Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

There is an entire industry in the US devoted to providing care for the elderly who need assistance with medical treatment, nutrition, hygiene, and companionship. There are over 300 such care facilities in Georgia – dozens right here in Atlanta. You likely researched many nursing homes and assisted care facilities in the area before deciding on the right one for your loved one.

Once you helped your loved one get settled in the nursing home facility, you rightly expected that he or she would be treated with quality care, dignity, and respect. Sadly, this expectation does not always match reality. Due to under-funding, overworked staff, and other circumstances, nursing home residents are subject to neglect and abuse.

If someone you love becomes a victim of nursing home negligence, elder abuse, or wrongful death, don’t hesitate to contact a nursing home abuse lawyer today. Our legal team cares about the residents of Atlanta, GA, and we are proud to advocate for the rights of nursing home abuse victims. Contact Trial Lawyers For Justice-Georgia today to schedule a free case consultation by calling 844-563-9467 or filling out the form on this page.

When You Need an Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Atlanta, GA, you are probably experiencing emotions such as sadness, disbelief, and anger. One step you can take to protect your elderly family member is to contact the authorities, who will investigate the abuse and file an official report. It’s likely that, if someone you love is a victim of elder abuse, there are other nursing home residents that have been suffering in silence as well.

Besides informing the authorities, another important step to protecting your loved ones is to contact an Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer. An experienced nursing home abuse attorney can help you determine if your loved one is being neglected or abused and bring charges against all liable parties. Sadly, it is often only once nursing home administrators are threatened with legal and financial consequences that they are forced to change their ways.

You can be sure that if a nursing home facility is being accused of neglect or abuse, they are going to have a team of lawyers representing them. You need to have your own aggressive and experienced attorneys advocating for you and your family.

Joseph Wilson and his legal team are honored to fight for the rights of nursing home abuse victims in Atlanta, GA. Trial Lawyers For Justice-Georgia is a firm that will work hard to ensure that your loved ones are properly cared for and receive compensation for the injustices they suffered.

Signs of Nursing Home Elder Neglect in Atlanta, GA

Nursing home facilities have an obligation to provide residents with a high level of proper care that has been established in federal and state statutes. Nursing home administrators should be aware of each elderly patient’s individual needs and likewise ensure that there are sufficient staff and resources available to properly tend to each patient.

The members of our Atlanta-based law firm are outraged to hear reports of nursing home abuse and neglect. When nursing home facilities fail to provide properly for residents, the individuals responsible should be held accountable and face legal consequences for their actions. If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of neglect, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible.

Nursing home neglect can come in many different forms, including the following:

Medical neglect

This type of elder neglect takes place when nursing home staff members fail to meet an elderly resident’s healthcare needs. It can involve:

• Failure to properly administer medications, resulting in the patient being overmedicated or undermedicated
• Improper repositioning of the patient, increasing the risk of bedsores
• Failure to report to doctors or nurses that patient is ill or injured
• Failure to monitor patients with chronic health conditions such as diabetes or dementia

Your loved one deserves to have his or her medical needs attended to while residing in a long-term care facility. When caretakers fail to provide this care, they should be held liable for their negligence.

Hygiene and living conditions

When your family chose a nursing home for your loved one in Atlanta, GA, the facility’s administrators no doubt promised that your loved one’s basic needs would be fully attended to. This includes ensuring a resident’s hygiene needs are cared for and that his or her room is kept clean.

The following may be signs that these hygiene needs are being neglected:

• Dirty bed sheets
• Unkempt appearance
• Unwashed clothing
• Soiled undergarments
• Unclean bedroom

Your loved one should not have to live in unsanitary conditions. Nursing homes are thus legally obligated to keep their facilities clean and tend to each patient’s hygiene needs.

Emotional neglect

Social interaction is important to an elderly person’s mental health and well-being. Nursing home administrators should make sure all residents receive the social stimulation that they need.

Emotional neglect occurs when:

• A resident is left alone for long stretches of time
• Residents with mobility issues aren’t provided with canes, walkers, or wheelchairs
• Residents are unable to get needed exercise

Speak to a nursing home abuse attorney if you suspect your loved one is a victim of social or emotional neglect.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse Cases Our Law Firm Handles

Nursing home facilities are designed to ensure the elderly are well cared for and protected. However, there are tragic cases where residents are abused by the very people who are supposed to be protecting them. Our legal team is appalled to hear reports of the elderly being abused right here in the State of Georgia.

If you suspect that a beloved family member is being abused, contact Trial Lawyers For Justice-Georgia today. Types of Atlanta nursing home abuse cases that we handle include:

Physical abuse

Tragically, many elderly nursing home residents in Atlanta don’t have the mental or physical strength to resist or report abuse. Others may be afraid of the repercussions of doing so if nursing home staff may threaten them with further harm for reporting abuse. Since physical abuse all too often goes unnoticed, it’s up to family members to recognize the signs that their loved one is suffering.

Common signs of elder physical abuse include:

• Unexplained bruises or cuts
• Pressure marks from restraints
• Burns
• Sprains
• Broken bones

Another sign of physical abuse is a change in behavior. For instance, if your family member suddenly seems depressed or withdrawn, and this is not normal, abuse may be the reason. Does he or she flinch or get nervous when a particular staff member comes into the room? Does the nursing home staff try to prevent you from being alone with your family member when you visit?

Staff members who are not properly trained may not know how to handle patients who lash out due to Alzheimer’s or dementia. Instead of properly handling the situation, they may get angry at the patient and become abusive.

If you suspect your loved one is a victim of any form of physical abuse, don’t delay to contact the authorities. You should also contact an Atlanta, Georgia, nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible. Reach the firm of attorney Joseph Wilson at 844-563-9467 today.

Financial abuse

Financial exploitation is another form of elder abuse that Georgia nursing home residents may experience. Staff members, visitors, or even fellow nursing home residents may target your family member’s financial assets.

Common examples of financial exploitation in Atlanta nursing homes include:

• Theft of money or physical possessions
• Cashing a resident’s check
• Opening credit cards under the resident’s name
• Forging signatures
• Coercing a resident to change his or her will or power of attorney
• Overcharging for services

Family members should be alert to any suspicious activity involving cash, finances, documents, or accounts. Be alert to the following signs that your loved one is a victim of financial nursing home abuse:

• Missing cash or personal possessions
• Hiding or hoarding of money and belongings
• Unpaid bills
• “Gifts” to staff members
• Inconsistencies in bank accounts or financial statements

If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of financial exploitation, gather and document your suspicions. Then report the financial abuse to the local authorities and contact an Atlanta personal injury lawyer. Experienced nursing home abuse attorneys will be able to offer you sound legal advice and pursue justice for you and your loved one.

Sexual abuse

Atlanta nursing home residents, many of whom have Alzheimer’s or dementia, may be sexually assaulted by fellow residents, visitors, or caretakers who violate their positions of trust. Nursing home administrators in Georgia have an obligation to protect residents in their care from sexual assault, harassment, and coercion. All staff members should receive a background check before being hired to ensure that they don’t have a history of sexual abuse or misconduct.

When you visit your family member in the nursing home, be alert to anything out of the ordinary. Signs of sexual abuse include:

• Pelvic bruising or pain
• Genital or anal bleeding
• Suddenly withdrawn or depressed
• Aggressive behavior

All sexual acts with those who lack full mental capacity or those who are unable to speak are against Georgia state law since the victims are unable to give consent. The members of our law office are disgusted to hear reports of sexual abuse in Atlanta nursing homes. The outrage we feel motivates us to defend the rights of seniors who are being abused in the facilities that are supposed to be caring for them.

Emotional abuse

Another type of Atlanta nursing home abuse is psychological or emotional abuse. Emotional abuse may include such things as:

• Name-calling
• Taunting
• Humiliation
• Intimidation
• Seclusion
• Ridiculing

The withholding of food, water, medication, hygiene needs, or other necessary things as a “punishment” is another form of emotional abuse. If you suspect that an elderly person you love is being emotionally abused, ask for help from nursing home abuse attorney Joseph Wilson today.

Contact an Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

Any complaint made by a nursing home resident of emotional, physical, sexual, financial, or another form of abuse should be taken seriously. If you suspect that your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect in an Atlanta, GA, long-term care facility, contact a lawyer today. Nursing home abuse, neglect, and lack of care are serious matters that can lead to injury or wrongful death.

Our law firm offers free nursing home abuse case consultations. After taking on your case, our legal team will speak to witnesses, examine medical records, and pursue justice on behalf of your family member. Atlanta nursing home abuse attorneys can recover compensation for medical expenses and other damages related to the abuse or neglect.

Joseph Wilson is a highly experienced personal injury lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. No case is too small or too complex for his team to handle. If you’re looking for a skilled trial lawyer who truly cares about his clients, contact us today. Call us at 844-563-9467 or fill out the online evaluation form.

Call us today at (844) 563-9467.