Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Most families want to do everything they can to care for their loved ones, even as they get older. At the same time, there might be some situations where you are no longer physically able to care for the ones you love, particularly as you get older. In that situation, you may find a comfortable, reputable nursing home for your family members.
You expect that nursing home to treat your loved one with the care and compassion they deserve. When nursing homes fall short of this bar, it is essential to hold them accountable, mainly if there have been cases of abuse.
At Conboy Law, we have significant experience representing Illinois nursing home residents following elder abuse cases, and our Chicago nursing home abuse attorney can help you. Learn more about our legal services below, and call us to schedule a free case consultation.

How Can Our Experienced Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Help You?

If you contact our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers, we can help you in several ways. Some of the biggest benefits include the following:

• We can request documentation from all parties involved, including nursing homes or insurance companies.
• We can review that documentation on your behalf, hiring experts to ensure we notice everything in those documents.
• We can negotiate on your behalf if any settlement negotiations need to occur, ensuring you get what your case is worth.
• If the case has to go to trial, we can help you with that situation, ensuring that everyone involved is adequately prepared to put your case in the best position possible to be successful.
• We can take a significant amount of stress off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on your family’s recovery while we handle all the paperwork and legal issues for you.

Every case of nursing home abuse is complex, but it is not a situation that you need to handle on your own. Our Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys are here to represent you and your family, ensuring your rights are protected every step of the way. 

What Are the Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse?

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse comes in many shapes and forms, and there are different types of nursing home abuse that someone could be subjected to.

Some of the most common types of nursing home abuse include: 

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse and neglect are among the most common forms of nursing home abuse. Under no circumstances should anyone working for a nursing home lay their hands on one of their patients or residents in violence. If your loved one got struck violently, particularly if they have suffered injuries due to that physical assault, it could constitute nursing home abuse.

Neglect is also relatively common. Negligence occurs when the nursing home doesn’t do its job. For example, the employees of a nursing home may forget to give someone their medication, or the nursing home might not do a great job of ensuring their residents get nutritious meals.

Mental Abuse

Mental abuse is also common in nursing homes. There are some situations where working with nursing home residents can be challenging, particularly if they have chronic physical or mental illnesses.

It is no excuse to terrorize nursing home residents. It could constitute mental or emotional abuse. If you feel your loved one has been traumatized in the nursing home, you may want to figure out why. That is a situation where it could be beneficial to hire our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer to conduct a full investigation.

Social Abuse

Social abuse can also take place in a nursing home. There are different ways that social abuse can manifest, and it could even involve bullying at the nursing home itself. While many people associate bullying with grade school, it can happen in a nursing home. Maybe it is perpetuated by some other residents or coming from volunteers or employees at the nursing home itself.

It would help if you get to the bottom of this situation, and our experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney can help you.

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is prevalent in nursing homes, and there is no excuse for it. Many residents of nursing homes have their mental faculties decline, which could make it relatively easy for a criminal to take advantage of them.

For example, an employee of the nursing home may be writing checks from one of the residents in their name, stealing money from nursing home residents. You should make sure that your loved one has financial power of attorney, and you need to keep a close eye on their finances. If you notice anything unusual, you need to intervene as quickly as possible.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is far more common than many realize and can have significant physical and emotional ramifications. Residents in nursing homes are among the most vulnerable people in our society, and anyone who commits sexual abuse in a nursing home should be held responsible. That includes the nursing home, which is responsible for the actions of its employees.

If your loved one tells you that he has been abused in a nursing home, you need to take it seriously, and we can help you investigate the entire situation to the fullest extent possible.

Wrongful Death

It is always a tragedy when a loved one passes away. There are situations where people may die in a nursing home of natural causes, but there are also situations where a wrongful death situation could have occurred. If you feel your loved one was doing well right before he passed away, you must figure out precisely what happened.

You should spend your time and energy honoring the memory of your loved one. Instead, let us investigate the situation for you, and allow us to pursue compensation on your behalf if we feel a wrongful death situation is present. 

These are just a few of the many signs of nursing home abuse. If you feel your loved one has been abused, it is not a situation you must handle alone. Count on our legal professionals to represent you in a wrongful death, personal injury, or nursing home abuse case.

What Are the Signs of Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse?

Several signs could indicate your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home. Some of the most common signs include:

Physical Signs

• You might notice unexplained bruising or bleeding.
• Your loved one may have developed bone fractures inconsistent with a fall.
• You may feel like your loved one is less mobile than he used to be.
• There might be some unexplained burn injuries that you need to investigate.
• There could even be some cuts and lacerations that don’t have an obvious explanation.

Neglect

• Your loved one may tell you that he has not been eating well.
• You might notice some unexplained weight loss.
• There could be unusual odors coming from your loved one’s room.
• It may be a long time since your loved one last showered.
• The doctor might tell you that it looks like your loved one has not been taking his medicine.

Behavioral Changes

• Your loved one may shy away from you, and you walk into the room.
• Your loved one may also tell you he does not have a lot of friends.
• You may notice your loved one avoiding certain people at the nursing home.
• Your loved one could also bring financial difficulties to your attention.
• There could be tremendous emotional ability, meaning that your loved one quickly goes from happiness to sadness and anger. 

If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, you must ensure the situation gets investigated thoroughly. You must ensure your loved one has not been the victim of nursing home abuse. 

What Are the Elements of Nursing Home Neglect Cases in Chicago?

While every case of nursing home abuse is a bit different, there are several elements that you will need to prove to have a successful negligence claim against a nursing home in Chicago. They include:

• You must prove that the nursing home has a duty of care to your loved one. It could entail establishing that your loved one was a nursing home resident.
• You will need to prove that there was a breach of that duty of care somehow. For example, if the nursing home is required to provide your loved one with medication, you can prove that the nursing home failed to do so.
• After this, you will need to prove that the breach of duty led to harm in some way. For example, if the nursing home fails to feed your loved one, you can show that your loved one lost weight or developed a medical issue.
• Finally, you will need to show that there were financial damages in some way. For example, you can prove that you incurred additional medical expenses due to that breach of duty.

You may have a successful case if you can prove these elements. These cases can be complicated, so you must hire a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer to help you. 

What Should You Do if You Suspect Abuse in a Long-Term Care Facility in Chicago

If you believe your loved one has been the victim of long-term care facility abuse in Chicago, there are several steps you need to follow. They include:

Hire a Chicago Nursing Home Attorney

While you might get tempted to handle everything independently, it is always better to hire a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer to help you. There are many moving parts involved in these cases, and even though you feel like the facts are on your side, you need to make sure the law is on your side as well. You need a professional, objective perspective to be your legal guide. That is where our team can help you.

Speak With Your Loved One

Next, you must speak with your loved one about what happened. It might be difficult for your loved one to discuss anything that may have occurred during the abuse, but the sooner you speak to your loved one, the fresher his memory will be.

Remember that your loved one may need additional medical care, so be sure to help him schedule an appointment with someone outside of the nursing home. Your loved one might also need to visit a mental health professional for emotional support.

Document Injuries or Noticeable Behavioral Changes

You may have heard the saying that if you did not document it, then it is like it did not happen. That is particularly true in the medical world, so you must document everything that has changed with your loved one.

For example, if your loved one has suffered injuries, you need to ensure you get those injuries noted in the medical record, and you may also want to take pictures, as injuries can heal over time. You might even want to get official documentation indicating behavioral changes that could support a claim of abuse.

Start Collecting Evidence To Build Your Case

While medical records and pictures constitute evidence, other forms of evidence can also support your case. For example, if you signed a formal contract with the nursing home, your attorney will need a copy of that.

If you have medical bills or communications with an insurance company, your lawyer will also need copies of those. Keep in touch with your attorney, and hang on to that evidence, as it will help you build your case.

Report the Incident to the Appropriate Authorities

You also need to report the incident to the authorities. There could be a criminal case, and a successful criminal case could support a claim of nursing home abuse.

In addition, there could be other people at the nursing home who have been abused, and the authorities have additional resources to uncover additional incidents and protect other people who might be in harm’s way.

Following these steps can put your nursing home abuse claim on solid ground moving forward. We are here to help you.

What Laws Protect Residents Living in a Nursing Home Facility?

There are several laws put in place to protect elderly individuals who are in nursing homes, including nursing homes in Chicago. These include the Elder Justice Act, the Older Americans Act, and the Nursing Home Reform Act. 

There could also be additional local statutes, depending on where the nursing home is located. That is why you need to contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney with experience dealing with similar situations. 

How Long Does a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit Take?

It is difficult to say how long a nursing home abuse lawsuit will take, as several steps need to happen. Once we file a lawsuit on your behalf, the nursing home will have a chance to respond to the case, and negotiations could occur.

If we get close to a favorable settlement, we can resolve the lawsuit before it goes to trial. If the case goes to trial, it will generally take longer.

You should expect your lawsuit to take several months, but we will keep you updated every step of the way.

What Are the Damages You Can Recover From Nursing Home Abuse?

There are several forms of damages you may be able to recover if you have a successful claim of nursing home abuse. Some of the biggest examples include:

• Compensation for Medical Bills. You might recover compensation for medical bills you have incurred due to the episode of abuse.
• Compensation for Future Medical Expenses. If your loved one is going to require ongoing care and support, you may also receive compensation for future medical expenses.
• Pain and Suffering. If your loved one has suffered emotional trauma due to the episode of abuse, you may receive compensation for pain and suffering.
• Punitive Damages. If the incident was particularly egregious, you might also be entitled to punitive damages.

We will ensure that you receive all compensation to which you are entitled.

How Do You Prove Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?

There are different ways you can prove nursing home abuse and neglect. For example, we can recover eyewitness accounts of everything that has happened, footage from security cameras in the building, medical records from a licensed physician, and proof of breach of contract based on the contract you signed with the nursing home.

We will conduct a full investigation to remove any doubt about what happened. Rely on our team to help you.

Work With Our Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Attorney To Put a Stop to Abuse Today

All cases of nursing home abuse are devastating, and you deserve to have your rights protected. 

At Conboy Law, we always put the needs of our clients first. If you believe your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse in Chicago, we are here to represent you. 

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation, and let us ensure your rights are adequately protected.