No one wants to think about a beloved family member being mistreated under any circumstances, and certainly not by the people entrusted to provide them with dedicated care. Unfortunately, that exact scenario not only occurs in nursing homes and assisted living facilities all across Arizona but is much more common than anyone would believe at first thought.
If you have recently learned or have started to suspect that a loved one of yours is being mistreated in a skilled nursing facility, you should strongly consider reaching out to a Tempe nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible. Support from an experienced personal injury attorney could be vital first to getting your family member out of immediate danger and then to demanding fair financial restitution for every form of harm they have experienced.
Common Signs of Mistreatment Inside Nursing Homes
One of the most complex aspects of nursing home abuse litigation is just how hard it can be even for diligent and attentive family members to notice that abuse or neglect is affecting a loved one. Various forms of mistreatment may produce few or no visible symptoms, and affected residents may be unwilling to talk about what is happening to them for fear of future reprisal or might be cognitively unable to communicate clearly.
Because of that, it can be vital for the loved ones of nursing home residents to know about some of the more subtle signs of nursing home abuse, such as:
- Sudden weight gain or loss
- Broken or damaged personal property
- Dirty bed linens, clothing, or living quarters
- Missed medications or sudden changes in prescriptions
- Repeated small injuries like cuts and bruises, especially around the ankles or wrists
- Refusal by facility staff members to answer questions clearly or allow residents to be alone with visitors
- Regression by a resident to childlike behaviors like rocking or thumb-sucking
- Skittishness or anxiety in a resident, particularly if it is mostly around a specific staff member
In certain situations, abuse of a nursing home resident can even take the form of financial exploitation, so it is vitally important to stay on top of a resident’s personal finances, estate planning documents, and insurance policies for any unexpected changes. A Tempe nursing home abuse attorney could provide more specific guidance during a private consultation about whether certain things may indicate mistreatment.
What Losses Could Be Factored Into a Nursing Home Abuse Claim?
As with any personal injury claim, a lawsuit or settlement demand built around abuse or neglect of a nursing home resident can seek reimbursement for any financial losses sustained by that resident—or by family members supporting them—as a result of their mistreatment. This includes both past and future medical expenses. That said, it is often much more important to account for the physical and psychological damage that mistreatment can cause.
Depending on the circumstances, this could mean demanding compensation for physical pain, emotional anguish, effects of psychological conditions like PTSD, and lost overall quality of life. If necessary, a nursing home abuse lawyer in Tempe could also help family members of a resident who passes away due to abuse or neglect seek restitution for their own economic and non-economic losses stemming from that wrongful death.
Let a Tempe Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Help
No amount of money could ever completely erase the damage that abuse of a nursing home resident can do directly to that resident and indirectly to everyone who loves them. That said, civil restitution can still help minimize the financial impact of neglect or abuse and helping families proactively move past it while protecting their loved one’s best interests.
Assistance is available from our dependable legal professionals, who have decades of experience helping local families through situations much like yours. Call the Phillips Law Group today to learn how a Tempe nursing home abuse lawyer could help you.
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