Savannah Nursing Home Lawyers Protecting Seniors Who Suffer Abuse and Neglect
Holding nursing homes liable for the pain and suffering they cause
Seniors who enter nursing homes have rights. Those rights begin with the reasonable expectation that the facilities will be safe and secure. The premises should be fixed so that the elderly do not fall, slip, or suffer physical harm because of poor workmanship or lax inspections. The right to safety extends beyond the layout of the facility to the people who run and work in the complexes and the people who have access to the nursing homes.
At Harris Lowry Manton LLP, our lawyers hold nursing homes accountable when administrators and staff take advantage of the frailties of the seniors they house and their inability to fight back. Our Savannah nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers are just as outraged as the seniors and their families when residents suffer physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse. When neglect or abuse occurs, we bring claims against the nursing home and any responsible individuals for the senior’s pain and suffering, any necessary medical bills, and any other losses. In death cases, we bring wrongful death actions on behalf of the family members.
Nursing home abuse and neglect
Neglect at a nursing home often causes the senior to fall. Homes should be inspected for secure railings, floors should be even and dry, carpets should not have any tears, and objects on the floor should be removed. Nursing homes can also be sued for neglect if they fail to provide proper security including restricting access for visitors.
Abuse can take many forms. The most common types of nursing home abuse are:
- Physical abuse. Physical abuse of nursing home residents can be due to inaction, such as failing to feed the senior causing malnutrition or not giving the resident enough to drink causing dehydration. Abuse can also be due to over-action, such as overmedicating the senior. It can also be due to aggressive action, such as physical contact or using chemical or physical restraints.
- Emotional abuse. Psychological abuse takes many forms. Relatives should be aware of these forms since the seniors often cannot or will not speak for themselves. Seniors who are isolated, withdrawn, or depressed may be the subjects of emotional abuse. Some staff members abuse seniors by threatening them, verbally attacking them, or intimidating them.
- Sexual abuse. Nursing home employees may take advantage of the close contact they have with the senior to sexually assault or even rape the senior. Trespassers may do awful things to the seniors too because they know the senior is unlikely to fight back.
- Financial abuse. Some seniors are losing their mental faculties. Others are mentally sharp but are easily defrauded or too frightened to say no to financial pressures and tricks that the administrators and managers may exert. When seniors sign papers, disclose financial information, give powers of attorneys that are not understood or not authorized, our Savannah nursing home abuse lawyers fight to recover any financial losses and to punish the wrongdoers.
Children, other relatives, and family friends should routinely check how their loved one is being treated in the nursing home for signs of neglect or abuse.
Why nursing home neglect and abuse occurs
Our Savannah nursing home neglect lawyers understand why abuse and neglect happens. Our attorneys investigate these background causes to help prove liability and to convince juries and insurance carriers that the nursing home failures were so reckless that punitive damages should be awarded. Some of the many causes include:
- Failing to run background checks
- Not hiring the right workers and failing to hire enough workers who know how to work with seniors
- Not training or properly educating the nursing home staff
- Not conducting regular inspections of the nursing home facility
- Not supervising the staff properly so that they understand the dos and don’ls of nursing home care
Patients and families should know and understand that each senior has a patient bill of rights including:
- The right be properly and fully informed
- The right to participate directly in one’s care
- The right to privacy
- The right to redress if they have complaints
Patients should ask for these rights in writing.
Learn your rights and remedies for nursing home abuse by contacting our Savannah lawyers today
At HLM, our Savannah nursing home abuse attorneys have the hard-earned reputation, the necessary experience, and the tenacity and persuasive abilities to investigate nursing home abuse and to hold wrongdoers accountable. We want your parents and loved ones to enjoy their remaining years instead of suffering during them. For help now, please phone us at 912-651-9967. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
Related Nursing Home Neglect Articles
- Protecting Your Loved Ones from Sexual Abuse in Georgia Nursing Homes
- Investigation Exposes the Prevalence of Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes
- Nursing Home Mistreatment: Know the Signs of Elder Abuse
Savannah Office
410 E. Broughton Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: 912.651.9967
Fax: 912.651.1276