St. Mary Parish Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
We entrust nursing homes to create a safe, happy, and healthy environment for our elderly family members. Unfortunately, however, some bad actors within care facilities may not provide a safe living situation for their residents due to abuse or neglect. Yet, nursing home abuse can be challenging to detect.
If you believe your loved one is experiencing abuse or neglect at their care facility, a local personal injury attorney could help you build a case and discuss the means of bringing a lawsuit. Additionally, with the help of a St. Mary Parish nursing home abuse lawyer, you could hold those responsible for taking advantage of your elderly family member.
Types of Mistreatment in Nursing Homes
Nursing home mistreatment can come in many different forms. While some types of abuse are committed intentionally, others may be due to improper training or inadequate staffing. Some of the most common forms of nursing home abuse may include:
- Physical violence such as pushing, shoving, slapping, and punching
- Unnecessary use of chemical or physical restraints
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional or psychological abuse in the form of threats
- Neglect
- Financial abuse such as changes to legal documents, using ATM cards, taking personal property of value
- Refusal to let residents see visitors or family
Because some seniors may be both physically and mentally vulnerable, they can be easy targets for those with malicious intentions. A St. Mary Parish nursing home abuse attorney could help a claimant establish a case based on what kind of mistreatment a resident experienced.
Deadline to File a Nursing Home Abuse Claim
A plaintiff generally has one year from the date the abusive incident took place, or discovery of the damage, to file a lawsuit under state law. If a potential plaintiff brings their claim after this statutory period has expired, the court may dismiss the lawsuit. A St. Mary Parish attorney could work to ensure that an individual files their nursing home abuse claim before the legal deadline.
Reporting Nursing Home Abuse
Because it can be challenging to detect nursing home abuse, the state legislature passed Louisiana Statutes Annotated RS 14:403.2. This law punishes those who are required to report elder abuse but fail to do so. The penalty for failing to report abuse is a misdemeanor offense that carries a fine up to $500 and up to six months in jail. Laws such as this one create an incentive for other staff to report these harmful acts of mistreatment.
Contact a St. Mary Parish Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
In some situations, elderly loved ones may be unsure, unable, or unwillingly to let us know that they are being harmed, taken advantage of, or neglected. However, if you do discover that your family member is experiencing this mistreatment, you should contact a St. Mary Parish nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible.
An experienced legal ally could advocate for your loved one’s rights and fight for financial compensation for the wrongs that have befallen them while in the care of another. To get started on your elderly family member’s case, call today.