El Monte Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyers

Narrowing down nursing homes in Los Angeles County can be daunting. There are hundreds of different options to choose from, so how do you pick the right one for your family member? First, you need to narrow it down by the type of care they need — assisted-living facility, nursing home, memory care centers, etc.

Conducting a thorough investigation of facilities is a great way to start your search. However, even the best research does not guarantee that nothing will go wrong at some point. If your loved one does become a victim of neglect or abuse, you need to contact a skilled El Monte nursing home abuse and neglect attorney.

The legal team at the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group has over two decades of experience assisting clients with keeping their loved ones safe from nursing home abuse and neglect across Southern California. Our main goal is to help you hold nursing homes accountable for the harm they unnecessarily cause patients by allowing neglect and abuse to occur in their facilities. You need an attorney who is compassionate yet is not afraid to be aggressive in court. Our legal team has a proven rate of success and have recovered millions in settlements and jury awards for our clients.

Physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and financial abuse make up the four main types of nursing home abuse cases we handle for clients. It is important to know what each type is so you can be more prepared in knowing what to look for during your regular visits.

• Physical Abuse: When a staff member kicks, hits, slaps, grabs, shoves, bites, or restrains a patient, it could be physical abuse. Any intentional act that causes harm to your loved one could be physical abuse.
• Sexual Abuse: Nursing homes across the country are dealing with incidents of sexual abuse. It is especially prevalent in situations in which the patient is unable to communicate their wishes. Sexual abuse is any “non-consensual sexual contact” from one person to someone else. It is one of the most unreported types of nursing home abuse today.
• Emotional Abuse: When a staff member is yelling, threatening, demeaning, insulting, etc. it can be emotional abuse. Staff will sometimes use threats or intimidation to instill fear, as well. Watch for patterns when you visit, as emotional abuse is not something that is typically limited to a one-time outburst.

To help protect your family member from becoming a victim of nursing home abuse, learn to recognize the red flags and warning signs of possible abuse.

One of the best ways to help your family member is to learn what some of the warning signs of abuse and neglect are. Then, watch for changes and possible signs every time you visit. Note changes from visit to visit. Here is a look at some of the most common warning signs of nursing home abuse or neglect:

• Unexplained illnesses
• Multiple Falls
• Rapid and sudden weight loss
• Pressure sores or bedsores
• Unexplained injuries or the explanations don’t make sense
• Lacerations, open wounds, bruises, and other cuts
• Dirty physical condition suggesting a lack of bathing
• Messy and disorganized living conditions
• Sudden depression
• Withdrawal from favorite hobbies or activities
• Anxiety or fear
• Sunken eyes or dry, chapped lips
• Unresponsiveness
• Unexpected and unexplained patient death

Nursing homes across the country deal with inadequately trained workers and high turnover rates. This situation could improve if nursing homes chose to pay salaries that would attract more professional staff members who are also interested in stability. This is also why you cannot assume the staff you meet during your initial nursing home inspections will still be there two months down the line.

Nursing home neglect differs from abuse. Neglect could be not giving a patient their scheduled dosages of medication or not bathing them for several days. In some cases, neglect results from nursing homes that are understaffed, and the nurses are overworked. When neglect becomes abuse is when it turns intentional. A nurse who refuses to feed a patient could be guilty of abuse.

If you need assistance with an El Monte nursing home abuse or neglect case, let our legal team help pursue a claim against the facility. Contact the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group today to schedule an initial consultation.