Riverside Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyers

There are 88 licensed skilled nursing facilities in Riverside County, and over 250 and assisted living facilities for the elderly providing custodial care services. In over 20 years of law practice, the Riverside elder neglect lawyers at the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group have recovered millions of dollars for Riverside County seniors and their families who have been impacted by nursing home neglect.

Cases against nursing home and assisted living facilities arise under a variety of circumstances and can be brought against different types of facilities. Many people call any 24-hour nursing facility a "nursing home," but in truth these cases can be brought against nursing homes, assisted living facilities, board and care homes, home health and home care, hospice, and adult day care centers. In addition, it's not just "elders" who can bring a case, a case for neglect or abuse can also be brought by a dependent adult, who is someone between the age of 18 and 64.

For over 20 years, our Riverside nursing home lawyers at the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group have been fighting for justice for Riverside County residents who have suffered at the hands of nursing home or assisted living caregivers. We have brought lawsuits against local nursing facilities and recovered millions of dollars for victims and their families. All of our attorneys have a deep understanding of California nursing home neglect law, are highly rated, and well-known in the nursing home legal community.

While no two cases are the same, our Riverside nursing home abuse attorneys see a lot of cases that fall under a few broad categories:

Bed Sores or Decubitus Ulcers - These skin wounds should never arise in a nursing home, but when they do, they can be devastating. Typically, these wounds develop on the coccyx, buttocks, or heel, and they are almost always caused by friction. Once there is skin breakdown, a skin wound must be closely monitored and treated, and efforts must be taken to prevent worsening. A failure to address it is neglect. These wounds can grow quickly and dramatically, and should one reach the size of a Stage IV, the most severe stage, they can be life threatening.

Falls that result in fractures or head injuries - A fall in a nursing home or assisted living facility can cause very serious injury or death. Our firm has handled dozens of nursing home fall cases resulting in hip and femur fractures, spinal fractures, and concussive brain injuries. And while a fall by itself might not constitute neglect, an analysis should be done as to why the resident fell. Were risk assessments performed and followed? Were proper preventative measures taken? These questions must be answered in any nursing home fall injury case.

Malnutrition or Dehydration - All patients in a nursing home or assisted living home require adequate nutrition. A failure to provide would be per se neglect. Any individual who is harmed by not receiving enough food or drink to maintain good health would be considered the victim of neglect and abuse.

Physical or Sexual Abuse - This type of abuse is obvious and hardly needs a description or explanation. Any physical assault on an elder, whether by caregivers or fellow residents, is actionable abuse.

The State of California has a chapter of law entitled the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA), which was approved approximately 30 years ago to protect seniors, and to provide legal remedies to seniors (age 65+) and dependent adults (age 18-64) who suffer physical abuse or neglect, or are abandoned, in the 24-hour custodial care setting. These facilities including skilled nursing homes and assisted living.

EADACPA defines “abuse” as “physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation, abduction, or other treatment that results in harm, pain or mental suffering. It can also mean the deprivation by a care custodian of goods or services that are necessary to avoid physical harm or mental suffering.” What do these terms mean?

• Physical Abuse is defined as the intentional infliction of physical pain or injury, sexual assault or molestation, or the unlawful use of physical or chemical restraints to punish the elder or dependent adult. This conduct is self-evident.
• Neglect occurs when a care provider fails to protect an elder or dependent adult from health and safety hazards. Most often we see this in cases where a caregiver fails to provide the care and treatment necessary for good health, or to treat a change of condition. Too often we see it when a caregiver fails to notify a doctor or transfer a resident to the hospital after a decline in health.
• Abandonment occurs when a nursing facility resident is abandoned or ignored by someone who is a deemed to be a caregiver. It does not have to be a nurse.
• Isolation occurs if there is a senior is intentionally prevented from having access to visitors, telephone calls, or mails.
• Mental Suffering arises when a caregiver of any title causes fear, confusion, or agitation through threats, harassment or other forms of intimidating actions.
• Negligence is any conduct by a caregiver that is not reasonable under the circumstances or falls below the “recognized standard of care” and causes an injury, illness, or death.

Riverside County has a variety of governmental agencies, and non-governmental agencies with services to help the senior population. Below, are links to a few.

Adult Protective Services. For emergency concerns about the safety, health or wellbeing of an elderly Riverside resident, call Adult Protective Services at (800) 491-7123.

Ombudsman. Educating nursing home residents on their rights while living in facilities. Riverside County Ombudsman Office can be reached by calling (800) 231-4024.

California Department of Public Health. For complaints about a nursing home, contact the Riverside office of the California Department of Public Health. The local office of CDPH can be reached at (888) 354-9203.

California Department of Social Services. For complaints against residential care facilities (assisted living) for the elderly (or assisted living), contact the local office of the California Department of Social Services. The local office of CDSS can be contacted at (951) 782-4207.

To learn whether your situation merits legal action under the law, give one our Riverside nursing home negligence lawyers a call. Our attorneys never charge a fee to discuss and can let you know whether you have a case that supports a legal action and a pursuit of justice. Call anytime to (866) 607-1325 or complete our online questionnaire.

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• Alta Vista Healthcare & Wellness Centre
• Arlington Gardens Care Center
B
• Alta Vista Healthcare & Wellness Centre
• Arlington Gardens Care Center
• Banning Healthcare
• Blythe Post Acute LLC
• Brookdale Rancho Mirage
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• California Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
• Centinela Grand Inc
• Cherry Valley Healthcare
• Community Care and Rehabilitation Center
• Community Care On Palm
• Corona Health Care Center
• Corona Post Acute Center
• Corona Regional Medical Center D/P SNF
D
• Desert Regional Medical Center D/P SNF
• Desert Springs Healthcare & Wellness Centre
• Devonshire Care Center
E
• Extended Care Hospital of Riverside
H
• Hemet Valley Healthcare Center
• Highland Springs Care Center
I
• Indio Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
J
• Jurupa Hills Post Acute
L
• Life Care Center Of Menifee
M
• Magnolia Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Manorcare Health Services-Hemet
• Manorcare Health Services-Palm Desert
• Meadowbrook Health Care Center
• Miravilla Care Center
• Mission Care Center
• Monterey Palms Health Care Center
• Murrieta Health and Rehabilitation Center
P
• Palm Grove Health Care
• Palm Springs Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center
• Palm Terrace Care Center
• Premier Care Center For Palm Springs
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• Ramona Rehabilitation and Post Acute Care Center
• Rancho Bellagio Post Acute
• Rancho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Riverside Behavioral Healthcare Center
• Riverside Heights Healthcare Center, LLC
• Riverside Postacute Care
• Riverside Village Healthcare Center
• Riverwalk Post Acute
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• San Jacinto Healthcare
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• The Bradley Gardens
• The Grove Care and Wellness
• The Springs At the Carlotta
• The Springs Health and Rehabilitation Center
• The Village Healthcare Center
V
• Valencia Gardens Health Care Center
• Villa Health Care Center
• Vista Pacifica Center
• Vista Pacifica Convalescent Hospital
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• Windsor Cypress Gardens