ALABAMA NURSING HOME ABUSE ATTORNEYS
Millions Recovered On Behalf Of Our Clients
FIGHTING TO PROTECT VICTIMS OF ABUSE IN NURSING FACILITIES
Seeking the Compensation You Deserve
Our country’s graying baby boomer generation is creating an increased demand for nursing home care. The growing number of elderly citizens who need long-term care in their later years has led to higher incidents of abuse in nursing homes and facilities.
If your loved one has suffered abuse in a nursing home abuse, he or she is entitled to make a claim to recover damages against the home’s owners and/or staff responsible for the safety of its residents. Our experienced Alabama nursing home abuse lawyers can provide skilled and compassionate care throughout your claim.
Call Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana today at (251) 444-7000 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Alabama.
Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse
Elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes are often attributed to:
- Failure to screen staff
- Understaffing
- Inadequate training
- High turnover rates
- Hiring staff members who lack compassion for their patients
Nursing Home Abuse Statistics
These statistics display the shocking extent of the abuse of the elderly in our nation’s care facilities:
- An estimated 10 percent of nursing home residents are being abused.
- 90% of all nursing homes are understaffed.
- 1 in every 3 nursing homes has been cited for patient abuse.
- Only 1 of every 5 incidents of abuse or neglect is reported to anyone; only 1 in 14 is reported to the proper authorities.
- 1 in 25 nursing home residents is a victim of financial abuse.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
- Neglect of patients resulting in bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition, infection, and poor hygiene.
- Physical abuse, including slapping, pinching, restraining, or overmedicating.
- Emotional abuse, including verbal insults, humiliation, threats, and/or isolation.
- Sexual abuse, including sexual harassment, unwanted touching, genital contact or penetration, or unwanted exposure to pornography.
- Financial abuse, such as cashing a patient’s checks without their knowledge, forging a patient’s signature on a check, stealing a patients’ money or possessions, tricking or forcing a patient to sign a will or other financial document.
Signs of Abuse in Nursing Homes
Studies have shown that nursing home patients who receive few visits are more likely to be neglected or abused. By visiting your loved one frequently without advance warning to the staff, you will be better able to observe if anything is amiss that might indicate neglect or abuse.
Look for these signs when visiting your loved ones in a nursing or care home:
- Unattended wandering
- Observable weight loss or sunken appearance
- Bedsores
- Bruises, especially on wrists and ankles
- Torn garments
- Blood on undergarments
- Fearfulness and withdrawal
- Matted hair, body odor, and other signs of poor hygiene
- Unsatisfactory answers to your questions by staff
- Signs of overmedication
- Missing possessions
- Frequent visits to emergency rooms of different hospitals
Many elderly people fail to report abuse because they fear retaliation or because they are cognitively impaired and unable to communicate. If you observe any of these signs of possible abuse, report them to Senior Protective Services and consult a nursing home abuse attorney.
Experienced Counsel for Victims & Families of Nursing Home Abuse
Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana is an excellent resource for information, advice, and legal representation to assist victims and families of nursing home abuse. We are deeply committed to preserving the dignity and well-being of the older members of our state and community and are passionate about holding nursing home facilities accountable for failing to offer proper care to its residents.
Client Testimonial
”This law firm has been nothing less than a delight to be associated with. Randall Caldwell and his team have been hard at work on my case since I first came to them for help. In the meantime, every legal matter I have had questions, concerns, or needed any repressentation with, they have not hesitated to step out of their normal proceedings to help their client. Deborah and Jackie have been EXTREMELY helpful during all of this. Deborah has gone beyond helpful, postponing her schedule to work on urgent matters of mine. Any time I go to the office, the staff is friendly and professional and everyone always speaks to me. It’s very refreshing to always feel so welcome. My appreciation for this law firm and associates can not be expressed in words. I trust all of these people here and recommend them to everyone.” – Shelby Godwin (Google Review)
GETTING HELP
Our Award-Winning Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers have recovered millions on behalf of our clients. While other attorneys try to avoid litigation, we thrive in high-stakes litigation. Contact Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana, P.C. to put our exceptional skills to work for your injury claim.
