Philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled nursing services to many vulnerable people, especially the elderly. Many of our neighbors must move a loved one in a home when they suffer a serious injury or begin to show signs of dementia. We expect the home selected to provide critical care at the highest level.
The reality, however, is often different. Many Philadelphia nursing homes are negligent or employ abusive staff. Our loved ones can suffer terrible injuries in nursing homes, and many are too afraid to speak up and ask for help. If you suspect nursing home abuse, please contact Monaco Law PC today. Our Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyer will investigate and possibly bring a legal claim against the home.
Types of Abuse in Nursing Homes
Abuse can take many forms, and some abuse is hard to detect. We can help you if your loved one has suffered:
- Physical abuse. Common examples include pinching, slapping, pushing, punching, kicking, or suffocating with a pillow. Denying residents food, water, or medicine also qualifies as physical abuse. Your loved one can sustain fractures, bruises, cuts, and emotional distress as a result. When staff withhold medicine, many residents end up in the hospital.
- Emotional abuse. Particularly sadistic staff can emotionally abuse a resident, including ignoring them, harassing them, using epithets or derogatory terms, or isolating them from other residents.
- Sexual abuse. In horrifying cases, a resident can suffer sexual abuse, including sexual assault or unwanted touching. Other residents might be sexually humiliated by being forced to watch pornography or stripped in front of other residents.
- Financial abuse. Nursing home residents are vulnerable to financial exploitation, including identity theft or stealing.
- Although not intentional like abuse, neglect is usually just as dangerous. A nursing home must use reasonable care when looking after residents. But understaffing or other issues can stretch staff too thin and your loved one is ignored.
- This abuse can be committed by staff or sometimes even other residents. Although abuse is inexcusable, there are some common reasons for nursing home abuse:
- Negligent hiring. A nursing home won’t check references or perform a criminal background check. Consequently, they hire a dangerous person to work in the home.
- Inadequate staffing or instruction. Nursing home management often cuts corners by not hiring sufficient staff or giving them the training they need.
- Staff substance abuse. Staff members who are high or intoxicated could behave irrationally or fail to supervise other residents.
Our attorney can identify the reasons for the abuse and seek to have your loved one moved to a new home, if necessary.
Speak with an Experienced Philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Often, a lawsuit against the nursing home is the only way to seek justice. Pennsylvania is supposed to closely regulate nursing homes, but many homes continue to operate even after complaints. Let Monaco Law analyze whether to bring a claim.
If successful, we can obtain monetary damages and other remedies in a lawsuit against a nursing home. We have sought compensation for medical benefits, lost income, and pain and suffering. If you want to learn more, contact our seasoned Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyer today to schedule a confidential consultation.
