It can be difficult to watch your loved ones grow older. As time goes on, they might have a hard time walking or remembering things. When they can no longer care for themselves, you might look for a nursing home to help them. However, what happens when the assisted living facility you trusted to help your loved one ends up injuring them?
Sadly, nursing home residents are sometimes victims of abuse. If you believe your loved one is being mistreated in their nursing home, reach out to the experienced attorneys at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers. A Bethlehem nursing home abuse lawyer at our firm will fight to protect your loved one and hold the facility accountable. With renowned attorneys like Founding Partner Jon Ostroff , who spent over a decade as a defense attorney handling nursing home abuse and neglect matters, you can rest easy knowing your case is in good hands.
Recently, we resolved a local case for a substantial and confidential amount on behalf of a family of an elderly woman that fell due to deficient lighting in her nursing home room, and she suffered serious injuries that led to her death.
Why Abuse Occurs in Bethlehem Nursing Homes
Residents of assisted living facilities are often vulnerable to mistreatment because they rely on the staff to provide for their everyday needs. Many residents are emotionally, mentally, or physically fragile. The family members of residents trust that the nursing home will give proper care to their loved ones.
Unfortunately, many nursing homes care more about money than they do the welfare of their residents. Some nursing homes hire fewer employees to make a larger profit. As a result, those facilities are short-staffed, forcing employees to care for too many patients at the same time. In addition, some nursing homes hire unskilled workers because they can pay a lesser wage. If the nursing home does not take the time to train these inexperienced workers, problems can occur.
If you suspect abuse or neglect, the skilled lawyers at our firm can research the hiring practices of your loved one’s nursing home. We will check if the facility performed criminal background checks on prospective employees. We will also review the employment manuals to see if the nursing home has an adequate staff training policy.
Types of Abuse Occurring in Elder Care Facilities
Some abuse that occurs in nursing homes is unintentional. Overworked employees caring for too many patients might neglect residents’ physical, emotional, and cognitive needs. Other times, staff members intentionally take advantage of their residents who have no way to defend themselves. Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse can occur in nursing homes.
All types of nursing home abuse are unacceptable. A Bethlehem attorney at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers can work tirelessly to hold the abusers accountable for their wrongful actions.
Signs of Elder Abuse and Neglect
Many nursing home residents in the Lehigh Valley cannot speak up for themselves because of their health conditions. Other residents may be afraid to speak up because they fear retaliation. As a result, family members must look for signs of mistreatment, such as the following:
- Bedsores or pressure ulcers that indicate that a resident was left in their bed or a chair for too long
- Signs of excessive restraint like rope burns on wrists or ankles
- Unexplained bruises or cuts
- Signs of malnutrition and dehydration
- Signs of overmedicating a resident, either unintentionally or on purpose, to keep them calm
If you think your loved one is being mistreated, contact our nursing home abuse attorneys as soon as possible. Our firm will investigate what happened and to prevent it from happening again. We are prepared to fight for the payments your family deserves to compensate for the abuse and hold the wrongdoers accountable.
Talk to a Bethlehem Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
You should be able to trust that your elderly loved ones are in a place that will provide them with the best care. If you suspect somebody in a Lehigh Valley nursing home has abused that trust and hurt your loved one, take immediate action to protect your family member.
Discuss your suspicions with an experienced Bethlehem nursing home abuse lawyer. Let our team at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers investigate the incident and get the compensation your family deserves. There is no charge for your initial consultation, so call us today.
