Your loved one should feel safe and supported in a nursing home, but that isn’t always the case. You may begin to pick up on atypical mood swings, unexplained injuries, and inconsistent reports from staff members that have you questioning the type of care your family member is receiving.
A Columbus nursing home abuse lawyer at Shore Law can help figure out whether neglect is taking place and who may be responsible. Our attorneys have spent decades handling complicated injury cases, with more than $250 million recovered for our clients.
We understand that nursing home abuse cases can be difficult and often involve private facilities and hard-to-get records. Through a detailed investigation, our Columbus personal injury lawyers will help piece together what happened and advise on your next steps. Call our team to discuss your situation.
Protect Your Loved One with Help From a Columbus Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
At Shore Law, we work hard to protect your loved one‘s rights by conducting a thorough investigation into your concerns about neglect.
We focus on uncovering what nursing homes often keep out of view, looking at things like staffing records, electronic access logs, medical records, incident reports, and internal communications that facilities do not share freely.
The legal work we handle in these cases includes:
- Reviewing care records, care plans, and internal reports for missing information or medical errors.
- Comparing staff schedules with injury timelines.
- Looking for electronic data that shows who accessed a resident and when.
- Going over facility policies to see whether care standards were followed.
- Staying in contact with families as facts develop.
- Preparing for litigation if we cannot resolve your case outside of court.
Many people don’t know that nursing homes rely heavily on digital systems to track care and staff activity. Our legal team knows where to look in those systems and how to use that information to test whether the facility’s version of events holds up.
Who May Be Responsible for Abuse and Neglect?
This will depend on the situation. However, potential liable parties can often include:
- Individual caregivers or staff members
- Facility operators or management companies
- Third-party contractors, such as outside cleaning services or equipment providers
- Nursing homes that failed to supervise or investigate complaints
Evidence is important in these cases. We will review all facility documentation, care conditions, surveillance or security footage, photos, expert witness testimony, and other items to find proof of systemic neglect and determine who should cover the damages.
Recoverable Damages in a Columbus Nursing Home Abuse Claim
When you submit a nursing home negligence claim, it can help to provide financial compensation for a number of damages, including economic and non-economic losses.
Depending on the situation, you may be able to recover:
- Medical care costs related to injuries or health issues that followed the abuse.
- Emotional trauma that shows up as fear, distress, or loss of personal dignity.
- Added care expenses, including moving to a safer facility or increasing supervision and support.
- Pain and suffering for the physical pain, discomfort, and diminished quality of life caused by the abuse or neglect.
An attorney will evaluate your situation and estimate the potential damages that may form part of your settlement amount, making things easier when you decide to pursue legal action. Learn more about the average nursing home neglect settlement amount from our guide.
Wrongful Death Damages
In fatal cases, you may be able to claim wrongful death damages under Ohio law (e.g., funeral and burial expenses, loss of a loved one’s companionship).
While no legal outcome replaces the loss of a loved one, a nursing home wrongful death claim can provide the financial compensation you and your family need as you go through this difficult time. When negligence leads to a fatal injury, our legal team handles these cases with care, focusing on recognizing the harm and who is responsible.
Filing Deadlines You Should Know About in Columbus, Ohio
Ohio law sets clear time limits for filing a lawsuit involving resident abuse in a care facility. If you miss a deadline, you may forfeit your right to compensation, even if the nursing home neglect is real.
Here are the Ohio statute of limitations you need to know about:
- For personal injury lawsuits that cause physical or emotional harm, the deadline is generally two years from the date the injury occurred, according to Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10(A).
- For wrongful death actions, the deadline is two years, starting from the date of death, not the date of the incident that led to it. Wrongful death timelines are governed by Ohio Revised Code § 2125.02(D).
There may be some exceptions to these laws; however, waiting too long can limit your options. We encourage you to reach out to our law office early so that we can schedule a free consultation and work to protect your loved one’s rights and your family’s ability to pursue justice.
What to Do if You Think a Resident Is Being Mistreated
When you start to feel concerned about your family member, taking careful and timely action is a necessity. This can help to protect the resident and will allow you to preserve information as part of your claim.
In cases like these, the focus often turns to what happened, what the records show, and where the story does not line up. Here’s what you should do:
- Pay attention to changes in your loved one’s mood, health, or behavior, and note when those changes first appeared.
- Go over care plans and incident reports to see whether they explain what you are observing or leave questions unanswered.
- Watch for any patterns between injuries, psychological harm, or health declines and the staff members or shifts involved.
- Compare staff explanations with what you see during visits, including resident hygiene, responsiveness, and supervision.
- Raise medical concerns with outside doctors or providers who are not tied to the facility, when possible.
- Get ready for the next steps if the information you gather points toward neglect or abuse. Our Columbus nursing home abuse attorneys will help you.
Learn more about what to do if you suspect nursing home abuse and how a lawyer can support you.
How to Report Nursing Home Neglect in Ohio
If you’re worried about harm involving a nursing home resident, there are several things you can do. Multiple agencies in Columbus, Ohio accept and investigate these complaints.
Families may contact:
- The Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which helps residents in nursing homes and their families raise concerns about care.
- The Ohio Attorney General’s Elder Justice Unit focuses on protecting older adults from abuse.
- The Ohio Department of Aging, which oversees long-term care services and investigations
- Local law enforcement, when immediate safety is at risk.
Reporting concerns helps protect the resident and creates a formal record. Plus, you can file a report while seeking legal guidance, as these processes can run alongside a civil case.
Our Columbus Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Are Ready to Help You
If you are seeing signs that do not add up or have questions about a loved one’s care, speaking with a Columbus nursing home abuse lawyer at Shore Law can help you understand what options are available.
These cases are emotionally difficult, and sorting through medical records, injury timelines, and negotiating with insurance companies can be challenging to do on your own. Your family deserves honest answers when caregivers break your trust.
Because we work on a contingency basis, there are no upfront legal fees for us to represent you. Instead, you only pay when we recover damages. Call us today to discuss your concerns and the next steps in your case during a free consultation.
