While most nursing homes and assisted living facilities provide compassionate care to every one of their residents, there are more difficult stories every year of places like these that are rife with neglectful and even outright abusive behavior. If you suspect someone you love is falling victim to careless or malicious conduct in such a facility, it is vital to take action to protect their physical, financial, and psychological well-being.
A conversation with a St. Clairsville nursing home abuse lawyer could be a crucial first step toward resolving this situation in a safe manner. Beyond just helping you confirm whether your loved one is being mistreated and identifying specific parties to blame for it, your capable personal injury attorney could work diligently to ensure you receive every cent of the compensation your family deserves.
Whether it comes from intentional abuse, inadvertent neglect, or a combination of both, determining whether a nursing home is abusing one of its residents can be challenging, both legally and emotionally. Not every resident has the cognitive capability to tell loved ones when they are being mistreated. Many of those who are capable of speaking may refuse to do so for fear of further reprisal, and obvious symptoms of abuse and neglect can be few and far between.
With that in mind, it is important to know what the effects of nursing home neglect and abuse can look like, especially the following symptoms:
A St. Clairsville nursing home abuse attorney could offer further clarification during a private meeting about whether a particular set of circumstances might indicate neglect or abuse.
There are multiple ways to report mistreatment inside nursing homes to the Ohio Department of Health, including calling the department hotline at (800) 342-0553, filling out an online complaint form, or emailing a comprehensive complaint to the DoH directly. In emergency situations where a resident is at imminent risk of serious harm, a nursing home abuse lawyer in St. Clairsville could help enlist local law enforcement to move that resident to a safe place immediately.
Once a resident is no longer at risk of further harm, you may demand civil compensation from the people and/or companies responsible for harming them. Compensable damages may include not only economic losses like medical bills but also various non-economic forms of harm like psychological suffering and physical pain.
No one who depends on around-the-clock care from staff members inside a nursing home should ever have to worry about being abused or neglected. If you do find yourself or a loved one in this unimaginable situation, help is available from experienced and tenacious legal counsel.
A knowledgeable St. Clairsville nursing home abuse lawyer could be your ally from beginning to end of whatever legal proceedings your family pursues. A phone call with one of our capable attorneys could lay out your next steps.
