Guide to Nursing Home Abuse

When we think of our elders, we often recall fond memories of grandma making cookies or grandpa telling us stories about baseball players yesteryear. When the time comes that our parents or grandparents need enough care to be placed into a nursing home, we assume that we are trusting our loved ones with those who are trained to provide skill and care that will allow our family members to live out their golden years in relative comfort. Unfortunately, and all too often, nursing homes and their employees provide a level of care (or lack thereof) that falls well below reasonable care and therefore can be classified as negligent. If someone you love has been the victim of nursing home abuse or negligence, you should contact a New York nursing home negligence attorney immediately.

What is Nursing Home Abuse?

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse can take a variety of forms, not all of which are visible through physical signs, given the physical and emotional fragility of the victims. Accordingly, elderly residents of these facilities are all too easy targets for the malicious caregiver or neglectful employee. The following are some of the most common types of nursing home abuse and negligence we encounter.

Physical Abuse

Sometimes nursing home employees use physical force to reprimand or simply abuse a resident. Such behavior is not only criminal in nature, but it can be grounds for a civil battery action against the facility and/or employee who engages in the activity. Physical abuse can also include sexual abuse, which occurs more frequently than any of us care to think about. However, there are sick individuals who fall through the cracks and choose to abuse those they are charged with caring in a variety of physical forms.

Neglect

Nursing home negligence most commonly occurs when a facility or employee neglects the very needs of the elderly individual. Some examples of nursing home neglect include failure to change an adult diaper; failure to administer proper medication; and failure to respond to a call for help. All of the aforementioned neglectful acts are grounds for negligence or recklessness action against the facility, and should not be taken lightly.

What to Do if You Suspect that a Loved One is the Victim of Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse

If you suspect your loved one is the victim of abuse or neglect, you should immediately file a complaint in writing at the facility where your loved one is being cared for and file a complaint with the appropriate state hotline. Once you have done so you should immediately contact a skilled Brooklyn personal injury attorney at Peters, Berger, Koshel & Goldberg, P.C. today at 718-596-7800 or 1-800-836-7801. We can help you determine the proper course of action to seek the recourse needed, and assist with evaluating the facts and circumstances to advise you about the possibility of filing a civil lawsuit against the facility and/or employees who have mistreated your loved one. Keep in mind that you should contact us as soon as possible after you learn of the suspected abuse because of statutes of limitations that begin to run as soon as you learn of the violation.