| Nursing home residents are extremely vulnerable. Because they often lack the power to care for themselves, elderly residents live at the mercy of corporations that own and operate nursing homes. At Clark, Perdue, Roberts & Scott, we understand the special needs of nursing home residents, and we have the knowledge and resources to obtain full and fair compensation for the victims of nursing home neglect and abuse.
Ohio's state constitution specifically protects the rights of nursing home residents. A resident has the right to a safe and clean living environment, as well as the right to be free from physical, verbal, mental, and emotional abuse.
To protect the legal rights of nursing home residents and their families following injury or death, it is generally wise to consult an experienced personal injury law firm as soon as possible. Within the first week, important physical evidence can be lost, and witnesses may forget important details.
What To Do Following A Nursing Home Incident
- Obtain names, addresses and telephone numbers of all witnesses.
- Oslo hotel roomsPhotograph the scene where the injury occurred and any visible injuries (cuts, bruises). Professional photographs are generally preferable, but not essential.
- Talk to no one about the incident or injuries other than the victim's personal physician or lawyer.
- Consult a lawyer before answering questions from nursing home management or insurance company representatives.
- Tell the victim's personal physician or surgeon exactly how the injury occurred and describe all symptoms and complaints. Be sure to report any changes in memory, increased confusion or disorientation, however minor these things may seem at the time.
- Obtain and keep receipts for all expenses relating to the incident.
Warning Signs of Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse
Residents in a nursing home sometimes have difficulty communicating with their family and friends when there is a problem with the care they are receiving. Abuse can occur in a number of different forms. Typically there are five types of nursing home abuse.
These include:
- physical abuse
- sexual abuse
- financial abuse
- emotional abuse
- general neglect
Families should be ever watchful for the warning signs that might indicate ongoing abuse and neglect.
Signs to watch for include:
- dehydration
- malnutrition and weight loss
- progressive, generalized deterioration in health
- bed sores
- inadequate clothing
- hypo/hyperthermia
- persistent odor of urine or feces
- safety hazards within the living environment (i.e. inadequate staff supervision)
- lice, sores and rashes
- medical conditions left untreated
- medications left over at the end of the month
- failure to provide assistive devices such as eyeglasses, dentures or hearing aids
- frequent urinary tract infections
- attempts by the caregiver to cover up injuries with clothing or bed linens
- a delay between the incident causing the injury and notification of a doctor
- frequent falls
- inadequate restraints for the level of confusion and activity of the resident
- uncontrolled infections
- sudden change in resident's behavior
- caregiver is over-affectionate with resident
- resident is socially isolated from others
- hotels Ljubljanacaregiver blames the resident for acts such as incontinence
- caregiver attempts to prevent the resident from speaking or seeing visitors
- caregiver speaks of the resident as a burden
- caregiver acts with indifference toward the resident
- conflicting stories from the resident and the caregiver
- caregiver acts defensively toward routine inquiries into the resident's care
If you have observed these, or similar warning signs, and you would like to talk to us regarding whether your loved one might have a claim for nursing home abuse, please call us immediately.
CPR&S
The law firm of Clark, Perdue, Roberts & Scott has extensive experience handling claims involving nursing home negligence and abuse. If requested we will meet with you -- in your home or at the hospital, if necessary -- to explain your legal rights and make suggestions for immediate action on your claim. There is never a charge for an initial consultation. Naturally, you are under no obligation to engage our law firm at the initial conference.
Questions To Ask
When considering hiring a lawyer to represent you or a family member in a nursing home abuse case, there are very specific questions you should ask to evaluate the lawyer's experience with this specialized type of claim. In particular, you should ask whether the lawyer is willing to pursue punitive damages, if appropriate, in your case. Punitive damages are monetary sanctions against the nursing home designed to prevent future abuse -- not just of your loved one, but of all residents. More often than not, the families we have represented are genuinely concerned with stopping the practices that lead to injury and death within the nursing home environment.
In addition, you should question whether the law firm has ever obtained a jury verdict in a nursing home case that included punitive damages.
You might also want to question whether the firm has an on-staff nurse who can help distinguish between the typical signs of decline attributable to the aging process, and those warning signs that might indicate nursing home abuse or neglect.
For a list of other questions you should ask before hiring a lawyer, click here.
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Antwerp HotelsClark, Perdue, Roberts & Scott., L.P.A. 
(800) 647-7003
