Albuquerque Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
Nursing home abuse has become a prominent issue affecting the elderly every year. When you entrust your loved ones to the care of a nursing home, the last thing you should be thinking about is the possibility of injury due to the lack of quality care. Nursing home negligence affects the quality of life of the elderly and has a negative impact on the lives of loved ones.
If your family member has experienced neglect or abuse while living in a nursing home, consult an Albuquerque nursing home abuse lawyer to discuss your case and evaluate your claim for compensation. Being aware of nursing home abuse is essential for the proper care of your loved one and for keeping nursing homes accountable.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Recognizing nursing home abuse is essential to the physical and mental wellbeing of your loved one. When visiting a nursing home facility, you should always be aware of the facility’s environment and conditions. There could be numerous red flags such as improper sanitation and cleanliness of the environment, inadequate supervision, and isolation.
Neglect of the Elderly in Nursing Homes
Neglect is defined as failing to care for someone properly, generally by not providing them food, medication, or the help they need. Signs of neglect can be identified by:
- Medication errors
- Poor hygiene and gangrene
- Infections
- Bedsores
- A rapid decline in health
- Unexplained change in weight
- Dehydration and malnutrition
- Isolation
Nursing home abuse cases are typically not reported immediately when they happen because victims do not have the resources or capacity to report abuse or mistreatment to authorities and loved ones.
Physical Abuse of the Elderly in Nursing Homes
Physical abuse of your loved one in a nursing home can happen due to a variety of factors, including the improper training of nursing home staff or the mishandling or abuse of victims during daily tasks such as bathing and assisting them with getting out of bed. You can identify signs of physical abuse in a nursing home by looking for:
- Emotional withdrawal
- Anxiety
- Burns
- Strains and sprains
- Loose hair
- Loose teeth
- Broken bones
- Bruising
- Bleeding and cuts
- Sores
If you or a family member has lived through physical abuse in a nursing home, contact an experienced Albuquerque nursing home abuse attorney for legal guidance and properly investigate the facility for signs of neglect and abuse. You may be owed compensation for your emotional and physical suffering due to the nursing home’s negligence.
Emotional Abuse in Nursing Homes
Abusive nursing home staff may not always be physically abusive. Emotional abuse can result in loved ones feeling unsafe in their environment because of tactics such as ridiculing, humiliating, threatening, yelling, or discrimination. Emotional abuse can negatively impact your loved one’s daily life and can result in the decline of their physical health as well. Emotional abuse indicators include:
- Low self-esteem
- Avoiding eye contact
- Anxiety and sudden reclusiveness
- Self-harm
- Mood swings
- Difficulty eating
- Difficulty sleeping
If your loved one has experienced emotional abuse in a nursing home, contact an Albuquerque lawyer to determine whether your loved one can recover compensation due to their suffering while residing in a nursing home.
Actions to Take against Nursing Home Abuse
If you feel your family member is experiencing nursing home abuse, consult with an experienced attorney regarding your case. Moving forward with your claim can be a long process due to the evidence needed to build a strong case against the facility. Actions you can take to build a strong case against the nursing home include:
- Documentation of injuries
- Taking photos of the living conditions
- Retrieving medical records that could indicate abuse or negligence
- Speaking to a medical professional about signs of abuse or negligence
- Speaking to your loved one about their trauma
Speaking to a nursing home abuse lawyer can guide you through the legal process, what rights your loved one has, and answer any questions you may have while building your case.
Consult a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Albuquerque, NM
Nursing home abuse can have awful consequences for your loved one and sometimes even wrongful death if it is not addressed immediately. If you or a family member has encountered nursing home abuse, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries and suffering. To receive legal guidance, contact an Albuquerque nursing home abuse lawyer.
The experienced legal team at Dominguez Law has extensive knowledge surrounding your loved one’s legal rights and building strategic cases against nursing homes that have failed to care for their residents properly. Attorney Dominguez strives to provide his clients with the dedicated, award-winning representation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation regarding your nursing home abuse case, call (505) 317-9837 or fill out our contact form for more information.