Families trust nursing homes to provide safe and respectful care for older adults. Sadly, abuse and neglect can happen when facilities fail to protect their residents. If your loved one was harmed in a nursing home in Ladue, Missouri, you may have legal options.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers helps families investigate suspected nursing home abuse and seek compensation for the harm their loved ones have suffered. A nursing home abuse claim can also help hold a careless facility accountable. Contact us at (314) 912-3302 for a free consultation with a Ladue nursing home abuse lawyer.
Why Choose Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers for Help With Your Nursing Home Abuse Case in Ladue, MO
Nursing home abuse cases can be difficult to investigate. Important evidence may include medical records, staffing schedules, facility policies, incident reports, surveillance footage, and witness statements. Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers has over 100 years of combined experience helping injured people and their families pursue accountability after serious harm.
Our Ladue nursing home abuse attorneys can investigate the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s injuries, gather and preserve evidence, identify potentially responsible parties, and handle communications with nursing homes and insurance companies. We can also work to document the physical, emotional, and financial effects of the abuse or neglect.
If you suspect someone you love was abused or neglected in a care facility in Ladue, MO, contact our Ladue personal injury lawyers for a free consultation.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse occurs when a resident is deliberately harmed, mistreated, or exploited by a caregiver, staff member, another resident, or someone else. Abuse can take several forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse.
Nursing home neglect is different because it typically involves a failure to provide proper care rather than intentional harm. However, neglect can still cause serious injuries and health complications. Examples include failing to provide adequate food or water, medication, personal hygiene, medical treatment, supervision, or assistance with daily activities.
Both abuse and neglect can threaten a resident’s health, safety, and overall well-being.
What Are Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
Some residents may be unable or afraid to tell family members what happened. Loved ones should watch for changes in the resident’s health, mood, behavior, and living conditions.
Possible warning signs include:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, or broken bones
- Bedsores or pressure wounds
- Sudden weight loss or dehydration
- Poor hygiene or dirty clothing
- Fear of certain staff members
- Unexplained changes in finances
- Missing personal property
- Sudden depression, anxiety, or withdrawal
One warning sign does not always prove abuse. However, several signs or a sudden change in a resident’s condition may call for a closer look. Families should take their concerns seriously and act when a resident may be in danger.
What Should You Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse?
If you believe a loved one is being abused, their immediate safety should come first. Seek emergency medical care or contact law enforcement when there is an urgent threat.
Families can document injuries, take photographs when appropriate, save medical records, and write down concerning events. Avoid throwing away letters, bills, or other documents connected to the facility.
Missouri also has specific reporting rules for suspected abuse and neglect. Missouri Law requires certain people who have reasonable cause to believe a facility resident has been abused or neglected to make an immediate report to the state.
Speaking with a lawyer can help families understand additional steps they may need to take.
What Compensation Can Be Available in a Nursing Home Abuse Case?
Nursing home abuse or neglect can cause significant physical, emotional, and financial harm. A legal claim may allow an injured resident or their family to seek compensation for losses resulting from the mistreatment.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation may include:
- Medical bills and hospital expenses
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Additional nursing or long-term care
- Costs of moving to another facility
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Loss of quality of life
- Other out-of-pocket expenses related to the abuse or neglect
These losses may include both economic damages and non-economic damages. If abuse or neglect contributes to a resident’s death, surviving family members may also have additional legal options.
The compensation available in a nursing home abuse case will depend on the resident’s injuries, resulting losses, and the specific circumstances surrounding the mistreatment.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Ladue Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
No family should have to wonder whether a loved one is safe in a nursing home. When abuse or neglect causes harm, taking legal action can help protect the resident and hold responsible parties accountable.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers represents injured nursing home residents and their families in Ladue, Missouri. Schedule a free consultation with our Ladue nursing home abuse attorneys to discuss your case and learn about your next steps.
