When To Consult A Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
Family members place their trust in nursing homes to provide quality care to loved ones. However, it’s not uncommon to discover that a resident has been a victim of abuse or neglect, despite the fact that Texas state laws and a Resident’s Bill of Rights is designed to protect a resident’s interests. Unfortunately, Texas is consistently placed at or near the bottom of national nursing home rankings.
Nursing home neglect and abuse are often committed by nurses and other caregivers, maintenance staff, other residents, and even visiting family members. Mistreatment can have serious consequences. That’s why it’s critical to consult a nursing home abuse lawyer who can stand up for a loved one’s rights and demand justice.
Signs Of Neglect And Abuse In A Nursing Home
Abuse and neglect can happen for many reasons: staffing shortages, lack of training, underpaid caregivers, little supervision, and poor management.
Abuse falls into three categories:
Physical
- Abrasions from being restrained by ropes or straps
- Internal injuries identified by pain or malfunctioning organs
- Traumatic hair or tooth loss
- Sprains, fractures, or dislocated joints
- Failing to give medications and regular checkups
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, or burns,
- Bedsores
- Malnutrition
- Rapid weight gain or loss
Mental
- Caregiver screaming or threatening to harm the patient
- Treating the patient like a child
- Physically isolating a resident
- Preventing friends or family members from visiting
- Prohibiting a resident from interacting with other residents
- Abruptly changing legal papers such as a will or financial documents
Sexual
- Problems walking or sitting
- Torn, bloody, or stained underwear
- Bruises of the genitals or inner thigh
- Panic attacks, agitation, or other signs of PTSD
- Withdrawal from others
- Engaging in inappropriate or unusual sexual activities
Family members and friends should also be wary of the following actions by staff when
- they do not keep family up-to-speed about a resident’s status;
- they give evasive answers to questions about a family member; or
- They discourage loved ones from visiting or create delays in allowing a visitor to see a loved one on arrival.
Documenting Nursing Home Misconduct
If you suspect your loved one is being abused in a nursing home, follow these steps:
- Consult quietly with witnesses, such as other staff, residents, or their guests;
- Keep a detailed log that includes date and time, witnesses, perpetrator, and a description of what happened;
- Take photos and videos of any visible signs of abuse (torn clothes, bruises, dramatic weight loss, etc.);
- Gather detailed financial and medical records to document all treatment (and costs);
- Keep copies of any written complaints, including detailed notes of meetings with administrators; and
- Texas also allows a family member to install a hidden camera in a relative’s room. But ask your nursing home abuse attorney about the rules you must follow so the evidence is legally admissible.
Nursing home abuse or neglect can make for very complicated legal cases for many different reasons. For example, cases often come down to the word of staff against family members. At times, staff will try to dismiss legitimate claims by denying wrongdoing, concealing or destroying evidence, or claim that your loved one caused their own injury.
Nursing homes often fight claims because findings of abuse or neglect can cost them thousands or even millions of dollars. That is why it’s important to search for an experienced Houston nursing home neglect lawyer who can help you if you have been a victim of any nursing home abuse.
Contact Houston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer at Khattar Law, PC
If you suspect abuse, it’s critical to contact an attorney for nursing home abuse. They have extensive knowledge of the evidence, procedure, and legal process surrounding personal injury claims. They know the system, as well as the intricacies of Texas law. A nursing home abuse attorney will take prompt and diligent legal action on a family’s behalf.
If you have been the victim of nursing home abuse, contact Khattar Law, PC. We offer a free case evaluation to help you determine if we can help you.
Our Houston Nursing Home Abuse attorneys have experience in dealing with abuse cases, and we will do everything we can to help you get the compensation you deserve.