What Type Of Lawyer Handles Nursing Home Abuse?

When you have a legal problem or need reliable advice on how to protect your rights, you would be wise to consult a lawyer. Lawyers (or attorneys) are professionals who are trained and educated in the law. 

What sort of lawyer should you speak to, though? There are many different types of lawyers in New York, including:

• Estate planning
• Bankruptcy
• Corporate
• Immigration
• Intellectual property
• Criminal
• Tax
• Personal injury

Have you or someone you care about experienced nursing home abuse? You need a personal injury lawyer.

Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer 

Personal injury claims seek compensation for damages caused by someone else’s negligence or abuse. For instance, a driver might seek the costs of car repairs and medical bills from the motorist who caused a car accident. A consumer might sue a manufacturer for injuries caused by a defective product. 

In the case of nursing home abuse, Hill & Moin’s personal injury lawyers are able to seek justice and financial compensation on behalf of those abused and neglected in assisted living facilities. 

How to Recognize Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse comes in various forms, including:

• Physical abuse occurs when someone causes bodily harm to nursing home patients. Hair-pulling, slapping, kicking, or throwing objects are examples of abusive behaviors that are often done on purpose. Other harmful behaviors could be unintentional, such as when a busy caregiver handles a fragile resident too roughly, resulting in bruises or scratches. 

• The use of restraints to hold someone against his or her will is another form of physical abuse. A patient should never be locked in a room, gagged, or tied to furniture as a means of control. Of course, if a patient needs to be isolated or restrained for medical reasons, staff should follow guidelines set under medical supervision. Caregivers must follow doctors’ orders in relation to prescription medication. They should not overmedicate residents nor prevent those under their care from taking prescription drugs in order to manipulate behavior. 

• Sexual abuse involves unwanted sexual activities of any kind with a care facility resident. Many patients are especially vulnerable because of mental, emotional, or physical conditions that make consent impossible. Non-physical acts, such as exposing oneself, threatening rape, or forcing someone to watch pornography, are also unacceptable forms of sexual behavior.

• Emotional and verbal abuse includes name-calling, vulgar speech, humiliation, and threats. It might be accompanied by physical acts meant to evoke fear or cause harm, such as damaging belongings, withholding food and drink, or isolating the person from family and friends. 

• Neglect happens when caregivers refuse to or cannot meet patients’ physical, social, or healthcare needs.

If you feel something is wrong, trust your instincts. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. 

Why You Should Respond Immediately to Suspected Abuse

For more than 60 years, our law firm’s compassionate personal injury lawyers have assisted the victims of nursing home abuse in understanding their rights and legal options under New York law. Though there are 1.3 million nursing home residents nationwide, your loved one is not just a number at Hill & Moin. Our Personal Injury Recovery SolutionsⓇ pursue exceptional results that change lives.

Why should you hire a lawyer if you suspect abuse? There are at least four compelling reasons why:

• Abuse is not likely to stop on its own. The National Institute on Aging studies and provides information about elder abuse. According to the institute’s website, “elder abuse will not stop on its own. Someone else needs to step in and help.” Victims of abuse are often too ashamed or frightened to make a report, or they might not be able to speak up for themselves.

• Nursing home abuse could result in permanent injuries. Elder abuse could lead to long-term physical and psychological damage, such as bedsores, broken bones, and depression. In the worst-case scenarios, negligent and abusive treatment ends in premature death. 

• Your attorney can help you report suspected abuse. In New York, the Department of Health and other agencies work to protect the elderly. Abuse is not usually a one-time event. Making a report could keep your loved one safe and spark changes that benefit other nursing home residents. 

• You could be entitled to compensation. A personal injury claim could award you with compensation for your losses. For example, you might be eligible to receive vital funds for medical expenses and the costs of transferring your family member to a different care home.

At Hill & Moin, we understand that life does not always fit neatly into categories. Our law firm wants our clients to feel like they have a lawyer in the family, so we offer New York residents an easy and free way to determine the type of attorney they need: a free consultation with us.

Simply request your initial consultation by calling (212) 668-6000 to find out the right type of lawyer for your case. Don’t wonder about your rights! The Hill & Moin legal team is ready to help.