Deciding that it’s time to move a beloved family member into the full-time care of a nursing home or assisted living facility can be a stressful and emotional process. Unfortunately, not every nursing home is as dedicated as it should be to keeping its residents safe and healthy. Negligence or intentional abuse can lead to vulnerable people suffering inexcusable injuries and illnesses.
If you believe a family member is being abused, neglected, or mistreated in any way in their nursing home, contact a seasoned personal injury attorney and take legal action on their behalf. At Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers, a Reading nursing home abuse lawyer can review your situation, provide guidance about possible next steps, and fight to get your family member the compensation they deserve.
When to Take Action Over Nursing Home Abuse
What makes lawsuits over nursing home abuse so challenging is that it can be hard even for attentive family members to know when abuse or neglect occurs. There aren’t always obvious signs that a nursing home resident is being mistreated. Residents may be unwilling to talk about what’s happening out of fear or be unable to communicate due to mental disease and decline.
It’s important to know the symptoms of nursing home abuse and take action if you notice any of the following:
- Repeated small injuries like cuts and bruises
- Serious injuries like broken bones that staff members cannot or refuse to explain
- Yellowed fingernails, dry lips, and dramatic weight loss
- Dirty clothes, bedsheets, or carpets
- Sudden changes in mood or personality, especially if it happens mainly around a specific staff member
- Regression to childlike behaviors like thumb-sucking or bed-wetting
Our Reading nursing home abuse attorneys know how to identify mistreatment and can help report it to facility administrators or state authorities. If a nursing home resident is in immediate and life-threatening danger, we can help get the police involved so they can be moved to a safe place right away.
Damages in Reading Nursing Home Neglect Claims
Once your loved one is safe from further neglect or abuse, your local attorney can work to hold the facility’s owners, administrators, or employees financially liable for your family member’s damages, including:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental trauma and anguish
- Bills for medical care
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Personal property damage
In cases involving extreme negligence or deliberate abuse, a court might also order the defendant(s) to pay additional punitive damages. If nursing home mistreatment in Reading directly leads to a resident’s death, our experienced lawyers can help bring a wrongful death claim on behalf of your family.
Work with a Reading Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
Abuse and neglect of elderly people shouldn’t be tolerated under any circumstances. If you suspect mistreatment in your loved one’s assisted living facility, take immediate legal action by calling a Reading nursing home abuse lawyer.
At Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers, we can fight for your family’s rights and hold the wrongdoers accountable for their inexcusable actions. In a recent case, we obtained a substantial and confidential settlement for the family of an elderly woman who suffered fatal injuries in her nursing home. The lighting conditions in her room were ignored, causing her to fall and die due to the darkness.
Whether your case involves neglect or intentional abuse in a nursing home, we are prepared to represent your family’s best interests. Call us today to learn more.
