Boston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
Families place a great amount of trust in nursing homes to provide the high level of care their loved ones deserve as they age. However, in far too many instances, nursing home staff breaches that trust by taking advantage of the elderly’s vulnerable state through neglect or abuse, thereby negatively impacting the health and well-being of residents.
Unfortunately, the Boston nursing abuse lawyers at Crowe & Harris, LLP , recognize that physical and emotional abuse occurs all too frequently. We understand that discovering the neglect or abuse of your loved one is alarming and cause for distress. Our experienced legal team is dedicated to holding the responsible parties accountable for physically, financially and/or emotionally harming nursing home residents.
Common Forms of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse has the potential to negatively affect nursing home residents in many ways. Common forms of nursing home abuse include:
- Malnutrition / dehydration
- Use of force
- Bed sores
- Inappropriate use of medication
- Intimidation by yelling
- Ignoring the elderly
- Isolating an elder
- Sexual abuse
- Neglect or abandonment by caregiver
- Financial exploitation
Any form of nursing home abuse can lead to devastating consequences to an elderly resident. When a resident is exposed to abuse, he or she may experience deteriorating health and even psychological trauma. This is an unacceptable violation, and a Boston nursing home abuse attorney may help you pursue restitution from those responsible.
Identifying Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
While nursing homes in Massachusetts are required to be licensed and subject to routine inspections, it is not uncommon for problems within these facilities to go unnoticed or overlooked until someone is harmed or dies as a result. For this reason, it is important for family members and friends of elderly residents to be vigilant and be on the lookout for signs of mistreatment. Even small subtle changes could be an indicator that something is wrong.
Some of the most common signs of nursing home abuse or neglect include:
- Unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, dislocations, or sprains
- Sudden or frequent illnesses
- Poor personal hygiene or sanitation
- Rapid weight loss or weight gain
- Instances of wandering / elopement
- Falls, fractures, or head injuries
- Uncharacteristic changes in behavior or mood, especially when around certain caregivers
- Refusal of a caregiver to let you be alone with the elderly person
- Unexplained withdrawals from the elderly person's bank accounts or missing cash
Recoverable Damages for Nursing Home Abuse
Victims of nursing home abuse in Massachusetts may be eligible to receive compensation for a variety of damages. While no amount of money could ever undo the abuse your loved one suffered, it can help to cover expenses incurred due to the negligent facility or caregiver.
Compensation may be awarded for:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Stolen money or property
- Wrongful death (if a loved one has died)
Contact a Boston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer for Help
If your loved one has received poor or inappropriate care from his or her caregiver at a nursing home, your family is entitled to legal action. A nursing home should be a safe place your elder loved ones can live in peace, not in fear.
Contact Crowe & Harris, LLP , at (617) 404-3417 to speak with one of our Boston nursing home abuse lawyers today.
