Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Covington

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Around 1 in 6 people 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year.” The elderly are also the least likely to report abuse of any form, so the numbers are potentially much higher. Physical and emotional abuse are among the most common types of abuse in nursing homes, but these are only two of the seven categories of abuse that can occur in nursing homes.

Physical Abuse

As you can assume, physical abuse encompasses any physical act of violence that results in bodily harm or other injuries, including broken bones, bruises, lacerations, loss of sight, and other acts of impairment. Red flags of physical abuse are easier to notice compared to the other categories, but your loved one may choose to hide their situation from you. You know your loved ones best, and if you discover they’re being abused, you should contact the authorities and remove your loved one as soon as possible.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is a bit more difficult to detect, as the damage to your loved one will be primarily internal. This type of abuse includes insults, berating, isolation, threats, and other ways of diminishing someone, but there are many other ways that a caretaker can emotionally damage their residents, especially if their access is unrestricted. Mental health problems commonly result from this malicious behavior, and if the damage occurs over an extended period of time, there’s a potential for serious, long-term damage.

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is another form of nursing home abuse that can result from unrestricted access to residents. With so much exposure, the caretaker responsible for your loved one can potentially manipulate them and gain access to their finances, exploiting it however they please. Any unusual financial behavior is a red flag that your loved one could be a victim of this type of abuse, but you can put a stop to it with the help of an experienced attorney.

Sexual Abuse

While we may not want to believe it, sexual abuse does occur in nursing homes and elder care facilities—and it’s more often than you’d think. If you suspect your loved one is enduring a situation like this, you should contact the authorities.

Abandonment

No one deserves to be abandoned when they can’t take care of themselves. Still, neglectful caretakers will leave residents unattended for long periods of time anyway, despite their legal and ethical duty of care. This abuse can result in psychological damage, too, and leave them without a way of seeking care if they fall or suffer from another accident.

Neglect

Neglect can leave residents without care during times of need and deprive them of their quality of life. Improperly administered medications Understaffed elder care facilities are prone to this type of abuse, so make sure to take a good look around the facility you’re choosing for your loved one to ensure they’re capable of providing adequate care.

Self Neglect

Self-neglect covers situations where seniors who can’t take care of themselves and are left alone, which increases their risk of succumbing to an injury. This can occur in a nursing home facility in situations of abandonment and neglect as well, so make sure to speak with an attorney to see if you can recover damages for this type of abuse through your lawsuit.

Your ability to detect abuse will depend on the type of abuse at hand, and in some cases, your loved one will try to hide their abuse from you. It’s common for it to occur behind closed doors and for the families to have no clue that their loved one was in danger. Every situation is different, of course, but here are some common red flags that you should look out for:

• Bruises, cuts, or burns
• Broken bones
• Improperly administered medications
• Changes in behavior
• Unusual financial activity
• Apprehension around caretakers or refusing to see them
• STD’s
• Sudden declines in their condition
• Bedsores
• Emotional distress

There are many other red flags that your loved one is suffering from abuse, like changes in weight, strange gifts, or legal changes. At the end of the day, you know your loved one best, and all you can do is stay as vigilant as possible during every visit. Do your best, but if you notice that it’s happening, you shouldn’t wait around—contact the authorities and lawyer up sooner rather than later.

While it’s not required to retain an attorney after discovering nursing home abuse, their involvement can prove to be priceless throughout your case. Not only can you leverage their legal experience to navigate through the process, but they can take over the majority of the legal proceedings and give you a much-needed chance to attend to your loved one. This situation is difficult for a whole family, and you’ll need some time to recover. By teaming up with an attorney, you’ll have a legal expert in your corner who knows the best steps to hold the at-fault party accountable and recover the damages you’re entitled to.

At Morgan and Morgan, we understand how traumatic it is to learn that your loved one was abused by the hand that was supposed to protect them. There’s genuinely nothing like it, and we firmly believe that everyone should have a proven legal ally in their corner as they handle this process, regardless of their financial status at the time of the incident. That’s why our team operates on a contingency, meaning that it costs nothing upfront to hire us, and we’re only paid if we reach a settlement or verdict at the end of your case. We keep the costs low on your end to give you a competitive edge, but that’s not all. We focus on recovering the maximum extent of your recovery from beginning to end, fighting For the People the entire time.

In the most difficult moments of your life, Morgan and Morgan has your back. We might think that nursing home abuse could never happen to our families, but there’s never a guarantee. This malicious behavior happens more than you think, and if you find out that your loved one is a victim, we’re here to advocate for their rights. Our nursing home abuse attorneys in Covington are equipped with the resources of America’s largest personal injury firm, giving them the ability to advocate on their client's behalf relentlessly.

If you’re looking for the best, you’ve already found them. Complete our free, no-risk case evaluation to take the first step toward securing the justice you deserve.