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The National Council on Aging reports that one out of every 10 individuals over the age of 60 will be the victim of some form of elder abuse. However, it is widely believed that nursing home abuse occurs far more frequently than this. This abuse can take many forms in Illinois, including physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse, and it’s often committed by caretakers like nursing home employees.

Lawler Lawler Injury Law’s experienced and dedicated nursing home abuse attorneys are committed to helping protect your vulnerable loved one from abuse and exploitation while in a long-term care facility. Contact Lawler Lawler Injury Law today if you believe your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

It may be unfathomable that a nursing home facility that you or your loved one pays for can employ personnel who abuse and mistreat your elderly loved one. Not only does this happen, but it often goes unnoticed because many people in Illinois do not know what signs to look for that indicate nursing home abuse and neglect.

If you notice any of the following signs when visiting your loved one in the nursing home, speak to an elder abuse lawyer from Lawler Lawler Injury Law immediately. The sooner you report these and other similar observations, the sooner your loved one can receive help:

• Unexplained bruises, marks, and injuries
• Bed sores, skin rashes, and wet or damp skin
• Sudden weight loss
• Changes in demeanor and attitude
• Fright, especially when around certain other individuals

Your loved one being unable to visit with you during regular visiting hours can also indicate abuse or neglect, especially if it happens frequently. Abusers generally want to keep their victims separated from their loved ones and may deny reasonable requests for access to the victim.

Do not ignore suspicious behavior or feelings you have that something is not right. A nursing home neglect attorney from Lawler Lawler Injury Law can help confirm or deny your suspicions. Should your loved one be suffering from abuse or neglect, our nursing home injury lawyer can work to help your family obtain compensation.

Validating Your Loved One’s Report of Nursing Home Abuse

Unfortunately, some victims of nursing home abuse and neglect attempt to report their situation to family and friends, only to have their reports ignored or not believed. If your loved one’s mental faculties are mostly or partially intact, you should believe them if they report they are being abused or neglected.

A senior care abuse lawyer can look into such reports and determine whether there is any validity to them. If so, your attorney can help your family take appropriate action. Because your loved one’s well-being can deteriorate the longer they are subject to abuse and neglect, it’s important not to take any chances. 

Contact Lawler Lawler Injury Law immediately if you suspect your loved one is being abused, and entrust your loved one’s security and safety to us.

Types of Abuse and Neglect at Nursing Homes

When people hear the term “nursing home abuse,” they may think of an orderly physically attacking a resident. While physical abuse like this does occur, it is by no means the only way nursing home residents are abused. Other forms of abuse seen at nursing homes can include:

Physical Neglect

Staff at nursing homes are tasked with caring for the physical needs of residents under their care. This includes making sure residents are fed, bathed, and dressed in clean clothing. Any sores or rashes should be addressed in a timely manner. 

Whether staff members are busy or indifferent to your loved one, neglect can occur when these needs go unmet.

Verbal Abuse

Words carry the power to demoralize and hurt, and this is what happens when a nursing home staff member verbally abuses your loved one. Calling your loved one worthless, demeaning them in private or public, or verbally intimidating them can cause your loved one to develop anxiety and depression.

In turn, these conditions can negatively impact your loved one’s quality of life.

Sexual Abuse

For many nursing home staff members who commit sexual abuse, such acts are less about sexual gratification and more about exercising power over the victim. Fondling, touching, and sexual acts are the ultimate violation of your loved one’s rights to bodily autonomy and safety.

Victims can feel shame and embarrassment, leading to a culture where such abuse goes unreported.

Financial Abuse

A staff member may take financial advantage of your loved one through stealing or misappropriation of their property and finances. From taking things that do not belong to them to manipulating your loved one into parting with their money and property, financial abusers enrich themselves at your loved one’s expense.

No matter how your loved one is being abused, elder abuse lawyers from Lawler Lawler Injury Law know the legal protections available to safeguard your loved one’s physical, emotional, and financial interests. Reach out and speak with our office today to protect your loved one against nursing home abuse.

Compensation Available for Your Family for Nursing Home Abuse

Similar to any other injury victims, a victim of nursing home abuse has the right to seek damages for the harm they have suffered. Such compensation can be sought not only from the perpetrator of the abuse but also from their supervisors and the company that owns and operates the nursing home facility.

Financial damages can address your loved one’s:

• Medical bills and therapy costs
• Expenses for moving to a new facility
• Loss of quality of life
• Physical and emotional suffering
• Lost or stolen property

Punitive damages may also be available when the nursing home’s actions are especially heinous or callous. Trust Lawler Lawler Injury Law to help you pursue the full amount of damages you deserve.

Contact a Skilled Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

Do not delay in seeking help for your loved one if you suspect they are being abused or neglected in a long-term care facility in Illinois. Call your compassionate nursing home abuse attorney at Lawler Lawler Injury Law today to request your free case evaluation right away.