Deciding to move a loved one to a nursing home can be one of the most difficult choices you face. When you finally go through with it, you need to trust that the facility has their best interests at heart. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and if signs of neglect or abuse appear, you’ll need a trustworthy Chester County nursing home neglect lawyer by your side.
That’s where we come in. Here at HoeyLegal, we specialize in nursing home neglect and abuse cases. We believe that no one deserves to live out their golden years in a nursing home that doesn’t properly care for them, and we’ll fight to the very end to ensure that anyone involved in harming your loved one sees justice for their wrongdoings.
That being said, nursing home neglect cases can be complicated, and it’s important to understand all the details if you want to ensure that your loved ones are safe and happy. Here is everything you need to know about nursing home neglect and what you should do if you suspect that your loved one’s nursing home is causing them harm.
What is Nursing Home Neglect?
The idea of nursing home neglect is pretty straightforward. Nursing home neglect occurs when a nursing home and its staff fail to uphold the basic standards of care that residents need to live safely and with dignity.
Unlike nursing home abuse, which involves causing someone intentional harm, neglect almost always involves suffering due to inaction. Whether it’s psychological or emotional trauma, physical injury, or even death, if the cause was due to the inaction or negligence of nursing home staff, it almost certainly counts as nursing home neglect.
Nursing home neglect can take a lot of different forms, but some of the most common examples include:
- Failure to treat known or suspected medical issues
- Poor hygiene, including not bathing residents or not changing bedsheets, or soiled clothing
- Providing inadequate nutrition or hydration
- Failure to provide mobility assistance resulting in falls or other injuries
- Lack of supervision that may result in exposure to self-harm or abuse from another staff member
Warning Signs of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse
Unfortunately, nursing home neglect is severely underreported. This is because many nursing home residents are unable to speak up or simply fear retribution from their caretakers. This means that it could be up to you to notice the signs, as you may be your loved one’s only hope of seeking justice and improving their living situation.
Regardless of how much trust you place in the nursing home that your loved ones are living in, here are the most common warning signs of nursing home neglect and abuse that you need to look out for.
Physical Signs
Physical signs of nursing home neglect or abuse should be some of the easier warning signs to recognize. These could include anything from unexplained bruises, cuts, broken bones, and bedsores to poor hygiene, dirty clothing, or even sudden weight loss due to malnutrition.
On the other end of the spectrum, signs of overmedication could also be a signifier that something is wrong and your loved one is being neglected or abused.
Sudden Emotional and Behavioral Changes
Sudden and unexplained emotional or behavioral changes could also be warning signs that your loved one is experiencing neglect or abuse at their nursing home. For example, if your loved one is withdrawing from talking with family or no longer enjoys activities that they once did, this is a big indicator that their emotional state has potentially been compromised due to neglect or abuse.
One of the most obvious signs of emotional neglect or abuse has to do with how they act in front of nursing home staff. If one of their caretakers enters the room, and they suddenly shut down as if they are nervous about speaking freely around them, this is a huge sign that they have a legitimate reason to be scared of the people that they rely on for care.
Environmental Indicators
You should also pay close attention to environmental indicators when you go to visit your loved ones at their nursing home. Nursing homes should be putting a lot of effort into keeping the premises as clean, safe, and comfortable as possible, so if you notice that the nursing home seems dirty or lacks sufficient accessibility measures, this is yet another big sign that could point to neglect or abuse.
Even less obvious signs, like an inadequate ratio of caretakers to residents, could be a sign that the nursing home doesn’t have enough personnel to properly take care of its residents.
Regardless of which warning signs you may or may not notice, the important thing to remember is that you should trust your gut. If something feels off, it’s more than likely because there is a real problem that could be causing your loved ones harm.
Pennsylvania Nursing Home Regulations and Residents’ Rights
The good news is that Pennsylvania nursing homes are subject to numerous state and federal laws and regulations that they must follow. These rules are there to protect residents’ health, well-being, and dignity, and there are serious consequences for nursing homes and their staff if they fail to meet these minimum care standards.
Some of the most basic protections under Pennsylvania state law include a nursing home’s obligation to provide:
- Sufficient staff to adequately care for the physical and emotional needs of each resident
- Timely medical response, attention, and medication administration and management
- Clean, safe, and hygienic living conditions
- Adequate nutrition and hydration
- Respect for residents’ privacy and personal dignity
If the nursing home fails to uphold its end of the bargain, you have the right to seek justice and compensation for your loved ones.
When to Contact a Chester County Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer
If you suspect that your loved one is the victim of nursing home neglect in Chester County, you should contact a trustworthy nursing home neglect lawyer immediately. When it comes to these types of cases, time is of the essence. The sooner you call, the better your chances are of uncovering the truth, preserving evidence, and ensuring that the nursing home and its staff are held accountable.
Even while nursing homes are subject to regular inspections and should maintain proper records, it is completely within the realm of possibility that they may try to alter those same records or go above and beyond to fool inspectors when they arrive.
Again, you should always trust your loved ones and your gut. If something feels wrong, then you should contact a nursing home neglect lawyer as quickly as possible.
Why Choose HoeyLegal For Your Nursing Home Neglect Case
Here at HoeyLegal, we understand just how heartbreaking it can be to discover that your loved one has been the victim of nursing home neglect. However, while these situations can be infuriating, our team here at HoeyLegal is here to help.
Here at HoeyLegal, we specialize in nursing home neglect and abuse cases, and we won’t stop until we get you and your loved one every cent of the compensation that you deserve. Still, we understand that choosing a Chester County, PA elder neglect lawyer can be daunting, so if you still aren’t sure if we’re the right choice for you, here are just a few of the many reasons why Chester County residents continue to choose HoeyLegal.
Unmatched Nursing Home Neglect Experience
We’ve been working on nursing home neglect and abuse cases just like yours for decades. Not only do we have unmatched expertise in these types of cases, but we also have a deep understanding of the local legal landscape. We know the preferences of local judges and have plenty of experience negotiating with local insurance companies, which gives you the extra edge you need to win your case and maximize compensation. Regardless of the details of your specific case, you’ll always be able to trust that it’s nothing we haven’t seen countless times before.
A Proven Track Record of Success
Experience is one thing, but continuously achieving a client’s compensation goals is what really matters. We’ve won tens of millions of dollars for our nursing home neglect clients in the past, and with so many successful cases under our belts, our proven track record of success speaks for itself.
A Dedication to Going Above and Beyond for Our Clients
Every nursing home neglect case is unique, but we remain committed to going above and beyond for every client we serve. We’ll take the time to get to know you and all the details of your case, and we are always here around the clock to answer your questions and address your concerns. We understand just how nerve-racking the situation can be, but our expert legal team will always be here to act as your trusted advocate during such difficult times.
You Don’t Pay Unless You Win
We believe that everyone deserves to have their case heard, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why we only operate on a contingency fee basis. We’ll never charge you any upfront costs, predatory hourly rates, or hidden fees, so you’ll never have to pay a cent unless we get money for you. This is just another way that we show our clients that we’re committed to their cases from the very first stages of the process through to the very end.
Free Legal Consultations
We also offer free, no-obligation consultations to all of our new and returning clients so that you can get the expert legal advice you need to determine the best path forward without having to pay anything up front. All you have to do is call or contact us on our website, and we’ll help you schedule your free legal consultation at a time that’s most convenient for you.
Potential Nursing Home Neglect Compensation
Determining the exact amount of compensation that you will get for your case is impossible without consulting a lawyer, filing a claim, and following it through to its resolution. However, knowing a bit more about how compensation is calculated can give you a better idea of what you and your loved ones may be owed.
In general, there are three different types of damages that you can receive compensation for. They include:
- Economic Damages cover direct financial losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and future care costs.
- Non-economic Damages: compensate victims for pain and suffering as well as emotional distress, and reduced quality of life.
- Punitive Damages are rare, but this type of compensation punishes nursing homes and personnel for particularly negligent or malicious acts. They also serve as a deterrent to prevent anyone else from acting similarly in the future.
Contact HoeyLegal Today
Do you suspect that your loved one is the victim of nursing home neglect? Are you looking for an expert Chester County nursing home neglect lawyer who you can trust to win your case? Give us a call.
Our expert legal team here at HoeyLegal is always here to answer your questions, and we’ll happily tell you more about how we can help you get the compensation you deserve. All you have to do is call or contact us on our website, and we’ll happily help you schedule a free legal consultation so that you can get the expert legal advice you need to move forward with your claim.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact HoeyLegal and take the first step toward winning your Chester County nursing home abuse lawsuit today!