If you have a loved one who resides in a nursing home or assisted living facility and have concerns that your family member is being mistreated, neglected, or abused, you may need to take legal action to protect your loved one and demand justice.
With help from an experienced North Charleston nursing home abuse attorney at Shelly Leeke Law Firm, you can protect your loved ones, and other nursing home residents, and ensure the at-fault party is held accountable. Contact our team for a free consultation today and find out more about how you can take steps to protect your family member.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse in North Charleston
It is not uncommon for the family members of those suffering from nursing home abuse to be unaware of the trauma their loved one is going through.
Your nursing home abuse lawyer in North Charleston, SC is here to help you understand the different forms nursing home abuse can take so you can better understand the signs and protect your loved one if you suspect they are being abused. Here is more about the different types of nursing home abuse your family member could be experiencing:
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is one of the most abhorrent types of nursing home abuse. Sexual abuse can include any type of unwanted physical touching or any other type of sexual contact where the patient is unable to give their consent either physically or cognitively.
There have been reported incidents of nursing home staff, such as nurses or janitors, sexually abusing their patients. However, nursing home sexual abuse can also occur when the nursing home facility fails to properly monitor other residents who go on to sexually abuse, assault, or rape other nursing home residents.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may be one of the most commonly thought of types of abuse in nursing homes. This is, in part, because physical abuse is often more easily identified through unexplained broken bones, unexplained burn injuries, concussions, bruising, being afraid of healthcare providers, and other signs of physical abuse.
Neglect
Neglect is also a type of nursing home abuse. It is up to the nursing home or assisted living facility to ensure all of its patients are properly cared for at all times. Any time patients are not fed properly, given adequate amounts of water, given their prescription medications, or fail to receive the proper hygiene, the nursing home staff and facility can be held accountable.
Emotional and Psychological Abuse
Emotional and psychological abuse are lesser-known but can have a devastating impact on a nursing home resident. This can take the form of intimidation, threatening, name-calling, mocking, and other types of psychological distress.
Your loved one may show signs of emotional abuse by withdrawing socially, skipping meals, overeating, developing substance-abuse issues, engaging in self-harming behaviors, and showing visible signs of fear of their healthcare providers.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is one of the most common ways in which nursing home staff are taken advantage of. Financial abuse can involve a multitude of financial crimes, including theft, embezzlement, making changes to a nursing home resident’s power of attorney, writing checks without the nursing home resident’s consent, and other types of fraud.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer serving North Charleston, call 1-844-736-8342
Legal Options for Victims of Nursing Home Abuse
When you suspect your loved one has been abused or neglected in their nursing home, there may be multiple legal options available to you.
Contact the North Charleston Police Department
First, you may want to consider reporting your concerns to the North Charleston Police Department. The police may be able to open up a criminal investigation into the nursing home staff and facility’s actions. You might be the first in a long line of families who are brave enough to come forward and put a stop to repeated instances of nursing home abuse.
Report Concerns to the South Carolina Department of Social Services
However, reporting your concerns to the police is not the only way to demand justice. You may also be able to report nursing home abuse and neglect concerns to the South Carolina Department of Social Services, The Long-Term Care Ombudsman, who can then open up a formal investigation into the entire facility.
File an Insurance Claim or Civil Lawsuit
Your nursing home abuse attorney in North Charleston, SC can also help you explore your opportunities for filing insurance and civil claims.
You might have the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit if your loved one’s healthcare providers were negligent in the patient’s care. You may also be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against all parties who share liability for the abuse and neglect your family member endured.
Our nursing home abuse attorneys will thoroughly investigate the details of your case and explore all opportunities for financial recovery to ensure your family member gets justice after the trauma they went through.
North Charleston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 1-844-736-8342
Recoverable Damages After Suffering Nursing Home Abuse
Our nursing home abuse lawyers are here to help you maximize the amount of compensation you are awarded. This can help to ensure the liable party is brought to justice.
You may be surprised to learn there is a wide range of damages you may be able to recover in your nursing home abuse insurance claim or civil lawsuit. Some examples of the various damages that could be recovered include:
- Your family member’s physical pain and suffering
- The emotional distress your loved one went through
- Disfiguring injuries and skin scarring
- Money that was stolen from your family member
- Compensation for your family members reduced quality of life
- Your family member’s personal property damages
- Costs of your loved one’s medical expenses, treatment, and the costs of relocating to another new nursing home facility
Click to contact our South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys today
Contact a North Charleston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today
Nursing home neglect and abuse are unconscionable. When your loved one has been victimized, and you do not know where to turn for help, do not hesitate to contact a dedicated and compassionate North Charleston nursing home abuse attorney at Shelly Leeke Law Firm for help.
You can explore your legal options further when you contact our team for a free consultation. Get started as soon as today when you complete our quick contact form or call our office.
Call or text 1-844-736-8342 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
