Nursing Home Abuse and Death Lawyer in Fayetteville, GA

Each nursing home abuse lawsuit is unique, which makes this a difficult question to answer.

It can take anywhere from a few months to several years for your case to conclude.

However, the only guaranteed way to ensure that justice for your loved one is never reached is by failing to take it to a legal professional.

If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, do not wait another moment. Schedule a free consultation with The Brown Firm today!

Technically, elder neglect or nursing home abuse falls under the category of personal injury law.

However, personal injury law is a fairly big umbrella that covers a wide variety of topics.

By simply hiring a “personal injury lawyer,” you may be taking on someone who specializes in motorcycle accidents.

It is essential to find a law group, such as The Brown Firm, that has legal experience dealing with nursing home abuse or elder neglect.

Regrettably, one of the most common forms of elder abuse is also one of the hardest to prove.

Emotional or psychological abuse is one of the most prevalent forms of elderly abuse that occurs.

Emotional abuse can take various forms, such as making threats, embarrassing them, intimidating them, or forcing them into isolation.

Regrettably, emotional and psychological abuse often goes unreported, but that does not mean those suffering from it do not deserve justice!

Skilled attorneys, like those at The Brown Firm, know how to handle this painful situation and how to fight for the justice you and your loved ones deserve.

One of the problems with nursing home abuse is that several forms do not show on a physical level. 

Sometimes, the only way to tell if your loved one is being abused emotionally or financially is to listen to them if they tell you.
Any threat of elderly abuse should be taken seriously and investigated.

However, what if they never tell you?

This lack of explanation would not be too surprising considering how many nursing home abuse cases go unreported every year.

In this situation, you need to stay vigilant for any signs of abuse.

It could be anything from a change in attitude, a change in personal habits, unexplained bruises, or even a difference in a financial situation.

If you suspect that your loved one is being mistreated, do not wait.

Contact a professional at The Brown Firm today to seek the justice your loved one deserves.

It is crucial to be on guard and looking for evidence if you are even minutely suspicious of abuse. 

This abuse could be something as simple as listening to the complaints your loved one may be voicing, or perhaps taking it a step further and observing everything not said but shown in their living environment. 

Physical Abuse 

There are many different ways for someone to abuse an elderly person while living in nursing homes. Some common signs of nursing home negligence include: 

• Violence
• Force Feeding
• Physical Restraints
• Open Wounds
• Broken Bones
• Medication Overdose
• Underutilization of Prescribed Drugs

Emotional Abuse 

Unfortunately, Emotional and psychological abuse is very prominent in Fayetteville nursing homes. It is particularly insidious because there is often less physical evidence associated with emotional and psychological abuse.

However, the lack of proof does not mean that such occurrences do not happen. Some of the most common ways to be emotionally abused include: 

• Threats
• Humiliation
• Harassment
• Intimidation
• Social Isolation
• Inflicting Anguish
• Isolation

Financial Abuse 

The third form of nursing home negligence is financial or material exploitation.

Financial abuse could include any illegal or improper use of an elderly person's:

• Funds
• Property 
• Assets

However, there are ways to tell if your loved one is suffering while in a nursing home.

These signs are often very noticeable, provided one is actively looking for them.

If your elderly loved one has suffered from neglect or abuse while in a nursing home, many people will begin to notice the following signs:

• Medications administered improperly or not administered at all. 
• Soiled clothing or bed linens
• Unsanitary living conditions
• Malnourishment/dehydration

Remember, sexual abuse is not merely a physical occurrence.

It is also an emotional and psychological trauma that can leave just as lasting of an effect as physical abuse. 

Sexually abused senior citizens may be forced to watch pornographic material or have their photos taken against their will. 

Some caretakers may force them to undress or to watch sex acts performed.

If your elderly loved one has been abused in a sexual nature, he or she may suffer from or show:

• Bleeding around the genital or anal area
• Venereal disease
• Bloody undergarments
• Bruises around the breast/genital region

Financial exploitation is the most common form of non-physical abuse of the elderly. An unscrupulous caregiver may:

• Misuse the elder's checking accounts, savings accounts, or credit cards
• Steal money, steal checks, or steal belongings
• Fraudulent signatures
• Authorize withdrawals or transfer of money
• Identity Theft

Like any other personal injury lawsuit, it is critical to gather evidence that shows that abuse has taken place.

Even when it is difficult to see that abuse has taken place, if it has, there is still evidence to be collected.

If there is any physical evidence, it is necessary to collect or record it. Take pictures of anything relevant to the condition of your loved one.

You can also gather official records from the nursing home, such as complaint reports, witness statements, or even medical records.

Basically, you need to gather anything that you can think of that shows that abuse has occurred.

Once that has been done, you need to give it to your attorney.

They have the experience and knowledge on how to best use your collected evidence to bring out as favorable of an outcome as possible for your loved one,

Passive neglect is much more insidious than other forms of abuse or negligence. It occurs when someone responsible does not fulfill their duties.

One of the key differences is that “passive neglect” can be perpetrated non-maliciously.

It could occur due to an oversight or scheduling error.

However, that does not make it any less debilitating, harmful, or potentially deadly.

Passive neglect can occur when a nursing home employee fails to feed, clean, medicate, or perform any necessary tasks for an elderly person in their care.

If your loved one has been neglected either purposefully or not, contact a skilled lawyer at The Brown Firm today!