Northridge Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

When you make the difficult decision to send your loved one to live in a nursing home, you expect them to receive the skilled nursing care that you are unable to provide. Sadly, some nursing homes and their employees take advantage of the trust put in them and harm the patients in their care. When this happens, it is important that you take immediate steps to protect your loved one, including contacting a skilled nursing home abuse lawyer who can bring a legal claim on your behalf.

If you suspect your loved one is being abused, report the abuse immediately. Then, reach out to an experienced Northridge nursing home abuse lawyer by calling the Younglove Law Firm at (602) 737-3333. We provide a free, no-obligation consultation in which we can explain your legal options after discovering nursing home abuse.

Why Does Nursing Home Abuse Occur?

Nursing home abuse is always preventable. It occurs when nursing homes do not take the care to select compassionate and experienced workers to care for residents. Nursing homes might be more concerned about their profits than their patients, which can lead to understaffing and minimal supervision that allows abuse and neglect to fester. Some nursing homes may hire workers without checking their criminal histories or employment backgrounds.

Nursing home workers may feel tired or overwhelmed when understaffing occurs, which can lead to them feeling impatient and lashing out at patients. Nursing home abuse is never acceptable and should not be tolerated, speak with our Northridge personal injury attorney to learn about your legal options.

Different Kinds of Nursing Home Abuse

Unfortunately, several different kinds of nursing home abuse can occur. The National Center on Elder Abuse categorizes abuse into the following five categories:

• Physical abuse – Physical abuse is what most people think of as nursing home abuse and includes hitting, slapping, kicking, pushing, or otherwise making offensive or harmful physical contact with the resident. It can also include using physical restraints, withdrawing medication, keeping medical devices like canes or glasses away from the patient, or using medication to subdue the patient.
• Emotional abuse – Emotional abuse involves humiliating, cursing at, yelling at, or otherwise demeaning the patient in such a way that leads to emotional distress or intimidation.
• Sexual abuse – Sexual abuse occurs when a nursing home worker has sexual relations with a resident without their consent or when the resident lacks the capacity to provide consent.
• Financial exploitation – Financial exploitation includes the unauthorized use of the resident’s credit cards or property, stealing, forgery, identity theft, or coercing the resident to sign documents providing some financial benefit to the worker.
• Neglect – Neglect is the failure to provide the necessary care, protection, or basic needs of the nursing home resident.

Possible Compensation You Can Recover in a Nursing Home Abuse Case

Through a nursing home abuse claim, you can seek compensation for additional medical expenses your loved one incurred to treat their injuries, as well as any other financial losses incurred because of the abuse. You can also seek compensation for pain, suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish.

If the abuse leads to death, you can pursue a wrongful death claim for the following types of damages:

• Burial and funeral expenses
• Loss of financial support
• Loss of the decedent’s affection, moral support, education, guidance, companionship, affection, and society

Protect Your Loved One with the Help of Our Caring Northridge Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Contact us at (602) 737-3333 to begin the process of protecting your loved one from nursing home abuse.