Denver is home to dozens of nursing homes that provide around-the-clock care to older adults. While most assisted living facilities offer considerate and compassionate services to everyone in their care, some do not. For example, some nursing home employees—through inadvertent carelessness or intentional malice—allow residents to suffer physical, psychological, and emotional harm that can have devastating effects on their quality of life, health, and well-being.
If you suspect a beloved family member has been mistreated in their nursing home, contact a Denver nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible. After ensuring your loved one is safe from further harm, a dedicated personal injury attorney could help you pursue legal action against the responsible parties and demand fair compensation for their injuries.
Like other personal injury cases, nursing home mistreatment claims are built around the legal theory of “negligence,” which allows people to be held financially accountable in court for causing another person harm. If a patient can prove that a facility violated a duty of care owed to them, an injured patient can file a civil suit for any intentional or unintentional act that led to their injuries.
In this context, “breaches of duty” include physical abuse by a staff member and failing to hire enough staff or hiring workers unqualified to handle their job responsibilities. A nursing home resident or a loved one filing suit on their behalf may demand restitution through a civil claim for every form of harm those injuries have caused or may cause in the future, including:
If abuse or neglect leads to a nursing home resident’s premature death, a nursing home abuse attorney in Denver could help surviving family members recover for losses they may experience in the wake of their loved one’s passing.
Identifying nursing home abuse can be challenging for family members, primarily if a resident cannot communicate clearly regarding the mistreatment or fears further neglect. Generally, anyone with a family member in a nursing home should check in with their loved one’s caretakers regularly, ask questions about anything that seems out of place, and follow up with facility management if they suspect abuse.
Additionally, any sudden changes in a resident’s personality or mood may be concerning, mainly if they occur around a particular staff member. Likewise, relatives should check for unexpected changes in their loved one’s estate planning documents and personal finances. A seasoned local lawyer could help families identify signs of nursing home abuse and guide in taking appropriate legal action.
No one deserves to be mistreated by their caretakers, especially those suffering from substantial physical and cognitive challenges. If you are concerned your family member might be experiencing abuse or neglect inside their nursing home, taking prompt and proactive action on their behalf could be crucial to protecting their best interests.
A knowledgeable Denver nursing home abuse lawyer could provide the guidance you need to protect your loved one. Call today to learn more and get started on your claim.