April 17, 2024
If you or someone you love has suffered from nursing home abuse, you may be wondering what the different types of nursing home abuse are and how to recognize them.
Whether your loved one was physically or verbally abused in any nursing home center or by caregivers, it’s important to report nursing home abuse and pursue compensation through a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
Read this article to learn more about the different types of nursing home abuse and how you can get justice and compensation.
Financial Elder Abuse
This type of abuse occurs when a nursing home or its employees steal a resident’s money. For example, they might offer residents small amounts of cash to use their credit cards to purchase things for them.
They may also send out false bills and make unauthorized withdrawals from residents’ bank accounts.
There are many variations on financial elder abuse and some nursing homes have even been found to deduct fees from their patients’ accounts without informing family members or anyone else—and not giving it back until long after a patient has died.
Victims can often seek compensation for these losses through nursing home negligence lawsuits; consult with an attorney about whether you can do something about any financial elder abuse that has happened in your loved one’s care facility.
Physical Abuse
Nursing homes can be hotbeds for physical abuse, which is defined as inflicting pain or injury on a person, whether it’s part of an ongoing pattern or done in a single episode.
Physical abuse can include:
- Hitting, slapping, pinching, and punching.
- Physically restraining someone without consent.
- Poking and prodding.
- Breaking objects over someone’s body.
- Burning.
- Forcing unsafe activities that may result in harm or death.
Nursing home residents who experience physical abuse often suffer permanent injuries like broken bones and brain damage. If you have been a victim of nursing home physical abuse, contact a nursing home abuse attorney about your options for filing a lawsuit for compensation.
Sexual Abuse and Rape
According to recent data from The National Center on Elder Abuse, nearly 50% of nursing home residents have experienced some form of sexual abuse. In many cases, nursing care members or other caregivers force sex acts upon their victims without regard for basic bodily autonomy.
Sadly, nursing homes may turn a blind eye to these instances; it’s been documented that many staff members don’t report sexual crimes against residents because they don’t want to get involved or they believe that certain sex acts are acceptable due to patients’ health issues.
If you or a loved one has suffered sexual violence at the hands of your nurse or caretaker, you must contact an attorney immediately and fight back against your abuser(s).
Medical Neglect
When nursing homes fail to provide adequate medical care, it’s called medical neglect. This can be caused by an understaffed facility or a poorly trained staff, but it can have serious consequences for residents. If you suspect your loved one is suffering from medical neglect, call 911 immediately.
Keep detailed records on each instance you believe has caused or could cause harm to your loved one in a safe place in case you need to report problems with your nursing home to authorities later on.
Wrongful Death
Nursing homes routinely fail to provide their residents with proper care, leading to preventable injuries and even death.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or death due to nursing home negligence, contact a nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible. Although it is too late for your loved one, it may not be too late for you: some states allow injured parties to recover financial compensation in wrongful death lawsuits.
Victims’ families can seek compensation for damages such as funeral costs and emotional distress. To find out if your state recognizes these lawsuits, check with an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer.
Medicare/Medicaid Fraud
Nursing homes and their management companies often face litigation for Medicare/Medicaid fraud. These lawsuits typically allege that a nursing home received payment from Medicare or Medicaid for services it did not actually provide to patients. It was for services provided to patients who never resided at the facility in some cases.
Suppose your loved one suffered physical or emotional injuries due to nursing home abuse. In that case, you may be able to hold liable those responsible—and receive compensation through a lawsuit.
Our experienced nursing home abuse attorney can answer any questions you may have about filing a claim and will help you determine if you have a case against those responsible.