Sapulpa Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Have you entrusted the life of a loved one to a nursing home, and you are now suspecting abuse? Unfortunately, elder abuse is all too common and can occur in many forms, from medical neglect to physical assault. Those who may be the most susceptible to elder abuse include those with disabilities or dementia. 

If you suspect a loved one may be dealing with elder abuse, you are not alone. An Sapulpa personal injury attorney can help you seek justice for your loved one. A dedicated Sapulpa nursing home abuse lawyer with BDIW Law has the experience to prove the nursing home acted negligently and can fight to hold them accountable for their actions and receive financial compensation for your loved one.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is illegal, no matter how it occurs. Abuse involving elders rarely gets reported to the proper authorities since residents may be fearful of embarrassment or retaliation if they report it. Friends and family may be unaware of what the warning signs of abuse are.

Often, nursing home abuse goes unnoticed because people are unsure of the signs. It is important to note that several types of nursing home abuse exist. The types of nursing home abuse which you could have a legal claim for are as follows:

Physical and Sexual Abuse

Physical abuse is any physical harm that an elderly person endures from an employee of the nursing home. Physical abuse can be easily hidden by staff. Sexual abuse can take many forms. This abuse could include:

• Bruising
• Cutting
• Burning
• Physically restraining
• Hitting
• Slapping
• Unwanted sexual contact
• Exposing a resident for sexual gratification

Symptoms and signs of physical nursing home abuse include:

• Lack of personal hygiene
• Illnesses or infections without explanation
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Physical restraint marks 
• Bedsores
• Broken eyeglasses
• Broken bones
• Hair loss
• Cuts
• Bruises
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Wrongful death

Psychological and Emotional Abuse

Psychological and emotional abuse is when a nursing home employee verbally harms the elderly. Psychological abuse is intended to inflict distress or fear on the resident. Psychological and emotional abuse can take form in several ways: 

• Humiliating
• Belittling
• Harassing
• Intimidating
• Coercion

Symptoms and signs of psychological nursing home abuse may appear as follows:

• Unexplained or sudden unease or fear around nursing home staff
• Changes in sleeping or eating habits
• Regressive behaviors
• Low personal hygiene
• Low self-esteem
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sudden bouts of rage or anger
• Behavioral changes

Financial Nursing Home Abuse 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), financial abuse is the unauthorized, improper, or illegal use of the elderly‘s finances. Within a nursing home environment, financial abuse can occur as staff enters and exits the elderly resident’s rooms. Members of the staff have the right to enter the room to aid the resident in repositioning or delivering medication, food, and water. 

But they have no right to take any of the elderly’s personal belongings or abuse power entrusted to them over an elderly resident for profit. Some of the signs of financial nursing home abuse may include:

• Missing credit cards or cash
• Missing jewelry
• Missing personal items
• Unexpected and sudden changes to the estate planning documents of the elderly person

Families Can Take Action Against Abusers and Other Liable Parties 

If you have noticed signs of physical, psychological, or financial abuse on a loved one, a nursing home abuse lawyer in Sapulpa, OK, can help you take the proper steps to protect your loved one and their legal rights. They can help you determine who may be responsible for your loved one’s abuse. Your nursing home abuse lawyer can gather the necessary evidence to seek compensation for the suffering they had to endure.

Liability for Nursing Home Abuse

If you suspect nursing home abuse, you may be wondering who is responsible for your loved ones suffering and what types of compensation they could be entitled to. Liability in a personal injury claim is crucial, and with the help of a nursing home abuse attorney, you can better identify the responsible party or parties. Once your attorney has identified the liable party, they can seek compensation on your loved one’s behalf.

Responsible Parties

Nursing home abuse is generally committed by an individual. However, there could be multiple parties held responsible for the harm the nursing home abuse has caused. Typically, liability can fall on:

• Nursing home staff who engaged in the abuse
• Nursing home staff who witness the abuse but consciously choose not to take action
• Nursing home owners and management could be responsible for certain negligent behaviors, such as intentionally understaffing a facility, failing to properly train staff, or hiring unsafe staff members

Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse in Sapulpa

Compensation for nursing home abuse can come from a settlement where negotiations are made, and both parties agree to settle on an amount out of court. Alternatively, compensation can result from a court verdict that awards damages after a trial. In many cases, a settlement can be made by reaching an agreement outside of court, but if the two sides cannot agree, your attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf.

Each nursing home neglect case will vary greatly, as will the types of compensation available to those victims. The two main types of damages your nursing home abuse attorney in Sapulpa, OK, can help you seek are economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages can be easily verified since they are quantifiable, but non-economic damages are not as easily quantifiable yet are a large part of the settlement.

Economic Damages 

Economic damages include:

• Medical expenses relating to the abuse 
• Moving costs for transferring your loved one to a new nursing home
• Expenses incurred by your family for the care of your loved one before moving them to a new facility
• Reimbursement of stolen or damaged property

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages include:

• Estate administration costs
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of your loved one’s affection, guidance, and compassion
• Emotional trauma caused by the passing of your loved one 

Get Help from a Top-Rated Sapulpa Nursing Home Abuse Attorney with BDIW Law Today

Trusting a stranger to care for your loved one is a difficult decision. Finding out after the fact that they were causing abuse to them can be devastating. Contact BDIW Law to discuss your nursing home abuse case using our easy online contact form or call our office to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as today.