St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
A St. Petersburg nursing home is supposed to be a place where the elderly and disabled are cared for with respect by well-trained, knowledgeable staff, who are supervised by competent, caring management. That should be the norm; but is not always the reality. Instead, to often residents suffer neglect and abuse, resulting in terrible trauma and life ending personal injuries.
For nearly 25 years, the Fernandez Firm Accident Injury Attorneys has helped families who inadvertently placed their trust in the wrong facility obtain justice. Over that time, our St. Petersburg nursing home abuse attorneys have obtained more than $90 million in settlements and verdicts for the families of victims seriously injured or killed due to neglect, abuse or negligence by nursing home staff and management. If you have questions about the care provided to your loved one, please call today or, for immediate help, submit a free case review.
What is Abuse and Neglect?
According to the National Institute on Aging, nursing home and assisted living facility residents may be subject to many kinds of abuse, including:
- Physical abuse: bodily harm caused by hitting, pushing or slapping;
- Emotional or psychological abuse: including a caregiver saying hurtful words, yelling, threatening or ignoring the resident, or isolating the resident from friends and family;
- Neglect: when a caregiver is uninterested in/unwilling to respond to the resident’s needs;
- Sexual abuse: when a caregiver forces a nursing home resident to watch or be a part of sexual acts without consent.
- Financial abuse: where a caregiver steals from a resident, engages in identity theft and/or has the resident sign financial documents while physically or mentally incapacitated.
In addition to nursing home staff or sub-contractors working at the facility, such abuses may also be perpetrated by another resident, in the absence of proper supervision. In all such situations, the facilty can and should be held accountable for the terrible breach of trust.
Statistically, most victims of abuse and neglect at nursing homes and assisted living facilities are women. Regardless of gender, likely targets are older residents without nearby family or friends and those with physical disabilities, memory problems or dementia. Tragically, the most vulnerable are those dependent on nursing home staff for their activities of everyday life (bathing, eating, drinking, dressing and taking medication).
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
The biggest protection a resident has against abuse is frequent visits from friends and loved ones. If possible, you should visit your loved often, on different days of the week and at different times of day — preventing a potential abuser from making everything “ok” only when you are expected to visit. Signs of neglect and abuse to look for include:
- Bedsores and pressure sores
- Broken bones
- Unexplained bruises, injuries, burns or scars
- Difficulty sleeping
- Broken bones
- Unusual weight loss
- Depression
- Confusion
- Being fearful or withdrawn
- Signs of psychological trauma, like rocking back and forth
- Agitation
- No longer takes part in activities he or she enjoyed
- Appears messy, with unwashed hair or dirty clothes
- Suffers from a venereal disease
If your family member has developed a serious illness or suffered an injury at a nursing home or assisted living facility, ask questions. Be aware that the illness or infection may be the result of neglect. A bruise, sprain or broken bone could be caused by physical abuse or a lack of supervision by facility staff resulting in a fall. Do not accept vague, suspect or unclear explanations from staff or management personnel. If you have a concern contact the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration abuse hotline or call one of our St. Petersburg nursing home abuse attorneys.
Nursing Home Abuse – Call Today!
If you believe your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect in a St. Petersburg nursing home or assisted living facility, contact our law office. We can investigate your concerns and take action to stop the neglect and abuse. Our lawyers can assist to get your family member transferred to a better facility and seek compensation for the harm done.
Our nursing home abuse attorneys are always available to discuss your legal options and the consultation is free. Please call today 1-800-222-8163.
At the Fernandez Firm Accident Injury Attorneys, we do not get paid unless we Win… and We Want to Win!