Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys in Georgia

If you or your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse, the first step is to remove the individual from the situation and seek treatment for any effects of the abuse. Next, you should contact the Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program – the state agency responsible for certifying and training ombudsmen who resolve concerns of long-term care facility residents in Georgia. You should also consult with an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer who is familiar with the types of issues related to nursing home abuse.

Why Do I Need a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?

If your injury or that of your loved resulted from the abuse sustained in a nursing home and you are considering taking legal action against the care facility or some other entity, you should consult with an attorney. A lawyer experienced with nursing home abuse can offer guidance regarding filing a personal injury claim that will allow you to collect the monetary damages that you or your family member may be entitled to, such as the cost of:

• Doctor visits
• Hospitalization
• Physical therapy
• Surgery
• Counseling or behavioral therapy
• Transportation to and from medical appointments
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life

The laws and regulations that govern nursing homes are typically very complex and vary according to state. A Georgia nursing home abuse lawyer will protect your rights, help you and your family deal with the many issues involved in your case, and provide access to expert witnesses like physicians, therapists, nutritionists, and others. These experts can review the circumstances surrounding the abuse and offer knowledgeable testimony about the quality of care provided by the nursing home that will help substantiate your claim.

To collect compensatory damages, you will need to establish civil liability against the perpetrators and those responsible for the abuse you suffered. Without skilled legal representation, doing so will be difficult, and your claim may be denied, no matter how valid. A nursing home abuse lawyer will work to prove that your claim is justified, demonstrate how the nursing home had a minimum standard of care and failed to provide it to you or your loved one, and show how this failure led to the abuse suffered. They will typically negotiate a reasonable out-of-court settlement or file a lawsuit to recover a damages award on your behalf.

Georgia Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm Advocates for Injured Clients

If you or someone you love has been a victim of nursing home abuse, don’t go it alone. Instead, enlist the help of a nursing home abuse lawyer who will help ensure the abuse victim’s safety, pursue fair compensation for their damages, and potentially prevent other nursing home residents from suffering a similar fate.

To hold a nursing home or care facility legally accountable for the abuse inflicted on you or a loved one, contact Isenberg & Hewitt, PC online or call 770-901-2666. Initial consultations for abuse victims and their families are always free of charge.

Elder abuse is widespread, especially in nursing homes. According to a national survey of nursing home staff published by the National Association of Nursing Home Attorneys (NANHA):

• 36 percent said they witnessed at least one incident of physical abuse on a resident in the previous year
• 10 percent stated that they committed at least one act of physical abuse towards a resident
• 40 percent admitted to emotionally abusing residents

What Constitutes Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse is physical, emotional, or financial harm to older adults living in a long-term care setting. The U.S. Administration of Aging defines elder resident abuse as any “knowing, intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person, inflicting serious harm or serious risk to a vulnerable person.”

A significant amount of nursing home abuse comes at the hands of staff members – the people hired to care for the residents. However, nursing home abuse can also result from senior care operations that sacrifice staff training, compensation, and supervision to maximize profits.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

There are several types of abuse that commonly occur in nursing homes. These include:

• Physical abuse – when nursing home staff members intentionally push, kick, hit, or inflict bodily harm upon residents. Warning signs include bedsores or pressure ulcers, broken bones, bruises, burns, welts on the skin, cuts, lacerations and skin tears, dehydration, malnutrition, sleep disorders, head injuries, illness or infection, poor personal hygiene, and unexplained weight loss.
• Resident-on-resident abuse – when one resident is abused physically, emotionally, or sexually by another resident. Warning signs include bullying, unwanted sexual advances, and entering a private room without permission.
• Emotional abuse – any action that damages an older person’s psychological health, such as yelling, taunting, or forced isolation from friends and family. Warning signs include anxiety, depression, loss of confidence, low self-worth, aggressive behavior, suicidal thoughts or actions, symptoms of trauma or PTSD.
• Sexual abuse – any form of unwanted sexual activity imposed upon residents by staff members. Warning signs include bruises and injuries in and around the genital area and unexplained STDs.
• Financial abuse – Mismanagement of residents’ money by staff members. Warning signs include changes to legal power of attorney designations, new credit cards or bank accounts, missing property, and unexplained transactions or charges.

Nursing home residents who suffer from cognitive and physical impairments like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, disability, and those who are overmedicated or socially isolated are generally at a higher risk of being abused. However, experts say that nursing home abuse is reported only about 20 percent of the time. This could be because the resident doesn’t know how to report it, has no family to tell, fears retaliation from the perpetrator, worries that they will lose their independence, or thinks things will get worse if they tell someone.

Contact an Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

If you or your loved one has sustained nursing home abuse, you should report your concerns to the Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.  For comprehensive legal advice regarding what to do next, contact the compassionate nursing home abuse attorneys at Isenberg & Hewitt, PC online or call 770-901-2666 to schedule your free initial consultation today.