Practice Areas
Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys
Elder abuse is a serious problem. At Powell Klausing, we know your relatives deserve the best care. If you’re worried about elder abuse in assisted living facilities, our nursing home negligence lawyers want to help.
When you place a loved one in a long-term care facility, you hope they'll thrive. After all, nursing homes should give residents an improved quality of life and effective medical care. However, there's always the risk that the facility does not prioritize your loved one's welfare. Nursing home abuse and malpractice are common issues - but we can help.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers know how to help you protect your loved ones. We have the experience to file nursing home abuse lawsuits and guide you through the whole process. Your relative's wellbeing is our priority. Contact us now to schedule a meeting.
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Staff and managers in assisted living facilities must exercise a certain level of care when treating elderly residents. Abuse or neglect is any care that falls below the expected standard of care. Examples include:
Failing to provide enough nutrition
Lack of sufficient mobility assistance
Failure to change dressings
Lack of supervision
Failure to issue medicine safely
There are over 755,000 seniors in KY, and up to half of these individuals could need nursing care at some point. It's crucial that we take elder abuse seriously. Our Kentucky nursing home negligence lawyers can help if you need us.
Possible Signs of Elder Abuse in Assisted Living Facilities
It's not always easy to spot abuse. Warning signs include:
Cuts and bruises
Mood changes
Unexplained weight loss
Lack of personal hygiene
Behavioral changes
Our Louisville nursing home abuse attorneys can determine if there's a possible claim.
Proving an Elder Abuse Case in Kentucky
To prove elder abuse or neglect in KY, we must show that:
The facility owed the victim a duty of care.
The home or employee acted below the standard expected of them.
This negligence caused injury.
You may be able to secure compensation for losses including:
Loss of consortium
Medical expenses
Pain and suffering
Rehabilitation
Our Kentucky nursing home attorneys can explain the damages you might claim.
How Kentucky Nursing Home Lawyers Can Help
Legal claims involving assisted living facilities can be complex. If you suspect abuse, it's in your best interests to get legal advice at the earliest opportunity. Here's how our nursing home attorneys in Kentucky can help.
We will carefully evaluate your case and determine if there's a claim.
Our team will gather evidence to support the abuse allegations and build the case.
We can advise how much the claim may be worth and who to sue.
Our attorneys will answer any questions you have, ensuring you always feel supported.
We'll help you report the case to relevant authorities where appropriate.
We can also assist with any related sexual abuse or medical malpractice concerns.
Nursing Home Injury Attorneys at Powell Klausing PLLC
Are you worried about your loved ones? Nursing home laws can be complicated, but you don't need to navigate them alone.
Instead, get help with legal action - contact the law offices of Powell Klausing. Our experienced attorneys are waiting to fight for your loved ones today.
FAQ
Nursing home abuse comes in many forms, including inadequate staffing. When visiting your elderly loved one at his or her residence, watch for the following types of abuse:
Physical Abuse or Neglect
Physical abuse may involve the use of restraints, hitting, pinching, kicking, or medication misuse.Physical neglect may include:
- Allowing bedsores to develop
- Ignoring residents
- Forgetting to give residents medication
- Refusing to help a resident get from his room to a cafeteria (could lead to falls, confusion, etc.)
- Ignoring injuries
Mental or Emotional Abuse
Some nursing home staff members engage in berating, humiliating, or verbally abusing the residents. This misconduct can happen if the staff becomes angry that a resident is being difficult, or for no reason at all.While some people may believe that emotional abuse is not a big deal, elders who suffer abuse (emotional or otherwise) may become more vulnerable or depressed, leading to possible health complications.
Sexual Abuse
Any misconduct related to sexual acts or the sexual organs of a resident is sexual abuse.A staff member may directly cause the misconduct, or the failure of a staff member to stop another resident's abusive actions may be the cause. You should not limit sexual abuse to physical contact; taking pictures of exposed genitals, showing a resident nude or sexually graphic photos, or taunting a resident's sexuality are all forms of non-contact sexual abuse.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse occurs when caregivers take money from residents or coerce residents to lend them significant amounts of money, take a resident' co-sign on financial documents, or include a staff member in their will.When these events occur under threat or without the consent of the resident's responsible party, the law will likely consider it financial abuse.
When you visit your loved one or attend a meeting regarding his or her care, look for the following signs that something may be wrong with the quality of care:
- Sudden changes in temperament
- Withdrawing from activities or conversation when they were normally active
- Unexplained depression
- Omission of the cause of new injuries
- Unexplained weight loss
- Missing personal items
- Sudden changes in financial documents or accounts
- Unexplained fear toward certain staff members
- Unacceptable conditions of their room or amenities
- Sudden, unexplained decline in health
You should start by addressing your concerns with the nursing home director. If they cannot offer a plausible explanation for your concerns, you have the right to contact your local Kentucky Ombudsman office to file a formal complaint.
Filing a complaint against a nursing home and obtaining corrective measures and compensation for the damage done to your loved one is a difficult process. At The Powell Law Firm, PLLC, we take these matters off your plate to allow you to focus on caring for your loved one and finding a better nursing home.
Our legal team will investigate the situation and review any past complaints against the nursing home. Working with the ombudsman's office, we will determine the scope of liability and assess the damage done to your family. With this information, we will help you file a claim for damages against the responsible parties.
Your family might be entitled to damages for:
- Medical care
- Transfer to another facility
- Financial losses
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Permanent disability