Seattle Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Bernard Law Group is dedicated to defending individuals’ rights.
Putting your trust in a nursing home to care for a loved one can be a difficult decision. When the nursing home betrays that trust, the results are devastating.
If you have a loved one who is a nursing home resident in Seattle or will soon become one, you might wonder if the nursing home staff in charge of caring for your loved one is attentive to their needs. If issues arise, will you know how to spot them? Once you spot a problem, do you know how to proceed in order to keep your loved one safe?
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Nursing home abuse is now unfortunately commonplace in the United States. As a large segment of Washington state’s population is or will soon become senior citizens, nursing homes become ready to receive more residents.
When it comes to dealing with these and similar issues, most of us feel abandoned. Without the recourse of professionals, we might not know what step to take following a case of nursing home abuse. That’s why it is essential for the victim’s loved ones to seek the help of an elder abuse lawyer in Seattle.
The nursing home abuse lawyers of Bernard Law Group have over three decades of experience helping victims of nursing home abuse in Seattle. We fight for injury victims and help them obtain justice and fair compensation.
Every year in the United States there are nearly 240,000 documented cases of elder abuse, many of which occur in assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
Elderly persons need to be protected against dishonest and often dangerous nursing home employees. In many occurrences, injuries and accidents that take place in nursing homes are results of neglect and, in some instances, are caused by intentional harm. The elderly need to depend on their family members to assist them if they have been the victim of nursing home negligence in Washington.
If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect of a loved one, it is imperative that you consult a nursing home abuse/neglect attorney immediately.
Nursing home negligence manifests itself in a variety of ways, most of which fall under two basic categories: abuse and neglect. The most common examples of elderly abuse in Seattle, Washington, include:
- Sexual abuse and harassment
- Assault and battery
- Failing to provide food and/or water
- Mishandling of medication
- Unexplained bruises
- Unreasonable constraint
- Confining patient to their room when not medically necessary
- Keeping patient in unsanitary conditions
- Failing to provide proper hygiene and/or shelter
- Theft of property
- Coercion of patient into selling property
- Wrongful use of guardianship, power of attorney, etc.
While some of these types of elderly abuse and neglect are easy to spot, others aren’t. That’s why it is important to know what to look for before it is too late.
When assessing a potential case of elderly abuse involving a loved one in a nursing home or assisted care facility, you should always look for the following signs and symptoms:
- Sudden weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Wounds and bedsores that won’t heal
- Injuries such as broken bones, cuts, burns, or others
- Signs of dehydration
- Sudden mood changes like depression
- Sudden and unexplained illnesses or even death
- Withdrawal from regular activities
- Fearful behavior toward or around nursing staff
- Confusion not associated with previous condition
- Chronic infections
- Falling accidents or unexplained falls caused by understaffing, lack of supervision
- Staff members refuse to leave during visits
- Family members are denied access to elderly patient
- Elderly patient appears overly medicated
For more signs and information regarding suspicious activities involving a loved one in a nursing home or assisted care facility, visit the National Center On Elder Abuse website.
Both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal agency, and the State of Washington have outlined the types of activities and incidents that are considered to be abuse of elderly adults.
In Washington, we are privileged to have the Abuse of Vulnerable Adults Statute, which protects the elderly and those who are most vulnerable.
The statute states that a vulnerable adult is or may be one or more of the following:
- An adult who is not able to provide for their basic life necessities
- An adult over the age of 60 who is unable to care for themselves
- An adult who lives in long-term care facilities, nursing homes, boarding homes, or similar assisted living facilities
- An adult who has disabilities, chronic diseases, or developmental disorders that keep them from being able to care for themselves
- An adult who still lives in their own home but who can no longer care for their own health or basic necessities on their own
What Should I Do If I Suspect Nursing Home Abuse In Seattle?
If you suspect a loved one is the victim of elderly abuse in a Seattle nursing home or assisted living facility, there are a few steps you should take to protect them:
- Remove the victim from the facility as soon as possible
- Contact law enforcement and the district attorney’s office to report the abuse
- Reach out to an attorney
All too often, nursing home and assisted care facility administrators are left off the hook for allowing abuse to take place. Nobody’s life should be endangered in such a manner. If you or a loved one has suffered due to neglect and abuse in a nursing home or similar facility in Seattle, keep in mind that you have options.
When searching for a Seattle nursing home abuse lawyer, make use of the tools the internet provides by searching the law firms with experience in this area in your community. Once you have a list of potential lawyers, look at their reviews online.
Look for an attorney who has experience and whose settlements and awards speak for themselves.
Ask yourself:
Is this attorney knowledgeable in nursing home abuse cases?
Does the attorney have a history of helping their clients obtain proper compensation for their injuries and damage?
If the answer to both of these questions is yes, contact the law firm and ask for an evaluation of your case, have your questions answered, and schedule a meeting to discuss your case.
During the first meeting, be prepared to get to know your attorney better and to discuss your case in depth. You want an attorney who will be an advocate for your cause and your loved one. Both the attorney and their team need to know everything about your case. During this first meeting, you will get a better idea of whether your attorney is a good fit for you.
Before making up your mind about which law firm to pick, make sure you have all your questions answered, details regarding fees and any additional cost put in writing, and that you feel comfortable with the attorney and their law firm staff.
Do Not Let Negligent Seattle Nursing Care Facilities Get Away With Abuse
If you or a loved one suffered abuse while under the care of a nursing home or assisted living facility, you do not need to go through the process of obtaining justice alone. As a matter of fact, you and your loved ones can benefit greatly from relying on the help of a seasoned attorney.
If you require help and would like to get more information on how an attorney can help, take advantage of our free consultation. We are available to take your call 24 hours a day. Call us anytime at 1-800-418-8282 for a free injury case evaluation.
The Bernard Law Group has over three decades of experience in Washington personal injury matters. Our skilled team of Washington attorneys will investigate the facts, assess your claim, establish which parties and insurance companies are to be held responsible, and organize all of the details of composing and presenting your case.
Examples Of Bernard Law Group’s Nursing Home Abuse Settlements
70 year old woman who was a resident of a nursing care facility. She was dropped by an attendant who was attempting to transfer her from the bed to the wheelchair. She sustained serious injuries which ultimately resulted in her death. Nursing home was in violation of failing to comply with the care plan.
80 year old woman who was a resident of a nursing care facility in Oregon. Prior medical problems included multiple strokes. She died as a result of negligence in failing to follow the care plan. Defendants claimed she died from complications from her strokes. Oregon law limits recovery in claims involving health care.
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