Montgomery Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Learning that an elderly loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home can be a shocking and rage-inducing experience. If your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, the Serious Injury Law Group can help. Our Montgomery nursing home abuse lawyers will work quickly to protect the rights of your loved one and fight fiercely to hold the negligent nursing home accountable.
To learn more about suing a nursing home for negligence and how we can help, contact us today for a free consultation. There is no upfront charge to begin work on a nursing home abuse claim, and you only pay us if we recover money for you.
About Our Montgomery Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Our nursing home abuse attorneys are passionate about advocating for the rights of nursing home abuse victims throughout Alabama, and we treat our clients like family. You can count on our team to prioritize you and your case, so you always feel like you are our number one priority.
In addition, our law firm only handles personal injury cases, which means that we have developed a specific skill set and extensive resources to handle cases like yours. Our respected attorneys have a long track record of success in obtaining justice for victims of nursing home abuse and neglect.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
When a health care provider in a nursing home facility knowingly and intentionally performs any act that causes harm or risk of injury to a nursing home resident, nursing home abuse has occurred. The main types of nursing home abuse are:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse
- Psychological/emotional abuse
Neglect can also be a type of nursing home abuse, although neglect does not always occur intentionally.
Signs of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse
If you have a loved one who is currently living in a nursing home, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the signs of nursing home neglect and abuse and take action immediately if you see anything suspicious. Signs of abuse or neglect may include:
- Soiled clothing or bed linens. Soiled clothing or bed linens can be a sign that the nursing home resident is being neglected and not receiving the level of care they need when they need it.
- Unsanitary living conditions. Like soiled clothing/bed linens, unsanitary living conditions are indicative of neglect. Residents have the right to live in a place that is clean and well-maintained.
- Malnourishment/dehydration. It is the duty of the nursing home to ensure that residents are getting the food and water that they need for optimal health. Severe weight loss or deterioration in condition could be a sign that this is not happening.
- Unexplained injuries. Unexplained injuries could suggest that the nursing home resident was not properly supervised and cared for, or has been a victim of physical abuse.
- Torn or bloody clothing. Clothing that is torn or bloody is a serious sign of abuse and should be documented, reported, and investigated immediately.
- Withdrawal from social activities. Withdrawal can happen as a result of depression or trauma, both of which can occur following abuse or neglect.
- Fear of talking around a staff. If abuse has occurred, trust between staff and residents likely has eroded. This may result in the residents expressing discomfort in being around a staff.
Do not hesitate to demand answers if you see any signs of abuse or neglect. Contact our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Montgomery now for the legal help you need.
Types of Elder Abuse
Elder abuse and neglect can take many forms, including:
- Medications not being administered or administered improperly
- Intimidation through yelling and threats
- Humiliation
- Ignoring the patient
- Isolating the patient from other residents and/or activities
- Terrorizing the patient
- Mocking the patient
- Physically abusing the patient, which refers to any improper use of force, including the use of drugs to control the patient
- Sexual abuse, which refers to any unwanted and nonconsensual sexual contact between a nursing home resident and a staff member
- Financial exploitation, which refers to taking advantage of a nursing home resident financially, such as making cash withdrawals in a resident’s name
Common Nursing Home Injuries
Neglect and abuse can lead to serious nursing home injuries. Particularly for a vulnerable elderly person, recovery from an injury can be difficult, slow, painful, and sometimes impossible. Some injuries may even lead to the victim’s death.
Some of the common nursing home injury cases our firm helps families with include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Infections, such as urinary tract infections
- Bedsores and pressure ulcers
- Diabetes-related issues, like amputations
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Asphyxiation
- Depression
- Anxiety
No matter what type of injury your loved one has suffered, you deserve answers as to how and why it happened. If abuse or neglect was to blame, you need to know your legal options for holding the at-fault party accountable.
What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
Suspecting that your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home is an extremely difficult situation. You likely are wondering how to help your loved one and hold the nursing home accountable. It is important you take the following steps:
- Tell the nursing home about your concerns and ask what happened.
- If you are not satisfied with the nursing home’s answer, document it and demand to see the resident privately.
- Take pictures of any visible injuries such as broken bones or bruises.
- Record the conversation with your loved one, if possible.
- If your loved one cannot explain what happened, document the inability to respond.
- If your loved one shares a room with another resident, talk to that resident as well and ask if he or she has had a similar experience.
- Write down the other patient’s details, such as the patient’s name and statement.
- Seek medical attention for your loved one.
- Contact the police or the public health department to report the incident.
- Speak to a Montgomery nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible to discuss further steps for protecting your loved one and demanding justice.
How to Report Nursing Home Abuse in Alabama
The Alabama Public Health Department has many ways to report abuse and neglect.
For nursing home complaints:
- ElderCare Hotline ─ 1-800-356-9596
- Email ─ NHComplaints@adph.state.al.us
- Write a letter ─ ATTN: Complaint Unit, Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Provider Standards, 201 Monroe St., Suite 700, Montgomery AL 36130-3017
For assisted-living facility complaints:
- Assisted Living Facilities Complaint Hotline ─ 1-866-873-0366
- E-mail ─ ALFComplaints@adph.state.al.us
- Write a letter ─ ATTN: ALF Complaint Unit, Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Provider Standards, 201 Monroe St., Suite 700, Montgomery AL 36130-3017
If your loved one is in an emergency situation and you fear remaining in the facility will cause greater harm, you should always call 911 or the police for assistance with removing the elder from the home.
Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse Victims in Montgomery
Our Montgomery nursing home abuse attorneys can aid you in demanding compensation for damages your loved one has suffered as a result of abuse or neglect. This may include payment for:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Future health care costs
- Disfigurement
In some cases, punitive damages may be awarded as a way of punishing the at-fault party for extreme misconduct.
Contact Our Montgomery Nursing Home Lawyers Today
When you call our Montgomery law office for a free consultation, a nursing home abuse attorney from our firm can start working on your case immediately. Don’t let any more time pass. Contact us today for the help you need.