When you entrust your loved one into the care of a nursing home, you expect them to be treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve. When that trust is broken, your family deserves justice and accountability. The Denver personal injury lawyers at Dulin McQuinn Young is here to help guide you through the legal process of demanding them. Contact us today to get started with a free consultation to discuss your legal rights and options.
How Can a Denver Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Help?
Navigating a complex legal claim can be difficult when you are also balancing finding new care for your loved one and managing your regular responsibilities. A legal advocate can review your situation in a confidential setting and lay out the various legal options that are available to you and your family.
By hiring a Denver nursing home abuse attorney, you secure the assistance of a legal professional who can:
- Investigate the allegations to determine whether abuse or neglect occurred
- Identify all parties responsible for your loved one’s injuries and legal theories to hold them accountable
- Gather evidence to prove your claim, including police reports, incident reports, reports from nursing home review agencies, video footage, medical records, and photos of injuries
- Interview your loved one and others who can help prove nursing home neglect or abuse
- File complaints with the police, a ombudsman office in Denver, and other appropriate agencies
- Manage communication with the insurance company
- Demand compensation in or our of the courtroom
Call us today to find out more why so many injured Denver residents turn to our legal team for help.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse occurs when a nursing home caregiver neglects or mistreats residents. Some people take advantage of others in a vulnerable position, including those who have cognitive deficits or are unable to communicate. Others take their job frustrations out on the ones for whom they are paid to care. No matter the reason, nursing home abuse is wrong and should be stopped.
Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including the following:
- Physical abuse: Physical abuse involves the use of force, threats, or violence, including being pushed, slapped, hit, struck, or improperly restrained.
- Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse involves insulting, yelling at, threatening, or isolating a resident in a nursing home, leading to fear, anxiety, or depression.
- Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse is any form of unwanted sexual contact or inappropriate sexual behavior with a patient incapable of providing consent.
- Financial abuse: Financial abuse occurs when a caregiver takes property or money from a resident or has them make changes to their legal documents to the caregiver’s benefit.
- Neglect: Neglect occurs when a facility fails to provide adequate food, water, shelter, or medical oversight. This frequently includes failing to monitor residents, leading to dangerous slip and fall accidents that result in broken bones or head injuries.
If you suspect that your loved one is being abused in any of the ways described above, reach out immediately to the legal team at Dulin Mcquinn Young for assistance. Our compassionate Denver nursing home abuse lawyers can listen to your concerns and inform you of the next steps that you can take to fight for the justice your loved one deserves.
Why Should I File a Nursing Home Abuse Case?
There are several reasons why you should take legal action if you suspect that your loved one is being abused, including:
- You can stop the abuse.
- You can bring attention to systemic issues.
- You can bring about changes at the home to prevent other abuse.
- You can reduce your family’s financial stress.
To talk about your legal options in more detail, contact Dulin McQuinn Young for a free consultation.
Damages Awarded in Nursing Home Abuse Cases
Civil courts can award damages to compensate for the economic and non-economic losses your family has experienced, such as:
- Medical costs to treat injuries
- Counseling costs
- Other expenses caused by the defendant’s actions
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disabilities or impairments
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of interest in life
In the most tragic cases, severe neglect or physical abuse can lead to a resident’s passing. If you have lost a family member, our Denver wrongful death lawyers can help your family seek accountability and compensation for funeral costs and emotional loss.
What Should I Do If I Suspect Nursing Home Abuse?
If you believe that your loved one is being abused in a Denver nursing home, you must act quicky to protect them and their legal rights. Take these steps to do so:
- Call the police: If you believe that your loved one is in immediate danger, contact the local police.
- Remove your loved one: Try to find another location for your loved one to get them out of immediate danger.
- Talk to your loved one: Speak to your loved one about your concerns. Listen to their specific account, and notice any hesitation or discomfort that arises when they talk about certain staff members.
- Document the abuse: As best as you are able, take photos of any injuries or unsafe conditions that you noticed with specific details about the dates, times, and witnesses to the events. If you have a recording device in your loved one’s room, preserve the video so that it does not accidentally get written over.
- Report the abuse to authorities: Contact other agencies to report the abuse, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Adult Protective Services, or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. These agencies can conduct an independent investigation.
- Contact an experienced Denver nursing home abuse lawyer for additional assistance. We can investigate your case, explain your legal rights, and fight to protect your loved one.
Call Our Denver Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers for a Free and Confidential Consultation
If your loved one was harmed by the actions of a nursing home staff member, the legal team at Dulin McQuinn Young wants to help. We use our in-depth knowledge of the law and commitment to protect the vulnerable to restore nursing home victims’ dignity. We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. Call us today for a free case evaluation.