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Florida Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
Nursing home residents are among our most vulnerable citizens. Ensuring their quality care, and seeking justice when standards are not met, is an imperative for our lawyers.
If you have a loved one who has experienced neglect or abuse while a resident in a Florida nursing home or rehabilitation facility – our experienced lawyers are on standby to help you seek justice and compensation on their behalf.
5 Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
We trust that our elderly family members who require daily assistance will be well taken care of in a nursing home. Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned. It can be hard to accept the possibility that someone you love has been mistreated in a nursing home, even when there are signs. If your loved one is in a nursing home, it is very important to be aware of the warning signs of abuse and neglect.
Depression or Emotional Withdrawal
If your loved one is reluctant to speak, distant from friends and family, and seems less interested in activities, it may be a sign that he or she is being neglected or abused. In addition, a loved one might seem fearful of staff members if they are being abused.
Physical Injuries That Are Unexplained
Unexplained bruising, fractures, or head injuries could be signs that something is wrong. While an occasional fall is to be expected in a nursing home, the nursing home has a duty to take the necessary steps to prevent injury and provide your loved one with a safe living environment. Failing to provide a resident with the required assistance to get around a facility could be neglect. In addition, some unexplained injuries could be the result of physical abuse by a staff member.
Skin Breakdown
Bed sores and skin breakdown are typically preventable with proper care. Nursing home staff have the duty to turn and reposition residents throughout the day to ensure that they do not remain stationary long enough to develop skin breakdown.
Poor Personal Hygiene
Assistance with daily living skills and hygiene is one of the most important services a nursing home provides. If your loved one has overgrown nails, is wearing dirty clothes, and just seems to be unclean, it could be a sign that he or she is not getting the care necessary to maintain their personal hygiene.
Dehydration or Weight Loss
If it seems that your loved one is losing a dramatic amount of weight, this may be a sign that they are not receiving proper nutrition. While some weight loss in the elderly is to be expected, a noticeable amount of weight loss could also be a sign that the staff is not adequately feeding or monitoring the diet of your loved one. Sometimes depriving a nursing home resident of food can be a sign of abuse as well.
Causes for Nursing Home Neglect
We’ve all heard horror stories about neglect in nursing homes. This is a problem that goes back many decades; but unfortunately, continues today. It happens not only in nursing homes but also in rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, and assisted living facilities. According to Irv Seldin, owner of Visiting Angels providing senior care in West Palm Beach, the principal causes of nursing home neglect are insufficient staff or staff who are not properly trained.
Visiting Angels is often asked by families to provide a caregiver for supplemental assistance while their loved one is in a facility. This not only provides extra help to ensure that the patient’s needs are taken care of; but also provides another set of eyes and ears to monitor daily activities. This extra care sends a message to the facility.
Even if a family cannot afford to provide extra caregiving services, the best advice is to visit often, communicate with the facility staff, and report any concerns to management – while documenting your communication. Florida, like many states, has a Long-Term Care Ombudsman program for reporting neglect. The telephone numbers are 850-414-2323 or toll-free 1-888-831-0404
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is a serious problem. Statistically, abusers are more often relatives of vulnerable older adults rather than hired caregivers; but abuse by caregivers does occur. An early warning sign that abuse might be taking place is when a caregiver attempts to isolate the vulnerable older person from other family members and professionals. That way they can manipulate their victim without interference.
According to Irv Seldin, owner of Visiting Angels Palm Beaches, many families directly hire private caregivers because it is less expensive; but families seldom go through the steps or the expense to do proper background checks on candidates – which increases risk. A licensed home care agency near you will perform criminal background checks, check references, and check licensure status. Florida has an elder abuse hotline as well as some of the most robust elder abuse laws in the nation. The Florida Abuse Hotline accepts reports 24 hours a day and 7 days a week of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The number is (800) 962-2873.
Florida Nursing Home Settlement Examples
$725,000 / Nursing Home / Pasco County
Plaintiff developed bed sores on his leg due to negligence by the facility and had to have his leg amputated.
$675,000 / Nursing Home / Wrongful Death
Due to confidentiality concerns, we are not providing specific details of this particular nursing home case.
$600,000 / Nursing Home / Wrongful Death / Hillsborough County
Due to confidentiality concerns, we are not providing specific details of this particular nursing home case.
Hiring Our Experienced Attorneys can make a Big Difference in Compensation
| Initial Offer | Final Result | The AU Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500,000 | $5,000,000 | $3,500,000 |
| $0 | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 |
| $300,000 | $1,600,000 | $1,300,000 |
| $0 | $1,575,000 | $1,575,000 |
| $675,000 | $1,330,000 | $655,000 |
| $0 | $1,260,000 | $1,260,000 |
| $450,000 | $1,250,000 | $800,000 |
| $300,000 | $1,074,168 | $774,168 |
| $500,000 | $1,000,000 | $500,000 |
| $80,000 | $938,077 | $858,077 |
| $125,000 | $690,000 | $565,000 |
| $7,500 | $650,000 | $642,500 |
| $50,000 | $775,000 | $725,000 |
| $58,644 | $525,000 | $466,356 |
| $9,000 | $450,000 | $441,000 |
| $55,000 | $455,000 | $400,000 |
| $65,000 | $650,000 | $585,000 |
| $55,000 | $500,000 | $445,000 |
The Abrahamson & Uiterwyk Attorneys and Injury Law Team
“A system of hiring an attorney on an hourly basis rewards inefficiency, creates delays and commonly creates negative issues between the lawyer and the client. Representing clients on a contingency basis in which the law firm earns a percentage of the settlement, however, is much more rewarding for the client and the injury attorneys.”
Client Services Manager
Kelly Anne Kelly
As a Client Services Manager, Kelly’s focus is to enhance client satisfaction by continuously looking for ways to fulfill clients’ needs and concerns.
Contact a Trusted Personal Injury Attorney
If you believe your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, you should have an experienced personal injury attorney evaluate your case.
Call us 24/7 at 800-538-4878 to get your FREE case review.
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