Brawley Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer

The only thing that is perhaps more heartbreaking than having to make the decision to put a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility is learning that your loved one has been a victim of abuse and neglect. While there is an expectation placed on nursing homes to provide a high level of care, this, unfortunately, is not always the case.

At the law office of the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group, our Brawley nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers can support you and your family if an elderly loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse. For a free consultation with our legal team, please call us today to learn more about how we can help.

Recognizing the signs of nursing home abuse and neglect can be challenging, especially because a deterioration in an elderly person’s condition may be expected or thought of as normal. It is important to familiarize yourself with the signs of nursing home abuse and neglect, and to take action if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

Abuse in the nursing home or assisted living setting can take a variety of forms, including both physical and sexual abuse. Neglect can also have serious physical consequences for a nursing home resident and can lead to permanent injury or death. Some of the signs of physical abuse or neglect include:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Bruises or cuts
• Unexplained broken bones or other injuries
• Signs of malnourishment or dehydration
• Bedsores (aka decubitus ulcers)
• Severe deterioration in physical condition
• Signs of poor personal grooming, such as unbrushed hair or clothing, signs that the person has not bathed, etc.

While sexual abuse is less common, it does happen. Signs of sexual abuse to be aware of including torn or bloodied clothing, bruises and other signs of a physical altercation and physical restraint, and behavioral changes, such as withdrawal or anger.

Emotional or psychological abuse and neglect can be hard to recognize but may be very serious. Examples of psychological abuse and neglect include, but are not limited to, refusing to let the resident participate in activities with other residents, forced isolation, verbal abuse or bullying of the resident, teasing of the resident, or even ignoring or withholding care of the resident. Emotional abuse may present in behavior changes, including:

• Fear
• Angry outbursts
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Wanting to leave the nursing home facility; and

In addition to the above, you should also watch out for any signs of medication errors or medical malpractice or financial exploitation, such as changes to your loved one’s bank accounts or financial situation. Additionally, pay attention to the state of the nursing home: Does it seem clean? Are there enough staff members for the number of patients residing? Do patients generally seem happy and well-cared for?

Accepting the reality that a loved one is being abused or neglected within a nursing home can be hard to do. Many people may even unconsciously ignore the signs of abuse or neglect simply because they do not want to believe that their loved one is being subjected to harm. If you suspect that abuse or neglect is occurring, though, we urge you to take action by reporting the abuse and then calling our law firm. Our nursing home neglect lawyers from Brawley have decades of experience in these tragic cases.

As soon as you call our law firm, we will explain to you our legal services, your options, and how a nursing home abuse and neglect case in California typically proceeds. If you decide to hire our firm, one of the first things that we will do is conduct a thorough investigation to determine if abuse and neglect are occurring and, if so, the extent of abuse or neglect, who is responsible, and the damages that have resulted. We will represent you in bringing forth your case, presenting evidence, negotiating a settlement, and more.

Do not let nursing home abuse and neglect go unaddressed. When you call our Brawley attorneys specializing in nursing home abuse and neglect at the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group, we will advocate for your loved one and your family. Our lawyers have more than 20 years of experience, have recovered millions of dollars on the behalf of our clients, and always offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis. For your free consultation, reach us today or send us a message at your convenience.