If you or a loved one was the victim of nursing home abuse, you have the right to hold the responsible party accountable. The attorneys at Spiros Law, P.C. can help you in your time of need. Our team of skilled legal professionals is dedicated to ending this appalling mistreatment and can help you to get the justice you deserve.
As our family members age, we may realize that they need reliable assistance to continue living a happy and healthy life. The decision to entrust our loved ones to the care of a nursing home or assisted-living facility can be a difficult one. Many senior citizens have delicate medical conditions that require close attention and professional care. Still, nursing homes are often the best choice for families who don’t have the resources to care for their aging family members. Additionally, millions of seniors across the United States have found comfort and companionship in nursing homes. After choosing the right place for your elderly family member, you understandably expect that your loved one will receive the proper and accommodating treatment that they deserve.
Even if the consequences are not fatal, nursing home abuse shatters your family member’s dignity and sense of security. The Champaign nursing home abuse lawyers at Spiros Law, P.C. understand the problem’s scope and have the knowledge and resources to fight back. If an abusive caregiver has harmed you or a loved one, our team is prepared to expose the truth and get the compensation you deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t receive payment until you do. Speak with a knowledgeable nursing home attorney to learn more about your rights and legal options. Contact our office at (217) 328-2828 today.
Do I Need A Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
We wholly acknowledge determining whether or not you need a lawyer is a monumental task. Whether or not action is necessary can be a tough decision with many potential consequences at stake. It is only human to want to defend your loved one if they are threatened or being harmed. But if you choose to do so without a lawyer, you limit your capacity to make a significant impact, and you may even make the situation worse.
That is why it is absolutely vital to contact an attorney. If you or someone you love is suffering abuses in an elderly caretaking facility, you need an attorney on your side. An experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can help you ensure that the abuse stops, bad actors are punished, and that your family is compensated for all your loved one has had to endure. Your pain is real. It deserves to be seen and heard. And those responsible should be held accountable to the letter of the law.
Families depend on nursing home facilities to care for their aging loved ones. Nursing homes owe the elderly and their family members a duty of care to provide their residents with a safe, sterile, and healthy environment. Unfortunately, cases of nursing home abuse are increasing each year. The National Center on Elderly Abuse estimates that 1 in 20 patients are suffering from neglect and/or abuse at their caretakers’ hands. The actual number, however, is likely to be higher.
Often, family members do not have the resources and skills to deal with suspected nursing home abuse cases. At Spiros Law, P.C., our attorneys understand how disheartening this experience can be for a family. Our compassionate nursing home abuse attorneys have the skills, experience, and resources to make a difference for you. Also, we represent clients on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t pay us anything until we recover compensation for you and your family. We believe the price of hiring a lawyer should not prevent you from seeking justice. Call our office today at (217) 328-2828 to schedule your free consultation.
Cases We Handle
We rely on nursing homes and other assisted-living facilities to care for our family members. If you spend time trying to find a safe and happy environment for your elderly family member, you expect the facility to be free of any abuse. However, it is an unavoidable fact that many elderly residents in nursing homes are subject to various forms of abuse, including physical, emotional, and financial abuse. If you suspect that your loved one is experiencing nursing home abuse, you should immediately call the authorities. You should also document all relevant information and contact a qualified nursing home abuse lawyer.
At Spiros Law, P.C., our nursing home abuse attorneys have fought on behalf of concerned family members to hold abusive caretakers and facilities accountable. We know that abuse in nursing homes happens with alarming frequency and can manifest in various forms—not all of them physical. Our nursing home abuse attorneys will represent families who suspect their loved one has suffered from the following types of abuse.
Physical Abuse
The most common form of abuse in nursing homes is physical abuse. However, it is important to note that physical abuse is not limited to assault. Other forms of physical abuse can include force-feeding patients or inappropriate confinement. Some common indicators of physical abuse include the following:
- Unexplained cuts or bruises
- Torn or bloody clothing
- Broken bones
Physical abuse can result in severe injury, impairment, and extreme pain for the patient.
Emotional Abuse
Unlike physical abuse, which can leave telltale cuts and bruises, emotional abuse is more difficult to detect. The impact of emotional abuse can also have long-term health consequences. Emotional abuse may include the following:
- Coercion through yelling and screaming
- Verbal degradation
- Threats
- Humiliation
- Isolation from other residents
- Ignoring the resident
- Emotional manipulation
Elderly residents suffering from emotional abuse may exhibit behavior changes, such as withdrawal, mood swings, involuntary seclusion, low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression.
Financial Abuse
Financial exploitation is the most common form of non-physical abuse. This type of abuse occurs when the caregiver responsible for monitoring the senior’s financial dealings exploits their position to misappropriate funds, property, and other assets. This could include the following:
- Embezzlment of funds through personal checks or accounts
- Credit card fraud
- Forged signatures
- Withdrawals or transfers of funds
- Identity theft
Other common types of financial fraud used to swindle elderly individuals out of their finances involve phony charities, fake investment schemes, and mail announcing they have won a “prize.”
Sexual Abuse
These shocking instances of abuse occur when someone forces or tricks the resident into unwanted sexual contact. In some cases, the patient is weak or ill and cannot consent. Sexual abuse in nursing homes can be perpetrated by staff, other patients, family, or visitors. A sexually abused resident may suffer from or show some of the following symptoms:
- Bleeding around the genital or anal area
- Bloody underwear
- Bruises around breast or genitals
- Venereal disease
Other forms of sexual abuse may be more difficult to uncover. Sexually abused patients may be forced to watch pornographic material or have photos taken against their will. In some cases, residents were made to undress or watch sexual acts performed by the caregivers.
What are the Signs of Abuse?
According to the National Council on Aging and the National Institute on Aging, there are several signs that abuse may be occurring. You could suspect abuse if you notice:
- Your loved one suddenly stops participating in activities they enjoy
- Their appearance falls into disarray, looking unclean and wearing dirty clothes
- They begin suffering from insomnia
- They show unexplained weight loss
- They begin to withdraw and become easily agitated or violent in situations they never were before
- They begin to show signs of trauma, such as repetitive body movements
- Bruises, cuts, scars, or other marks of injury appear that cannot be explained
- Visible signs of restraint, broken possessions, or mangled glasses frames
- They begin to show signs of preventable conditions such as bed or pressure sores
- They’ve been deprived of essential medical aids like medicine, walkers, or hearing aids
- They start to receive notices for late payment or eviction notices on their rent or mortgage
- Living conditions that are deemed unsanitary or hazardous
- hey display signs of insufficient care or unpaid bills despite adequate financial resources
- Their financial standings abruptly begin to fall apart
The Facts About Nursing Home Abuse
According to the Illinois Department on Aging, elder abuse has a significant impact. In 2019 alone, there were 21,348 abuse reports. Here is what that looks like broken down:
- Neglect- 9,858
- Financial Exploitation- 8,467
- Verbal/Emotional Abuse- 5,943
- Physical Abuse- 3,589
- Willful Deprivation- 2,261
- Isolation- 1,162
- Sexual Abuse- 706
Other numbers of note include:
- Elders who suffer abuse are three times more likely to die than those who are not.
- Elderly victims of financial exploitation lose over 30 billion dollars every year.
- 1-10 Americans over 60 experience some elder abuse.
- Support staff, including medical care and social workers, account for 37% of reported abuse cases.
Contact Us Today
If you or someone you love are experiencing abuse or neglect from a caretaker or facility, contact Spiros Law, P.C. as soon as you possibly can. Our team will help you end the abuse and seek justice on behalf of your family. Help is available. You can reach us at (217) 328-2828 or contact us online.
