers before hiring them, or fail to properly train staff, they may permit neglect and abuse to occur.
What To Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse is Being Committed
It is important to keep in mind that some nursing home residents are often afraid to admit that they are the victims of abuse. If they have cognitive difficulties or memory problems, they might even forget that they are being abused, or they might not understand that they are a victim. For example, some victims of nursing home abuse do not realize that they are being financially taken advantage of.
This is why it can be so important for family members to speak up on their behalf. If you believe nursing home abuse or neglect is occurring, you should take the following steps immediately:
- Talk to your loved one about what you believe is happening, but remember that they might not interpret their experience as abuse or they might not recall the incident
- Take photographs of any physical evidence indicating abuse, such as bruises.
- Report your concerns to the nursing home’s administrators.
- If your loved one’s safety is in danger, try to move your loved one to a new facility.
- Report your suspicions to local law enforcement if you suspect abuse.
Finally, you should strongly consider enlisting the help of our personal injury law firm in Pennsylvania. One of Stark & Stark’s nursing home abuse lawyers can help you investigate abuse allegations and hold the responsible facility financially accountable.
Click here to contact a lawyer
How Our Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm Can Help You
If you believe your loved one is eligible for compensation due to nursing home abuse, it is a wise idea to hire a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer. Our team at Stark & Stark can help in such ways as:
Investigating Potential Neglect or Abuse
You will need to prove that some form of nursing home abuse or neglect occurred in order to help your loved one recover compensation. We can conduct an investigation to help you gather the necessary evidence. This may include reviewing surveillance camera footage, accessing staff records, interviewing witnesses, and more.
Filing a Lawsuit
If a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you may want to focus primarily on helping them recover after what was likely a traumatic experience. While you focus on these important matters, our Pennsylvania attorneys will handle the process of filing a lawsuit.
Negotiating with Insurers
An insurer may not be motivated to provide your loved one with a settlement offer that reflects the harm they have suffered. While no honest nursing home abuse attorney in Pennsylvania can guarantee you will recover a particular amount of compensation, we can promise to aggressively negotiate for a fair settlement on your behalf. If an insurer refuses to settle, we can take your case to trial.
Click here to contact a lawyer
Stark & Stark’s Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Are Here to Help
Nursing home neglect and abuse can be incredibly overwhelming for an entire family to navigate. The lawyers at Stark & Stark understand this which is why they treat every case with sensitivity and care.
Stark & Stark has served clients throughout the Northeast region for nearly a century. We have cultivated a reputation for providing consistently strong service for upwards of 80 years thanks to our ability to consistently deliver results.
To speak with someone confidentially, call us at 800-535-3425 or contact us online to schedule a free legal consultation.
