Atascadero Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyers

There are hundreds of for-profit nursing homes throughout San Luis Obispo County. Choosing the right one for your family member can be challenging. No one wants to transfer their loved one to a facility, especially one where there is a chance the elder will be mistreated. However, even choosing the best-ranked nursing home in Atascadero does not mean there are no risks. In the event something happens and your loved one is neglected or abused, it is time to speak with an experienced Atascadero nursing home neglect and abuse attorney.

The attorneys at the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group specialize in assisting clients with neglect or abuse cases involving a nursing home. We have represented clients in every county in Southern California. We are one of the only firms that primarily specializes in nursing home neglect and abuse cases. We understand how these facilities work, the relevant California laws, and the tactics of nursing home defense attorneys.

This experience gives us the upper hand in pursuing your claim against a nursing home. With over two decades of pursuing nursing home abuse cases, we have seen almost every scenario you can imagine. If you need help with suing a nursing home in Atascadero, please contact the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group right away. We are happy to sit down and discuss your case and relay our recommended course of action.

There are four main types of abuse you will find in a nursing home. They are:

• Physical Abuse: If someone inflicts physical harm to your family member, it is physical abuse. Physical abuse can happen when someone hits, grabs, slaps, kicks, etc. It can also occur due to over-tightening of restraints. Physical abuse often occurs when the staff is overworked and stressed out. However, they do not have the right to take that out on the patients they are being paid to protect. If it does happen to someone you love, it is time to hold everyone accountable.

• Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse is also called psychological abuse. It involves threats or other verbal harm from the staff. Nurses might use intimidation or threats to keep a patient fearful and compliant. They may harass them or repeatedly demean them. Patients who are victims of emotional abuse have likely been suffering for a while since it rarely happens only once.

• Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse can be defined as any “non-consensual sexual contact.” Unfortunately, sexual abuse is one of the most under-investigated types of abuse happening in nursing homes around the United States.

• Financial Abuse: Financial abuse refers to financial theft that can happen in an assisted-living facility. It is also a rampant problem with home healthcare workers. It can occur in a variety of ways, sometimes involving unauthorized ATM withdrawals, forged checks, and theft of personal items. In more severe cases, there is an elaborate identity theft scheme. Some thieves go so far as to coerce the patient to change their estate documents to add the healthcare worker to their will.

Nursing home neglect is different from abuse, although both still cause significant harm to the patient and should not be tolerated. Neglect can become abuse when the actions are intentional. For example, failure to bring a dinner tray one evening could be considered neglect. If the staff withheld the food tray on purpose to teach the resident a lesson, that could be considered abuse.

It is imperative to identify common warning signs that could point to neglect or abuse. Recognizing these signs can also help you build a stronger case from the start. Some warning signs include:

• Bruises, open wounds, lacerations
• Frequent Illnesses that are not easily explainable
• Sudden, rapid weight loss
• Dropping hygiene levels
• Odd injuries that the nursing home cannot explain
• Pressure sores, or bedsores
• Sudden onset of depression
• Living conditions have changed and the room is suddenly messy
• Withdrawing from their favorite hobbies and activities
• Dry, chapped lips
• Sunken eyes
• Other behavioral changes
• Unexpected death of your family member

Nursing home staff members are not paid very well. This can lead to job burnout and a high turnover rate. Although staff members might be helpful and seem professional when you do an initial inspection, there is no guarantee the same staff will be there months down the line.

If you need assistance pursuing a nursing home for actions against your loved one, do not attempt to pursue the claim on your own — let a skilled Atascadero nursing home abuse attorney assist. Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation.