VA Eastern Shore Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Both state and federal laws guarantee a number of unassailable rights to all residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the Commonwealth. Any staff member or administrator of such a facility who violates a resident’s rights may be subject to significant legal action, including a civil lawsuit for damages caused by their negligent or abusive behavior.
If you or a loved one suffered mistreatment within one of these facilities, it may be in your best interest to speak with a VA Eastern Shore nursing home abuse lawyer about your circumstances. Once retained, a compassionate personal injury attorney from Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers could work relentlessly to establish liability and pursue fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
What Forms Could Nursing Home Abuse Take?
Regardless of its precise nature, any form of maltreatment within a nursing home could be grounds for civil litigation, whether it is inadvertent or intentional. However, different forms of abuse can manifest in different ways, and some can be harder for family members to notice and do something about it.
Intentional abuse in a nursing home can be physical, emotional, mental, sexual, or financial in nature. If a staff member strikes or berates a resident, uses inappropriate restraints or punishments, forces sexual contact with a resident, or takes advantage of a resident through fraudulent activity, they could be held liable in civil court.
Additionally, a nursing home resident may experience harm through unintentional abuse or neglect. These instances may occur due to understaffing problems. An attorney on the Eastern Shore could help someone pursue a nursing home abuse case depending on the nature of mistreatment they were experiencing.
Taking Action Against Nursing Home Mistreatment on the Eastern Shore
Unfortunately, it is often difficult for nursing home residents to take action against abusive or neglectful conditions on their own, either because they are afraid of retaliation or cannot communicate effectively due to cognitive degeneration. As a result, it often falls on the family members of mistreated residents to notice when something is wrong and take action themselves.
Anyone who suspects a loved one or any other nursing home resident is suffering from any form of maltreatment should report their concerns directly to the police in an emergency situation, or get in touch with any of the following hotlines:
- Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program – (804) 565-1900
- Virginia Adult Protective Services – (888) 832-3858
- Virginia Department of Health Professions – (800) 533-1560
The next step should be getting in touch with a seasoned lawyer on the VA Eastern Shore who could explain options for litigation in a situation involving nursing home abuse. Through a successful lawsuit, compensation may be available for additional medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
Talk to a VA Eastern Shore Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
While many nursing homes on the Eastern Shore provide quality care to every one of their residents, those that do not can cause immense and irreversible harm to both vulnerable elderly individuals and their extended families. Whether physical, emotional, or financial in nature, any form of mistreatment in this kind of facility is unacceptable.
If you or a family member were hurt by a nursing home staff member’s negligence or malfeasance, you should pursue civil litigation against them. Contact a VA Eastern Shore nursing home abuse lawyer today to discuss your case.