Orange County Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
Have You or a Loved One Been Neglected in a Nursing Home? We Can Help!
When we make the difficult decision to place our elderly loved ones in a nursing home, we expect them to be taken care of with compassion, care and respect. The last thing we can imagine is that our loved one will be abused in a place they are supposed to trust and call home. Unfortunately since many owners and operators of nursing homes are only motivated by monetary profits instead of meeting the needs and desires of their elderly or disabled residents, the only people who suffer are the elderly nursing home residents.
The Orange County nursing home neglect attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas are dedicated to protecting the legal rights of the elderly who have been abused and neglected at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We will work hard to get you the damages that you and your loved one deserve.
Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
The signs and symptoms of nursing home abuse may be difficult to detect. The reason is that since family members do not live with or see their elderly loved ones on a daily basis, they may not see the signs indicating possible abuse or neglect. However, if you suspect abuse or neglect of your loved one by the nursing home staff, their residents or vendors, it is important you take immediate steps to protect them. One important step is to contact local authorities as soon as possible. You should also contact an experienced Orange County nursing home abuse attorney.
Some common signs that may indicate your elderly loved one is being subject to abuse or neglect in the nursing home include:
- Untreated bedsores, wounds, cuts or bruises
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss
- Abnormally pale complexion
- Poor personal hygiene
- Torn clothing or broken personal items
- Blood on bed sheets
Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including:
- Neglect. Examples of neglect the failure to provide food and water, sanitary conditions for the elderly to live in, proper medical care, and other basic necessities.
- Physical assault. Physical assault involves nursing home staff or residents physically making contact, such as punching, kicking, restraining or inflicting other physical acts that cause injuries.
- Sexual assault. Nursing home residents can also be sexually assaulted by staff members or other residents at the facility. Sexual abuse or assault can range from exposing sexual parts to unwanted touching and rape.
- Emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can happen in different ways, such as the nursing home staff exercising authority or punishing residents with insults, humiliation, name-calling, threats, and other words and actions that cause emotional trauma.
The compassionate legal team at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas believes that your loved one has the right to be heard. Those who commit any type of nursing home abuse and neglect must be held accountable for their actions. Our Orange County nursing home abuse attorneys will expertly investigate the facts of your case to make sure all the responsible parties, including the facility, are held accountable. Filing a personal injury claim will not undo the harm caused, but it will bring a sense of justice and closure for the victim.
Common Causes of Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse
In order to successfully prove a personal injury claim for nursing home neglect and abuse, you must prove that you were injured as a result of the negligent or wrongful actions of the nursing home facility, staff or other residents. Examples of fault in nursing home and neglect cases include:
- Inadequate training of staff members – When a nursing home facility fails to adequate train its staff and provide them with the information they need to do their job properly, it can result in the staff accidentally hurting residents.
- Hiring unsafe staff members – A nursing home facility’s failure to background check their hires or check for references can ultimately place their residents at harm.
- Inadequate staffing – A nursing home might try to cut corners by hiring fewer care staff, which means residents will not get the help they need.
- Staff drug abuse or alcohol addiction – Nursing homes can also be liable if their staff abuse residents as a result of drug or alcohol use.
- Failure to provide adequate medical care – Nursing home facilities can be liable for neglect if they fail to follow medical treatment ordered by a physician.
- Failure to supervise staff – A nursing home facility can also be liable if their failure to supervise their staff resulted in the abuse or neglect of a resident.
- Failure to report abuse – Nursing homes can be held legally liable if they fail to report cases of abuse to prevent cover-ups.
Common Victims of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
If you or a loved one has suffered any type of injuries as a result of the negligent or wrongful actions of a nursing home facility or its staff member, you can file a claim or lawsuit seeking money damages. Monetary compensation in a nursing home abuse case generally falls into three categories.
1. Economic damages. Economic damages include anything that can be measured, such as:
- Ambulance transportation
- Hospital stays
- Surgeries
- Doctor visits
- Medical testing (CT scans, MRI tests, X-rays, blood work)
- Prescription medication
- Physical therapy
- Assistive devices, including wheelchairs
- Future medical care
- Costs of increased living assistance
2. Non-economic damages. Non-economic damages include anything that cannot be monetarily measured, such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma, such as depression, fear, grief, anxiety and lack of sleep
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent cognitive or physical impairments caused by the injuries
3. Punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded to punish the nursing home for its egregious behavior and/or actions. Courts also like to award punitive damages to deter others from engaging in the same egregious behavior.
The legal team at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas will investigate all the facts of your case to determine exactly which of these damages you or your loved one will be entitled to. Our experience in handling these types of cases gives us the knowledge we need to get you the full compensation that you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:
How do I take legal action against a nursing home?
An experienced Orange County elder abuse attorney can help you take legal action against a nursing home. A good lawyer will listen to the details of your case and build a legal complaint.
What constitutes neglect in a care home?
Neglect includes not being provided with enough food or with the right kind of food, or not being taken proper care of. Leaving you without help to wash or change dirty or wet clothes, not getting you to a doctor when you need one or not making sure you have the right medicines all count as neglect.
What are the 5 types of abuse in a nursing home?
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) are, the five common types of nursing home abuse are: physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Additional types of nursing home abuse include self-neglect and abandonment.
Protect Your Rights with an Experienced Orange County Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
If or a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, contact the Law Offices of Samer Habbas. Our Orange County nursing home abuse attorneys specialize in handling nursing home abuse and neglect cases and have the experience to help you hold the responsible parties accountable and obtain compensation for your pain and suffering.
Please call us at 949-727-9300 to discuss your case with an expert Los Angeles nursing home abuse attorney or you can fill out our free consultation form.
