Toledo Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

There is a rising demand from families looking for nursing home facilities for their loved ones. Unfortunately, the average statistic for abuse in nursing facilities is higher in Ohio nursing homes than the national average.

Was your loved one neglected, abused, or mistreated in a Toledo nursing home? If so, we encourage you to contact our affiliate neglect lawyers to schedule a free consultation to discuss a fair compensation claim to recover your damages.

Our affiliate Ohio personal injury attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC, are experienced in cases involving senior citizens who have suffered severe violations, abuse, and neglect in Ohio nursing facilities. 

Call our Toledo nursing home abuse lawyers from our law firm for a free consultation at (800) 926-7565 (toll-free phone number) for immediate legal advice if your loved one has endured any kind of nursing home abuse and neglect.

All confidential or sensitive information you share with our law firm’s nursing home abuse lawyers remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

Let a nursing home abuse attorney from our network protect your loved one’s rights if they were mistreated, abused, injured, or died unexpectedly from lack of proper care while in an assisted living facility in Ohio.

Sometimes abuse or neglect in nursing homes is visible even before it occurs. It may happen when a patient can report the abuse, such as when a caregiver at the facility threatens the patient, refuses to help a patient in need or even ignores the patient's requirements.

Sometimes the signs of abuse or neglect are less noticeable. It may show over time as a patient:

• Starts to wither away
• Suddenly changes their mood or withdraws
• Develops suspicious bruises
• Exhibits other outward signs of either physical or mental changes

Sadly, there are instances where a staff member or the facility itself will find and report the abuse. Still, facilities and care providers occasionally cover up abuse to further their agendas. The patient may have been injured due to abuse or neglect, and the patient and their family may be able to file a compensation claim.

If you notice a change of behavior in your loved one, it could be because something is happening with how they’re being treated at the care facility. Nursing homes should keep your family member safe and with proper care.

Physical abuse is intentional and the most frequently reported form of mistreatment in nursing facilities. Below are some examples of nursing home abuse:

• Pushing a resident
• Shoving or dragging
• Beating
• Use of unauthorized restraints
• Broken bones

Unfortunately, this type of abuse in nursing homes is widespread. It constitutes any form of non-consensual sexual contact with your loved one.

It could result in:

• Unexplained development of a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
• Pain or irritation of the genital areas from sexual contact
• Panic attacks from any form of contact
• Having problems walking or sitting
• Developing constant urinary tract infections
• The patient withdrawing from activities

Should you recognize any of these common signs and suspect something of unwanted sexual nature is happening, act quickly, call the authorities, and report abuse to nursing home management.

Some injuries are related to a patient's mental and emotional well-being. These are typically less apparent and may develop over a long period. The elderly or disabled resident could be psychologically harmed when subjected to:

• Ignoring or neglecting patients for long periods
• Verbal abuse
• Humiliation or intimidation
• Isolation from other patients and activities

Typically, this type of nursing home abuse occurs with someone whom your family member trusts, like a nursing home staff, facility, friend, or another resident.

These people may take advantage of the victim by:

• Taking money out of the ATM
• Stealing the resident’s personal belongings
• Forging checks
• Forcing them to sign a financial document against their will

Check the accounts of your loved one and verify all estate documents are in order. Some people build such a strong bond with nursing home residents that they can convince this person to change their will and even take property from their families.

Bedsores form when a person remains immobile in a chair or bed for extended periods. The nursing home resident suffers from injuries and discolored or irritated skin on specific body areas, typically the knees, hips, back, and ankles, which indicate bedsores.

Since nursing facility staff must move elderly patients who cannot move independently, bedsores indicate neglect. Bed sores have the potential to cause severe health conditions and even death.

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel has created a system to determine how severe bedsores can become:

• Stage 1: The skin appears red or discolored but is not yet damaged. Pressing on it won't usually lighten or change color but may feel heated or hard to the touch.
• Stage 2: There is sharp pain and skin irritation.
• Stage 3: The sore has progressed to the fat tissues beneath the dermis after puncturing it at the dermis layer, causing tissue damage.
• Stage 4: The wound has exposed the muscle and potentially the bone, ligaments, and tendons, creating an environment for sepsis (blood infection) or osteomyelitis (bone infection).

Neglect occurs when nursing home residents aren't given enough assistance with hygiene tasks like bathing, washing their laundry, cleaning their surroundings, or brushing their teeth.

Whether done on purpose or not, neglecting to provide nursing home residents with the hygienic care they require and deserve is unethical. Lack of hygiene care can be dangerous in addition to being unpleasant.

When proper hygiene is not performed by nursing staff at your loved one’s facility, a resident may be at a greater risk of:

• Infection
• Oral hygiene complications can lead to other problems, such as difficulty chewing and swallowing food.
• Undiagnosed complications Psychological and mental decline.

Common forms of medication errors that occur in nursing homes include:

• Failing to provide the patient with all prescribed drugs
• Over or under-dosing the patient
• Failing to provide a remedy at the correct frequency
• Providing expired drugs
• Giving medication to the wrong person
• Improper preparation of drugs
• Improper administration of medicines
• Administering expired medications
• Using a drug similar to what was prescribed

Nursing homes have a responsibility to keep your loved ones safe. Medication errors can even lead to a wrongful death scenario in nursing home residents who are already more fragile. They must be held accountable when administering incorrect medications or dosages or neglecting nursing home patients.

Nursing home abusers frequently pick on patients who cannot communicate, are disoriented, or fear revenge.

The following are common perpetrators who abuse nursing home patients:

• Staff members: While most employees are genuinely kind people, some are not. Staff members frequently abuse infirm or elderly residents who may require assistance using the restroom, taking a bath, or dressing. Nursing homes may be responsible for paying damages to the residents who suffered nursing home abuse when they improperly screen staff members or fail to act quickly to stop inappropriate behavior.
• Visitors and family members: Anyone visiting the facility for any reason has access to all or most of the facility’s residents. The nursing home is responsible for ensuring that everyone is always safe on the premises.
• Other residents: Residents of nursing homes may purposefully mistreat weaker patients, or they may do so because of their mental disabilities and disorientation. The employees at nursing facilities should receive training on how to spot and end this sexual assault. If they don't, the nursing home might be at fault.

The evidence in every case is different. Because of that, our Toledo nursing home abuse attorneys can't tell you the exact financial amount the responsible party will have to pay your loved one for damages resulting from the abuse they may have suffered in nursing facilities.

A nursing home abuse lawyer can, however, help you understand the types of damages we may be able to recover for your loved one who experienced nursing home neglect or abuse. Our clients and their family members usually collect compensation in Ohio nursing home abuse cases that includes:

• Medical care and related expenses
• The cost of therapy and counseling for mental health issues
• Repayment of any stolen money or other assets
• Damages for physical effects of the abuse and emotional distress
• Funeral and burial costs in wrongful death cases
• Other losses from nursing home neglect

The affiliate Toledo nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC have represented many nursing home patients and families who were victimized by caregivers and other residents at their facility.

Our network of lawyers takes every step possible to ensure that you and your loved one receive the financial compensation you deserve. Our team of dedicated, experienced attorneys provides legal help to stop the many forms of abuse and neglect one resident can suffer.

Contact an affiliate Toledo nursing home abuse lawyer by calling (800) 926-7565 or using our contact form to schedule your appointment for a full case review. The legal team at Nursing Home Law Center LLC is always ready to help you and your loved one.

All information of abuse you share with a personal injury lawyer within our law offices remains confidential. We provide immediate legal representation, advice, and counsel without upfront fees. All our legal services are paid after negotiating an acceptable out-of-court settlement or winning your case at trial.

• American Psychological Association - Senior Citizens Abuse
• HRW: Apprehension Over Neglect in Long-Term Care Facilities
• NCBI: Older People Abuse in Nursing Homes