ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Sadly, many residents are neglected and abused in the very places where they expect (and pay for) care, attention, and protection from harm. The Alameda County and California nursing home abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. represent victims of nursing home abuse in Alameda County and throughout California. Our attorneys understand what can go horribly wrong when a resident is abandoned, neglected or abused and know the remedies available to the victims of such abuse under California law. If you or someone you know is suffering from nursing home abuse in Alameda County or elsewhere in California, call the nursing home abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm today at 415-441-8669, and we can help.
Remedies for Victims
Over the past few years, nursing home abuse victims in California have obtained numerous large verdicts and settlements from the homes responsible for their care. The cases involve neglect, dehydration and other physical suffering, inadequate monitoring, understaffing, mental abuse and emotional distress, illegal restraints, improper medication, and other forms of abuse. Under federal and State regulations, any suspected abuse or neglect that causes serious bodily injury must be reported to local authorities, including the police, Adult Protective Services and the California Ombudsman for Long-Term Care. But you should know that nursing homes may cover up abusive incidents and fail to report the abuse or disavow responsibility for injuries even when a report is filed.
That’s where private counsel, such as the nursing home abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, can help. Our attorneys know the extent of nursing home obligations and the standard of care required of them. Our lawyers know how to investigate claims of abuse and can analyze a home’s policies and procedures and investigation results to determine what went wrong and who at the nursing home was responsible. The sad truth is that often an abused patient suffers cognitive impairment and does not know or cannot communicate what happened. Our attorneys know how to handle those types of cases and how to investigate and discover the evidence required to prosecute a successful litigation.
Civil litigation will pursue all remedies available to victims. Those remedies include economic damages and damages for pain and suffering, extra damages in certain circumstances, and awards of attorneys’ fees and costs to the victim. California leads the nation in remedies for elder abuse and our attorneys know how best to pursue those remedies through litigation.
Protecting Yourself And Your Loved Ones
As a loved one of a senior in a nursing home, keep a close eye on the care and medications your loved one receives. Visit your loved one as often as you can and watch for any signs that something might be wrong. Signs of abuse may include:
- Bruising, scars, scratches or welts seen on the body.
- Pressure ulcers (bed sores).
- Unusual behavior, nervousness, withdrawal or prolonged silence.
- Failure to take medications properly or refusal of medication.
- Any signs of physical restraint.
- Broken eyeglasses.
- Refusal of a caregiver to let you be alone with the elderly person.
You know your elderly loved one best and may find other reasons for suspicions. Always inform the nursing home administration of your suspicions and insist that any abuse you suspect occurred be reported. Reports to the police, Adult Protective Services and the State Ombudsman are essential but you should also consult with a nursing home abuse attorney, such as the attorneys at Evans Law Firm, to pursue all available remedies for the victim and his or her family.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one is or has been the victim of nursing home abuse in Alameda County or elsewhere in California, contact Ingrid Evans and the other nursing home abuse attorneys at the Evans Law Firm at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. We can help guide your case through a jury trial or toward an equitable settlement. We handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
