Admitting a loved one to a nursing home is tough. Concerns over abuse are the last thing you’d expect from a nursing facility you trust, but it can happen anywhere. When it does, it is heartbreaking.
If your loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect, or if you suspect nursing home abuse, you have the right to seek answers. Our Toledo nursing home abuse lawyers will work to hold the facility and its staff accountable for the harm you and your loved one have suffered.
Our team at Shore Law has recovered more than $250 million on behalf of injured victims and their families in Ohio. Call to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation and learn more about how our Toledo personal injury lawyers can help with your nursing home abuse case.
What Does a Toledo Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Do?
Our Toledo nursing home abuse attorneys are led by our founder, Attorney Megan Shore, who is also a nationally recognized nursing home software consultant. This skill allows her to track medical records and online systems to identify when staff members may have been negligent, fraudulently charted information, deleted information, or covered up abuse or neglect.
At our firm, we represent victims of nursing home abuse and their families. Some of the tasks we typically perform include:
- Investigate abuse concerns by reviewing medical records and interviewing witnesses.
- Forensically examine computer systems and e-mails.
- Look for violations in facility policies and staffing levels.
- Look for federal and state violations.
- Gather evidence to determine whether the nursing home violated care standards or residents’ rights.
- File a claim or lawsuit against the facility, staff members, or management company responsible for the harm.
- Negotiate with insurance companies and, if necessary, take the case to court.
We may seek economic damages on behalf of your loved one and family, such as medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and expenses related to transferring the resident to a safer facility, as well as non-economic damages to address the personal impact of abuse. We may also seek compensatory damages for wrongful death.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home residents rely on staff for safety and care. Unfortunately, abuse and neglect can happen when caregivers fail to provide proper treatment or intentionally harm residents. Common types of abuse our nursing home abuse attorneys see include:
- Physical abuse occurs when a resident suffers bodily harm due to intentional force.
- Emotional abuse involves actions that cause mental distress or emotional suffering.
- Sexual abuse includes any non-consensual sexual contact with a nursing home resident.
- Neglect happens when caregivers fail to provide the basic care residents need to maintain their health and safety causing dehydration, bedsores, falls, death, and more.
- Medical negligence involves improper or inadequate medical treatment.
- Abandonment occurs when a caregiver or facility responsible for a resident leaves them without necessary supervision or care.
If you believe your loved one has suffered from any of the above types of nursing home abuse, contact our team immediately. We can protect your legal rights while helping you report your concerns and hold the responsible parties legally accountable.
What Are the Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
No matter how much you trust the facility, it is important to remain watchful for signs of nursing home abuse. These signs may be physical, emotional, behavioral, or financial. Here are some examples:
- Signs of physical abuse include unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, or fractures.
- Signs of neglect may include sudden weight loss, dehydration, bedsores, or poor hygiene.
- Emotional abuse may show up as changes in behavior, such as anxiety, depression, or fear around certain caregivers.
If you see any of these signs, do not ignore them. Ask questions and contact our nursing home abuse lawyers in Toledo for advice.
How Do You Report Nursing Home Abuse?
You can contact our legal team, and you can also file a complaint with the Ohio Department of Health. This agency licenses nursing homes and will investigate your complaint. If they find that abuse happened, they will take action.
While this doesn’t directly lead to a civil award or settlement for your loved one and family, sanctions against the facility by a state agency are strong evidence that abuse happened. You can start the process by completing a complaint on their website or by calling their offices.
Get Help from Our Toledo Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Finding out your loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse naturally brings up a flood of thoughts. You are probably confused about what to do next. You may be angry at the staff who perpetrated the abuse or allowed it to happen. More than anything, you may feel betrayed.
You trusted a nursing home, and it harmed your loved one. Our Toledo nursing home abuse lawyers will help you hold them civilly liable as well and recover the compensation you deserve.
The attorneys at Shore Law have more than four decades of legal experience, and our founding attorney is a nationally recognized leader in nursing home abuse ranking Top 10 by The National Trial Lawyers association. We will fight for you and your loved one. Call today to schedule your free consultation and tell us what happened.
