Marietta Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyers
One of the most difficult decisions to make is placing your loved one in the care of a nursing home or assisted living facility. However, this is often the best decision for the care of your parent, sibling, or friend in many circumstances. Unfortunately, in some cases, this decision comes at a cost, when your loved one is a victim of inadequate care, or even intentional misconduct. Nursing home abuse or neglect happens to the most vulnerable population – those who cannot defend or speak up for themselves. When this occurs, loved ones are left with guilt they improperly transfer to themselves. The Marietta nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at The Persons Firm are dedicated to making sure the proper parties are held accountable in these situations. If you, or someone you love, has been injured due to nursing home abuse or neglect, contact our office today for a risk-free initial consultation to find out more about your legal options.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Unfortunately, abuse occurs in Georgia nursing homes on a daily basis. There are many forms of nursing home abuse, not all of which are readily observable even to the most attentive visitors. Abusive staff members can work in nursing homes, hospitals, assisting living and long-term care facilities. The three most common kinds of elder abuse are physical, emotional, and financial.
Physical abuse is usually the most obvious of the three, and can be marked by unexplained bruises, or even broken bones and other serious injuries in severe cases. Overmedicating a patient is also a type of abuse that can have detrimental effects. Emotional, or psychological, abuse is a little harder to recognize, and includes any kind of verbal or nonverbal behavior that results in a victim’s anxiety or depression. Examples of emotional abuse are humiliation, isolation, verbal assaults, and threats of violence. Financial abuse occurs when an individual improperly uses or handles an elderly individual’s money or assets. If you believe an elderly loved one is being abused, a seasoned Marietta nursing home abuse attorney can help you protect them and fight for their rights.
Nursing Home Neglect
Although nursing home abuse does occur, neglect by nursing homes and its employees is unfortunately even more common and concerning. In many circumstances, nursing home staff are overworked as employers do not have enough medical professionals to care for residents. This shortage often results in less care and attention than what should be provided to each patient.
Neglect occurs when a staff member does not exercise their reasonable duty to care. Nursing home can take the form of failure to give elderly residents proper food, water, or medical care. Signs of neglect may not be readily apparent and easy to see, but commonly take the form of malnutrition, bed sores, poor hygiene, or dehydration. If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms when visiting a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility, contact a nursing home neglect attorney in Marietta today who can assist you in determining what your legal options are.
Medication errors are also a sign of neglect in nursing homes. These include mistakes made either during preparation or administration of medications to residents. Identifying and taking action in these cases can include gathering of detailed evidence such as photographs, incident reports, as well as record requests that might be denied by a facility facing consequences.
Speak with a Marietta Abuse and Neglect Attorney
When nursing home abuse and neglect occurs, you might feel overwhelmed and at a loss about how to help. The nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at The Persons Firm understand these feelings and offer compassionate, comprehensive representation to those in need of legal guidance. We are dedicated to doing everything in our power to give your loved one a voice and the care they deserve. If you or your loved one has been hurt while in the care of a nursing home or assisted living facility, and you are unsure of whether you have a claim, please contact us today to find out more about your legal options.