Syracuse Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Was your loved one injured, mistreated, abused, or died unexpectedly from neglect while living in a nursing home in New York? If so, we encourage you to contact the Syracuse nursing home abuse lawyers to schedule a free case review to discuss a financial compensation claim to recover your damages.

Our affiliate nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC, are experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse victims who have suffered severe violations or harm through physical or sexual abuse, invasion of privacy, or inappropriate behavior from nursing home staff members.

Call our New York personal injury lawyers for a free consultation at (800) 926-7565 (toll-free phone number) for immediate legal advice.

All confidential or sensitive information you share with the lawyers at our law firm remains private through an attorney-client relationship. Let our network of affiliate nursing homes negligence attorneys protect your elderly loved one’s rights if your family member was mistreated, abused, injured, or died unexpectedly from personal injury while in assisted living facilities.

As individuals age and become more debilitated, they need health care and help to manage daily activities. Perpetrators of nursing home abuse understand this and take advantage of these patients who are feeble and unlikely to report them.

Signs of abuse and neglect in assisted living facilities that family members should always keep in mind are:

• Unexplained infections, diseases, or bruises: With assisted living, it is more common for the infection to spread. Bruises or cuts can happen as accidents. They can also signify nursing home negligence. It could be physical abuse and indicate something may not be right at the Syracuse nursing home.
• Bed sores are easily preventable and often indicate that nursing home staff members neglect the resident’s healthcare needs. Bedsores can be painful, and in an elderly person, bedsores can quickly become infected.
• Changes in behavior: It is common for family members to notice when their loved ones change their usual behavior and become aggressive, withdraw from contact with other people, or seem depressed. They could be experiencing nursing home injuries from physical or sexual abuse or suffering psychological harm from staff, visitors, family members, friends, or even another nursing home resident.
• Lack of hygiene: Nursing homes are meant to provide your loved ones the care they need to maintain their health or improve a condition. It includes assisting them with hygiene, which means changing and cleaning clothes often, brushing teeth, and generally keeping a clean environment.
• Weight loss: Help with feeding and drinking are essential for residents’ care in Syracuse nursing homes. Dehydration and unexplained weight loss may indicate possible nursing home neglect due to the resident not receiving proper nutrition and hydration.

Learn how to recognize the warning signs of abuse and how to protect a loved one.

Abuse occurs more often with the most vulnerable residents who cannot defend themselves or could be too afraid to speak out about the abuse.

Victims of abuse in nursing homes often live in fear of retaliation if they tell others that they were mistreated. Those most at risk include:

• An elderly person who is perceived to be weaker and more vulnerable
• Patients who have dementia, or other forms of mental impairment
• An elderly loved one is socially isolated from their families and friends
• Residents who suffer from other forms of negligence from their caregivers or family members

Physical abuse

Forms of physical abuse may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Unexplained broken bones, dislocations, or sprains
• Repeated bruising
• Rope marks
• Broken eyeglasses, or hearing equipment
• Burns and scratches
• Being pushed, hit, or slapped

Financial abuse

Financial abuse and theft can occur in nursing homes in various ways, including:

• Stolen bank information from the victim
• Staff or family members take the personal property of their loved ones without their consent.
• Unauthorized financial transactions
• An unexpected change to the will of our loved ones
• Unauthorized changes of a power of attorney over the victim’s checks or income.

Neglect

Neglegence could involve failing to provide basic life needs and essential medical care. Look out for these situations if you suspect nursing home neglect or abandonment of a nursing home resident:

• Progressive bed sores
• Lack of medical care
• Wrongful death
• Nursing home staff that does not administer medication as prescribed for the patient
• Providing below-standard service
• Seniors who are not given the assistance that they need to bathe or toilet
• Slow response to emergencies or urgent situations
• Failure to prevent falls
• Over medication or poor management of side effects
• Frequent preventable urinary tract infections
• Improper use of medication

Understaffing could lead to neglect in most nursing facilities. A lack of adequate staffing could cause a system-wide failure of the nursing home to provide sufficient and qualified staff.

Beyond outright abuse, Human Rights Watch analyses indicate severe understaffing has increased general neglect of long-term care residents.

Often, a nursing home negligence case may be unintentional due to understaffing and lack of resources.

New York’s Public Health Law § 2895-b, which came into effect in 2022, has enacted new minimum nursing home staffing standards, which include:

• 5 hours of nursing care per resident per day
• Of the 3.5 hours, at least 2.2 hours of care per resident may be provided by a nurse aide or certified nurse aide.
• At least 1.1 hours have to be provided by a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse.
• Effective January 1, 2023, nurse aides must be certified to meet the minimum hourly requirements.

The New York State Department of Health will quarterly determine compliance with the minimum nursing staff requirements.

New legislation requires all nursing homes in New York, including a Syracuse nursing home, to post information regarding facility staffing, and a summary of the law, in a manner visible and accessible to its residents and their families.

Report the Abuse in the New York state area

If a family member has suffered nursing home negligence, if there is clear abuse, or you believe your loved one is in immediate danger, report it to the authorities as soon as possible. Doing so can prevent further harm to your loved one and other assisted living facility residents.

Many nursing home residents who are victims of physical violence need to be taken to the hospital or at least seen by a doctor. Left untreated, health problems stemming from neglect can lead to depression, permanent disability, or even death.

Furthermore, the New York State Department of Health, Division of Nursing Home is responsible for investigating complaints about resident abuse, neglect, mistreatment, and incidents occurring in nursing homes in New York, NY, that are related to a State and Federal regulatory violation.

The Department reviews all complaints received about nursing homes through the Centralized Complaint Intake Unit, and appropriate action is taken.

Gathering Evidence

You must document the signs of abuse of your loved one:

• Take photos
• Document injuries (noting the date and time)
• Document unsanitary living conditions or wounds on your loved one
• Gather eyewitnesses testimony

You can refer to these documents when the abuse is reported so that you have something to rely on if you choose to address the nursing facility abuse your family member has suffered from a professional with experience in those practice areas.

Contact a Syracuse Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

An experienced Syracuse nursing home attorney from our law offices will have extensive knowledge of the law surrounding Syracuse nursing home abuse regulations and case expertise. The lawyer will independently investigate the situation.

Your attorney will help you understand your legal rights in this situation and how you can take legal action to get the compensation to help you and your family member recover from this harrowing situation.

• Medical expenses (current and future)
• Financial restitution where the perpetrators must pay money to the victim
• Repayment of stolen or damaged property
• Pain and suffering
• Therapy and rehabilitation services
• Emotional distress
• Repayment of legal fees
• Burial costs for wrongful death cases

Our legal team is committed to the pursuit of justice against negligent and neglectful nursing homes.

The affiliate Syracuse nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC can discuss your legal options on ensuring your loved one is no longer neglected or abused.

Our legal team has handled many cases of mistreatment in nursing facilities throughout Syracuse and Onondaga County, as it is one of our specialized practice areas.

Our team of experienced nursing home negligence attorneys is committed to aggressively fighting for your loved one's rights. Contact our affiliate elder abuse law firms today by calling (800) 926-7565 or through an online contact form to schedule your no-obligation, free consultation for your case review. 

Our lawyers provide immediate legal representation, advice, and counsel without upfront fees. All our nursing home abuse cases are handled on a contingency fee basis where there is never any cost to begin a claim.

Resources:

• Humans Rights Watch
• New York’s Public Health Law § 2895-b