How to Take Action Against Nursing Home Negligence

Discovering that your aging parent or family member suffered neglect in a nursing home can be a shock. You probably trusted the facility to provide proper care for your loved one, and now you feel angry and betrayed. You may also wonder if you have legal remedies you can use to hold the nursing home accountable. 

If you suspect that nursing home staff neglected or abused your elderly family member, contact a nursing care home abuse attorney right away. An experienced attorney can explain whether you have grounds for a lawsuit and what type of compensation you may expect. 

Examples of Elder Abuse and Negligence in Nursing Homes

Nursing home residents are extremely vulnerable to negligence and abuse. Seniors, especially those with cognitive, speech or memory impairments, often suffer from:

• Poor hygiene or unsanitary living conditions
• Malnutrition and dehydration 
• Lack of supervision
• Inappropriate medication
• Sexual or financial exploitation
• Physical assault
• Theft of money or personal belongings

In extreme cases, negligence can lead to the elderly person’s death. For example, nursing home residents can develop bed sores if the staff doesn’t help the senior change position often enough. Bedsore complications can be fatal. 

Can You Sue a Nursing Home for Negligence?

Nursing home negligence or abuse can be difficult to spot if your loved one is non-verbal or has dementia, and you don’t have the chance to visit them often. The Covid pandemic exacerbated the vulnerability of older loved ones, as visits were limited or denied.

That’s why, whenever you visit, it’s important to pay attention to any changes in your family member’s condition, like weight loss or apathy, visible bruises, dehydration symptoms, or lack of personal hygiene. Record all signs of neglect or abuse since you’ll need as much evidence as possible if you decide to file a claim.

If your loved one suffers harm from inadequate care in a nursing home, you can sue the facility and claim compensation. This can allow you to move them into a higher quality facility. Seeking justice for your elderly family member is important not just on a personal level but for others as well. When you file a claim against a nursing home, this facility will likely be more careful about screening its staff members and monitoring residents’ health in the future. 

When to Consult a Nursing Care Home Abuse Attorney

Call a nursing home neglect lawyer as soon as you suspect the nursing home isn’t providing adequate care for your family member. Choose an attorney who understands how healthcare law works in your state and how to handle nursing home negligence cases. 

A nursing home will often refuse to take any accountability for the harm an elderly patient suffers. The management may deny that any neglect took place, cover up for their staff’s actions, or argue that there’s no connection between possible neglect and your loved one’s worsened condition. That’s why you need an experienced lawyer with a solid record of representing nursing home negligence victims. 

You can seek compensation to cover your loved one’s medical costs and pain and suffering. If the facility showed egregious or malicious negligence, and your case proceeds to trial, a court could also award you punitive damages.

Contact Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C. If Your Loved One Suffered Nursing Home Abuse 

Do you believe your senior family member suffered abuse or neglect in a nursing home? Contact our law firm. At Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C., we have 30 years of experience representing victims of nursing home neglect and their family members. We’ll help you take legal action against the nursing home and advocate for your rights until your claim settles.

Call 800-433-2408 or contact us online today for a free consultation with a nursing care home abuse attorney in New Mexico or Texas.