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Nursing homes are supposed to protect their residents from abuse. However, oftentimes that is not the case. If someone you love has been the victim of abuse, you need a nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois to help you get justice. At Carlson Bier Associates, we believe your loved ones deserve the best and are here to get you the compensation and piece of mind you deserve. Contact us today at 312-622-2900.
Thousands of elderly people still suffer neglect and abuse every year. If you suspect your loved one is being abused in a nursing home, talk to the facility’s staff and call state authorities. You might be able to file a lawsuit against the nursing home and win compensation for your loved one’s injuries.
Nursing homes are supposed to protect their residents
Nursing homes are supposed to protect their residents, but every year thousands of elderly people suffer abuse or neglect. These shocking statistics should make you think twice before sending your loved one to a nursing home:
- According to the National Council on Aging, 1 in 10 nursing home residents has been abused by staff members.
- More than 100,000 complaints were made in 2017 about nursing homes across the country.
- Abusers are both women and men and oftentimes they’re family members.
- About 5 million elderly people are abused every year.
Nursing homes are supposed to be safe places for elderly people who can no longer live independently, but too often injuries occur because someone didn’t do their job properly when caring for an elderly resident. If someone you know has been abused our nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois will help you with your legal claim.
Policies should be in place to prevent this from happening
One of the primary responsibilities of a nursing home is to protect its residents. A zero tolerance policy for abuse should be in place, and staff should be trained to recognize physical and emotional abuse. The nursing home also needs to have a plan for reporting abuse when it occurs, as well as investigating it once reported.
In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are requiring a minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes. They have also invested in reduction of room crowding and reinforcing safeguards against unnecessary medical treatments.
Nursing homes need to follow regulations and protocols to ensure their residents are safe. If they have failed to do that, our nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois can help you pursue your legal claim.
If you suspect abuse, you may want to consult a nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois
If you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected, you should contact the nursing home and call state authorities. Then, to ensure you and your family are protected, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois. The lawyers at Carlson Bier have extensive experience with these types of claims and will make sure you get justice for your loved one.
If the situation is an emergency and requires immediate attention, call 911. For non-emergency situations, contact local law enforcement agencies such as police departments and sheriff’s offices. In many areas there will also be a state attorney general’s office that handles these types of complaints and they can help direct you to who needs to be contacted locally.
If possible, take photos or video footage of any injuries before visiting with police officers so that they have evidence if needed later on during their investigation into potential abuse claims against your loved one’s caretakers at their facility.
Those in a nursing home have rights
If you believe that your loved one was injured due to the negligence of a nursing home, you can file a lawsuit against them and win compensation for your loved one’s injuries. You should talk to a nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois about your options and whether or not it would be worth filing suit.
Everyone in a nursing home has rights. Federal and state laws guarantee that nursing home residents are protected. Some of the protections afforded by government agencies are:
- Be free from discrimination, abuse, and neglect
- Be free from restraints
- Be treated with respect
- Exercise your rights as a US citizen
- Get proper medical treatment and care
- Have protections against involuntary transfer or discharge
- Participate in activities, spend time with visitors, and participate in resident groups
- Managing your money
- Have privacy, property, and proper living arrangements
- Make complaints
If your attorney investigates and determines you have a claim, you may be able to recover damages. For example:
- Punitive damages: These are meant as punishment for wrongdoing on behalf of the defendant (in this case, the nursing home). They’re not meant to compensate victims directly but rather serve as punishment for those who have injured others through their actions or inaction.
- Pain and suffering: This refers specifically to physical pain caused by an injury; it doesn’t include emotional distress or other mental anguish resulting from being harmed by another person’s negligence.
An attorney will be on your side and protect your family
Nursing home abuse is a serious problem that affects thousands of people every year. If you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected, contact the nursing home immediately and ask questions about their policies to prevent this from happening. You can also call state authorities if you’re concerned about your loved one’s safety at their current facility.
You might be able to file a lawsuit against the nursing home and win compensation for your loved one’s injuries. Our nursing home abuse lawyer Oak Park Illinois will investigate and determine the best course of action for you. Contact Carlson Bier today for a consultation.
