Compassionate Nursing Home Injuries Attorney

You expect that the nursing home for which you or your loved one is spending thousands of dollars will treat your loved one with care, respect, and skill. You do not expect that the nursing facility that is caring for your aging parent or other loved one will neglect or abuse your family member. Nursing home abuse in the United States is a growing but vastly underreported problem. Consider the following statistics:

• Approximately seven percent of all complaints made to long term care Ombudsmen involve complaints of neglect, abuse, or financial exploitation;
• A 2000 study of over 2,000 nursing home residents revealed that 44 percent of those surveyed indicated they had been abused, and 95 percent of survey participants said they had either been neglected themselves or had seen another resident neglected.

You might feel powerless or helpless if your loved one is being abused or neglected, but the truth is, you and your loved one have legal rights. You need an experienced and dedicated nursing home injury attorney on your side to protect and exercise these rights.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

Many family members who have loved ones who were abused or neglected by nursing home staff report that they missed early warning signs of abuse or neglect, thus permitting their loved one to suffer for a period of time before action could be taken. Common warning signs of abuse or neglect include:

• Unexplained bruises, cuts, or other injuries on your loved one;
• Inability to access or communicate with your loved one;
• Staff members of the nursing facility who insist on being present when you are visiting with your loved one;
• Dingy, dirty, or an unkempt appearance to your loved one and/or his or her room; and
• Reports of abuse or neglect from your loved one and/or other residents.
• If you believe your loved one is being abused or neglected by the nursing home facility in which he or she lives, take immediate action. Contact Jan Hoen, Virginia nursing home injuries attorney, for help.

What Legal Rights Do My Loved One or I Have?

A nursing home employee or another individual who abuses or neglects a nursing home resident can be charged with a criminal offense and be held civilly responsible for the losses, injuries, and expenses the resident incurs, including medical bills and pain and suffering. But a nursing home that acts carelessly by failing to properly supervise employees or residents or by failing to respond appropriately to reports of abuse or neglect can also be held civilly responsible for the residents’ injuries. If an injured resident needs to move to another facility for his or her safety as a result of the abuse or neglect, the nursing home where the abuse or neglect occurred can be held responsible for these expenses, as well.

Work with an Experienced Virginia Nursing Home Injury Attorney

Virginia nursing home injuries attorney Jan Hoen of Hampton Injury Law is here to help you and your loved one recover the compensation you need following nursing home abuse or neglect. He is committed to holding those responsible for committing or permitting such behavior to occur accountable for the harm they cause. Contact Hampton Injury Law today for experienced and compassionate legal representation.