Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Chicago
Do you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect?
You need a nursing home abuse Attorney
The elderly who live in nursing homes can be extremely vulnerable. Because they frequently lack the ability to care for themselves, they live under the nearly complete control of corporations who run nursing homes. Sometimes cases of neglect or abuse happen. Abuse of the elderly should never be tolerated. Unfortunately, many of these cases of nursing home abuse or neglect go unreported.
Abuse and neglect are an enormous breach of the trust families of the elderly place in the hands of medical professionals. The only way to help prevent these terrible abuses is for the friends and family members to be aware of warning signs and to seek appropriate legal actions against the abusive or negligent parties.
If you suspect neglect or abuse, act quickly. Within a week, key physical evidence can be lost and witnesses may forget important details of the situation. A nursing home abuse attorney can help protect you or your family member from abusive situations.
What are the Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
Families should be watchful over their elderly relatives living in nursing homes. Keep an eye out for the following warning signs:
- Health conditions attributed to neglect i.e.: dehydration, hypo or hyperthermia, malnutrition and unexplained weight loss
- A generalized gradual decline or deterioration in health
- Persistent odor of feces, urine, or body odor
- Bed sores
- Inadequate clothing, blankets etc.
- Unsanitary conditions: unwashed clothing, lice, sores, and rashes
- Failure to provide the loved one with assistive living devices such as hearing aids, eyeglasses, dentures etc
- Frequent falls, urinary tract infections, and other injuries
- Medical conditions, especially infections, left untreated by competent medical professionals
- Long delays between injuries and when the resident receives medical treatment
- Unused medication at the end of the month
- Defensive behavior on the part of the care giver towards family members who ask questions about the care of their loved one
- Personally talk to your family members personal doctor or surgeon about exactly how the injuries happened. Fully describe all of the patients history, the situation, symptoms, and complaints. Be completely sure to address all changes in memory, disorientation or confusion that the victim experiences, no matter how slight or seemingly insignificant.
- If a caregiver tries to prevent communication or visits from family members or friends
- If the caregiver speaks of the resident as a burden, blames them for incontinence, or acts with indifference towards the resident
- If the caregiver is overly affectionate with the resident
- If the resident is socially isolated from other residents, family members, or friends
- If there are conflicting stories between caregivers and the resident about care, treatment, or neglectful and abusive behavior
- If caregivers attempt to cover up injuries, rashes, sores, or infections with clothing or bedding
If your loved one is experiencing any of these warning signs, discretely contact a nursing home abuse attorney at Balkin Law Group for discrete advice on how to proceed. Consulting with a nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible after the neglect or abuse has happened will help you know what types of evidence to gather.
What should I do if I suspect my loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect?
- Contact a Balkin Law Group nursing home abuse attorney to get advice about how to proceed.
- Gather the names, addresses, emails, phone numbers and other information of all the witnesses of the neglect or abuse.
- Take photographs of the scene of the abuse or neglect. Focus on all physical injuries (bruises, cuts, scrapes etc.) in order to document them. If you can get a professional photographer that is best, but it is not completely necessary.
- Use complete discretion about the situation. Talk to no one but your nursing home abuse attorney and the victim’s physician.
- Talk to your nursing home abuse attorney prior to answering any questions from the nursing home managers or representatives from insurance companies.
- Collect and save all the receipts and financial records for all the expenses related to
Time is of the essence. Consulting with an Attorney as soon as abuse is discovered is vital! We can help!
If you suspect neglect or abuse of a nursing home resident, call a nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible. Speed, and discretion are key in these cases. Do not act without competent legal advice from an experienced nursing home abuse Attorney. Call Balkin Law Group today. If you act now, you can help your loved one and help prevent future abuse and neglect.