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 lawyer can help you. Learn more about our legal services below, and call us to schedule a free case consultation.
If you contact our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers, we can help you in several ways. Some of the biggest benefits include the following:
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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.
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.
Several signs could indicate your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home. Some of the most common signs include:
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.
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 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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
We will ensure that you receive all compensation to which you are entitled.
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.
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, our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers are here to represent you.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation, and let us ensure your rights are adequately protected.
If you or a loved one has been injured, don’t hesitate to contact our injury attorneys today!
"*" indicates required fields