Fort Myers Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Sadly, the most vulnerable members of our society are often the most victimized. Nursing home abuse and neglect is incredibly common, even in facilities with good reputations. All it takes is one careless or outright cruel staff member to make a patient’s life a living nightmare. Usually, however, abuse and neglect are more widespread than a single nurse. When it comes to abuse and neglect, our Fort Myers nursing home abuse lawyer at Cardinal Law, P.A. has seen it all, and has the knowledge and expertise to win a substantial sum for your loved one, who may be entitled to medical expense compensation, pain and suffering damages, and much more.
Nursing Home Abuse
Abuse is surprisingly prevalent in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and independent living wings. Examples of abuse include:
- Hitting, slapping, pinching, pushing, or any other form of physical assault
- Unnecessary use of restraints or sedation
- Yelling at, swearing at, intimidating, coercing, teasing, or making fun of a patient
- Not allowing the patient to see family or friends
- Punishing, by any means, a patient for any reason whatsoever
- Withholding food, medication, or water
- Sexaual abuse
- Taking nude or inappropriate photos or videos of the patient
- Financial abuse/theft
- Overcharging for services
Nursing Home Neglect
Technically, nursing home neglect is still a form of nursing home abuse. However, the term “neglect” is often used to define careless but unintentional acts in which a nursing home resident is harmed, versus intentional acts of abuse. Examples of nursing home neglect include:
- Not providing adequate food or water, resulting in malnourishment or dehydration
- Medication mistakes
- Medical mistakes
- Failure to take preventative measures against bed sores
- Failure to assist the patient in and out of bed, resulting in a fall injury
- Failure to change the patient’s bedding and clothing
Identifying the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Spotting signs of nursing home abuse or neglect can be very difficult, particularly if your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s. Even victims who have their full cognitive capacity intact are often fearful of speaking out against their tormentor. As such, it is often up to visiting family members to identify the signs of abuse, and take action. Some of the signs you should be on the lookout for include:
- Sudden changes in weight
- Sudden change in health
- Depression or other unexplained mood changes
- Fear of staff members
- Bruising on the arms or wrists
- Injuries to the face, or any other unexplained or partially explained injuries
- Changing stories about how an injury occurred
- Repeated falls
- Bedsores
- Strange bank account transfers or credit card purchases
- Lost personal items, checks, cash, or credit cards
Contact a Fort Myers Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today
If your loved one has shown signs of abuse, or has directly identified instances of abuse or neglect, you need to take immediate action to protect them from further harm. The Fort Myers nursing home abuse lawyer at Cardinal Law, P.A. can help you take swift legal action today. Call 844-874-PAIN to schedule a free consultation.
