Syracuse Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Obtaining Justice for Victims of Neglect and Abuse

Residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or other types of nursing facilities all have an increased risk of abuse and neglect. One of the hardest decisions that we as family members often have to make is to place our loved ones in a nursing home. We trust that the nursing facility will provide quality care to our family members.

Nevertheless, we have repeatedly seen cases of nursing home neglect. This type of abuse and neglect often includes physical abuse, bedsores, unexplained weight loss, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse, in any form, is a serious matter that we cannot afford to take lightly. At Passalacqua & Associates, LLC, we recognize that the immediate health and safety of your loved ones is paramount, and we are committed to helping you protect them.

We have personal injury attorneys who are highly skilled and knowledgeable in the practice areas that surround nursing home abuse or neglect. We are more than happy to review your case and help you make a determination as to what would be the best course of action for your loved one.

Our nursing home abuse lawyers are fully committed to seeking justice for you or your family member who may have suffered a personal injury. If you suspect nursing home neglect, contact our law offices at (315) 500-6425 to speak with one of our nursing home abuse attorneys.

How Can I Tell if My Family Member is a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect?

If your family member is a nursing home resident, it is vital that you are very proactive in monitoring for nursing home abuse or neglect. There are common injuries and other physical signs that elderly patients often experience when they have suffered mistreatment at the hands of nursing home staff members. Some of the most recurring injuries that are reported are as follows:

• Dehydration: This often manifests itself in the form of the patient experiencing dry or cracked lips.
• Sudden unexplained weight loss: If your family member suddenly begins to lose weight for no explainable reason, they may be suffering from malnutrition or a poor diet due to insufficient food intake.
• Bedsores: Also known as pressure ulcers, bedsores normally occur due to improper care and not being turned regularly if the patient is bed-bound.
• Injuries resulting from falls: If your family member has experienced a serious injury while a resident of a long-term care facility, this may be a sign that they are not receiving proper care. Fall prevention is one of the most important procedures that a nursing home should have in place to protect its residents from harm or serious injury. Injuries that cannot be explained by nursing home staff members or other caregivers could be a telltale sign of neglect and improper supervision.
• Patients who are overmedicated: Administering medications and other necessary medical care is one of the primary responsibilities that living facilities have with regard to nursing home residents. In some nursing facilities, it is not uncommon to see overmedicated patients as well as those who are not receiving their medications or medical attention on a regular basis.

Some other warning signs of abuse or neglect in a nursing home or assisted living facility may be the overwhelming smell of urine or feces, infections that occur on a regular basis, limited access to your loved ones, or even unexplained death.

What are the Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse That Can Occur?

One of our most vulnerable populations is senior citizens. Many seniors have to live in a nursing home for a variety of reasons. However, they all have one thing in common, which is that they and their families expect they will receive high-quality care as nursing home residents.

Disappointingly, many elderly patients are abused, and family members may not realize that their loved one has been abused until serious harm has been caused. Some of the different areas that qualify as abuse are as follows:

Physical abuse: A nursing home patient can be abused by any type of physical contact that causes injury to them. Unwarranted restraint, hitting, kicking, slapping, punching, pinching, or shoving are all forms of abuse.

Elderly patients can end up hospitalized, requiring treatment for severe injuries if they have been physically abused. Due to their advanced age, many nursing home residents are not capable of fighting back against their attackers. Tragically, many nursing home residents are victims of wrongful death due to physical harm or injury.

Sexual abuse: One of the most deplorable acts of abuse that could be perpetrated upon the elderly is sexual abuse. Sadly, abuse of this nature occurs more frequently than family members often realize.

Nursing home staff members, visitors, or other caregivers have been known to take advantage of elderly residents through sexual abuse, battery, and rape. Often, perpetrators of such crimes seek out senior citizens who may have cognitive disabilities such as Alzheimer’s or dementia because of their lack of ability to communicate and report the crime.

Financial Abuse: This is also a common form of elder abuse as many nursing home residents are easy targets. Nursing home staff members have easy access to a resident’s financial resources, such as a checkbook or credit cards.

Therefore, unethical individuals can use these resources and assets for their own personal use and financial gain. Some of the methods that may be used include stealing cash or checks, using credit or debit cards without authorization, billing residents for care never received, or double billing.

Mental Abuse: Also commonly referred to as emotional abuse, this type of mistreatment can include being degraded, intimidated by yelling or threatening, or terrorized by staff or visitors. This type of exploitation can cause residents to avoid interaction with others, lose interest in activities, develop low self-esteem, or even become suicidal.

Neglect: Understaffing can directly cause neglect. Many nursing homes and assisted living facilities are now owned by large corporations. These corporations often think in terms of profit and, therefore, do not act in the best interest of their patients. They often try to cut costs by not employing enough staff members to adequately care for the residents.

What Should I Do If I Find Out My Loved One Has Suffered Neglect or Abuse in a Nursing Home?

Many nursing home abuse victims are often afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation. Consequently, you, as their family member or loved one, must be very forward-thinking when it comes to watching for warning signs of abuse. One such way is to be sure to spend time with your family member. Often, patients who have frequent visitors are less of a potential target for predators.

If you have any reason to suspect nursing home neglect, do not hesitate to contact the proper authorities and take action to protect your family member. Some of the steps that you should take in order to protect a family member from further harm include the following:

• Contact the proper authorities: If you think that the situation is an emergency, call 911. Your loved one may need to be transported to a hospital immediately to ensure their health and safety. After your loved one arrives at the hospital, both the doctors and nurses can make a report detailing the types of neglect and abuse that the patient has suffered. This type of documentation will be highly useful if it becomes necessary to file legal action against the facility at a later date.
• Report the situation to the administration: You also need to be sure that you report the problems to the nursing home’s administrator. This will help to ensure that the wrongdoing is documented with the administration and can aid in an investigation conducted to investigate the abuse.
• Transfer your loved one: You may need to transfer your loved one completely out of the facility where they have suffered the abuse in order to keep them safe. If transferring to another facility is delayed, it may be necessary for them to stay with you, another family member, or even a close friend until adequate care can be located.
• Contact a nursing home abuse lawyer: After you have taken proactive steps to ensure the safety of your loved one, your next step is to contact one of our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys. We have the knowledge and qualifications necessary to fight aggressively on your loved one’s behalf.

Why Should I Choose Passalacqua & Associates, LLC to Represent Me in a Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Case?

The decision to place your loved one in a nursing home, long-term care facility, or assisted living facility is never easy. It is common knowledge that these types of facilities can pose a substantial risk to the elderly and other individuals who may need long-term health care.

Nevertheless, abuse does frequently occur in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused, you need to speak with a qualified nursing home abuse attorney today to ensure the health and well-being of your loved one.

The law firm of Passalacqua & Associates, LLC is well known for its ability to obtain justice for your loved one. We are committed to working hard on behalf of our clients to reach settlements that will be in the best interests of their family members who have suffered neglect and abuse.

We place trust in caregivers and other nursing home staff members to care for our family members and not cause any harm to come to them. Tragically, there are individuals who prey on the elderly due to their age and disabilities.

Our law firm has the resources and legal team in place to investigate the abuse that your loved one has suffered due to possible neglect or abuse. Our elderly population and residents of nursing home facilities deserve dignity and respect. They should never have to fear or suffer any type of abuse. A resident’s care and safety should be the highest priority for any long-term care facility and caregiver.

Contact the law firm of Passalacqua & Associates, LLC by calling us at (315) 500-6425 and scheduling a free strategy session with one of our nursing home abuse lawyers.

We are proud to serve the citizens of Syracuse, NY, and the surrounding areas. We can offer you the legal help you need to recover damages if your loved one has been injured or experienced wrongful death due to abuse or negligence. We will be happy to review your case and any evidence you may have. We can discuss all of your options and determine the best type of legal action that would be appropriate for your case.