Cherokee County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
Your decision to place an aging parent or other loved one in a nursing home when they are struggling to care for themselves is one of the most difficult things to do in life. You may feel that a facility would provide all of the necessary care that you cannot, so it is the best place for your loved one. Unfortunately, these facilities can break your trust and fail to provide adequate care, and cause injury or death due to their negligence.
A compassionate personal injury attorney is ready to help you. When a nursing home abuses and neglects your loved one, they deserve to be held accountable for their actions. A Cherokee County nursing home abuse lawyer could help fight for the best interests of your family.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
The failure to provide adequate care, or the mistreatment of an elderly individual, can take many different forms. It may be hard for an elderly resident to competently describe what kind of abuse is happening to them due to prior mental decline or other illness. It is important to be vigilant and understand what the common types of abuse look like, such as:
- Broken bones, scratches, scars, or other injuries that cannot be explained;
- Bedsores, which may be a sign that the individual has been neglected;
- Poor health or other signs of malnutrition which may take the form of inconsistent bathing, poor oral health, loss of weight, and dehydration;
- Signs of lack of supervision, such as a high or low temperature in the room and long response times to a resident’s call for help;
- Signs of sexual abuse, including complaints by the elderly individual about staff or other visitors;
- Changes in behavior, such as fear of the staff or unwillingness to return to their room; and
- Financial abuse through strange or unnecessary transactions, or fraudulent behaviors.
Long-term care facility abuse is a serious problem that could go unnoticed without the knowledge and experience of someone who knows what to look for. An elder abuse attorney in Cherokee County could aid in determining whether an elderly resident is being mistreated, and seek a favorable resolution.
What Determines the Compensation in a Nursing Home Abuse Case?
There is no absolute way of determining the amount of compensation in a nursing home abuse case. These cases involve several factors, and compensation varies considerably based on those factors.
One significant factor is the degree of fault of the nursing home and its staff. Under Georgia law, the nursing home staff must engage in the standard of care that is ordinarily exercised by skilled nursing home staff. Some additional factors taken into consideration in an elder abuse case include:
- The extent of the injury and the related medical costs;
- Reduced quality of life or ability to engage in activities;
- Whether the abuse caused incapacity or death;
- The egregious nature of the abuse; and
- The amount of, and longevity, of the elderly individual’s pain and suffering.
A Cherokee County nursing home abuse attorney understands the necessary elements of this kind of case and what the courts in Georgia require. With the assistance of a lawyer, the next steps toward holding the nursing home responsible are within reach.
Contact a Cherokee County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Now
You made the tough decision to put your trust in a nursing home to ensure that your loved one was safe. Now you must do everything to protect them from the same nursing home that broke your trust. Do not face this challenge alone.
A Cherokee County nursing home abuse lawyer could better equip you to fight for your loved one. Call today for a consultation to get started on holding the nursing home responsible.
