Killeen Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nursing homes are regulated, and most offer quality care to senior citizens, but sometimes something goes wrong. Patients are neglected or abused. If a nursing home or member of its staff is negligent or purposely abusive to your elderly loved one, a Killeen nursing home abuse lawyer can fight for justice and get the compensation your family deserves. Speak to a seasoned personal injury attorney in your community about filing a civil lawsuit against a senior living facility.
What is Abuse of a Nursing Home Patient in Killeen?
Nursing homes and their employees are tasked with providing quality care to elderly and impaired patients living in them. Negligence occurs when the health provider does not act as a reasonably prudent health care provider would act under the same or similar circumstance meet. Some common instances of improper care are:
- The patient is ignored when it comes to everyday personal hygiene
- Food, clothing, and shelter are not adequate to sustain patients comfortably
- Medical care is withheld, for instance, prescribed medications are not given on schedule
- Incontinent patients are not kept clean
- Fragile patients are subjected to violent patients’ acts
A knowledgeable Killeen personal injury lawyer with knowledge of nursing home abuse can review patients’ circumstances to determine if their family should file a lawsuit.
Three Types of Abuse in Killeen Nursing Homes
Unfortunately, there are several ways vulnerable nursing home residents can be abused, and family members should be aware of all of them. The most common include physical, emotional, and financial abuse.
Physical Abuse
Family members may think of slapping or hitting when they think of physical abuse. Still, sometimes staff misuse physical restraints, overmedicate a patient who is annoying them or look the other way if unwanted sexual contact is forced on the patient.
Emotional Abuse
No physical evidence is left after a patient is emotionally abused. It is more insidious because an older person depending on the abuser for care may not know where to turn. Emotional abuse occurs when staff members threaten, intimidate, or belittle a patient who, in a fragile state, may fear basic care will be withheld.
Financial Abuse
Stealing money from an elderly patient by commandeering the patient’s checkbook or credit cards is a crime. Sometimes, employees see an opportunity to take patients’ valuables, such as wedding rings. No matter the type of abuse perpetrated on an elderly patient, a Killeen lawyer with experience in nursing home abuse cases could intercede to craft a lawsuit against a negligent nursing home and possibly its employees.
If Nursing Home Abuse is Suspected, Look for These Signs
Often signs of nursing home abuse are attributed to the aging process, although it is better to investigate what seems amiss. A Killeen attorney can contact the nursing home about the family’s concerns of abuse, quell their fears if the situation is handled, and file a lawsuit if it is not. Some common signs of abuse include:
- Complaints by the patient
- Bruising or bleeding that the staff says cannot be explained
- Emotional withdrawal and nervousness
- Bedsores could signal a lack of turning the patient
- Weight loss to the point of malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Legal documents that are suddenly revised
A local attorney can review evidence in a nursing home abuse case and advise family members on how to seek justice for their loved ones.
A Killeen Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Be of Service
Our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly living in nursing homes, deserve respect, and proper care. Sometimes, an advocate familiar with the system needs to step in and be of service. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected, contact a Killeen nursing home abuse lawyer for your free consultation.
