Making the decision to rehome your loved one in a nursing facility is a difficult decision to make. When you do so, you expect that the staff at the facility will treat them with the respect that they deserve. Unfortunately, abuse is an all too common problem in nursing homes across the United States.
If you suspect that your loved one is suffering at the hands of abusive nursing staff in Maryland, you may be right. To fully understand what your options are, get in touch with a lawyer to learn what you can do to hold the nursing home accountable for the harm they’ve caused.
The team at CHASENBOSCOLO understands the pain and confusion that families feel when they discover a loved one is being abused by the very people meant to care for them. When your loved one is being mistreated, neglected, and abused in a nursing home you have the right to file a claim against their abusers. We have been fighting for injury victims and their families for over 30 years, and we are ready to help you.
Our Maryland injury attorneys have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for people who have been on the losing end of the harmful actions of others. Call one of our nursing home abuse lawyers for a free consultation today at (301) 220-0050. Taking the first step is never easy. However, if a nursing home staff has caused your family harm, they should answer for their actions.
Do I Need a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
Bringing a civil case against a negligent nursing home is, first and foremost, about your loved one. If you decide to file a nursing home abuse claim, hiring a skilled injury attorney to handle your case will help you achieve the best legal outcome. Unfortunately, physical abuse that patients endure in a nursing home can often end in injuries such as broken bones, sprains, and lacerations. A suitable settlement will allow you to cover the cost of your loved one’s medical treatments and any other expenses that their abuse has incurred.
Though each case has its own timeline, when you are eager to see justice done, guidance from an attorney can expedite the process. Your lawyer will walk you through every step of the legal process – from the investigation and discovery to the pre-trial and trial. No matter if your case is resolved in the form of a settlement or your lawyer takes your claim to court, the support of a skilled nursing home abuse lawyer keeps your claim on track especially if the nursing home’s insurer or attorney attempts to delay any progress.
Additionally, in holding abusive care staff responsible for the damage that they have caused, your claim also sends a message to the facility. In many cases, legal consequences are the most expedient way to inspire reform. By successfully recovering damages from the abusive nursing facility, your claim may save another resident from exposure to the same mistreatment.
Why Hire CHASENBOSCOLO to Handle My Case?
The lawyers at CHASENBOSCOLO take pride in the results we have been able to achieve for clients over the last three decades. We have helped families in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. hold abusive nursing home facilities accountable for the damage they’ve caused.
When you are looking for a lawyer, especially if it is your first time needing legal representation, it can be hard to know who to trust. Our team is assembled only of compassionate and talented lawyers who are fully committed to putting your needs first. Through our efforts both in and out of the courtroom, the CHASENBOSCOLO team has a reputation for excellent service and results.
As much as you need support, you also need a lawyer with the skill to get results. Since we’ve been working on behalf of injury victims and their families, we have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in favorable settlements and verdicts for our clients. Our team has the tenacity, grit, and legal acumen to fight for you and secure the results you need.
Nursing Home Abuse Cases We Handle
When you trust a nursing home and their staff to provide your loved one with the level of care that they require, you expect them to deliver. Nursing home staff have a duty to care for residents. When this duty is breached and an injury occurs as a result, victims may be left with excruciating physical pain, emotional trauma, exorbitant medical expenses, and injuries that they may never fully heal from. The abuse that your loved one is subjected to can take numerous forms, including:
Physical Abuse: Nursing staff may push, shove, or slap residents, or even resort to using restraints on them. There is no excuse for this behavior. Physical abuse can easily cause emotional trauma in addition to physical injuries. Since it can result in serious injuries, even using slight force with a patient in a fragile physical condition can be characterized as abusive behavior.
Emotional Abuse: When nursing home staff uses verbal abuse, threats, and harmful tactics like social isolation, they create a hostile living environment. This type of emotional abuse is particularly damaging and disorienting for residents with cognitive issues like dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.
Neglect: Withholding basic care like access to food, water, medication, and hygiene are all forms of abuse. Failing to provide adequate care for residents is not only inhumane but also a serious health issue.
Sexual Abuse: Unfortunately, residents in nursing homes are often vulnerable to the predatory advances of abusive caregivers. Sexual contact in the form of unwanted advances, coercion, and rape are all serious forms of abuse.
Financial Abuse: Financial abuse in a nursing home can range from money being stolen from your loved one’s wallet to a staff member coercing your loved one to amend their estate plan or will in their favor. If your loved one makes any sudden and significant changes to their finances, it is worth approaching these amendments with a critical eye.
If you suspect your loved one is being abused, they may be afraid or unable to talk to you about what they’ve been through. Common signs of nursing home abuse include:
- Withdrawing from social situations
- Uncommonly aggressive or emotional behavior
- Restraint marks and bruising
- Sudden weight loss
- Dehydration
- Unkempt living conditions
- Poor hygiene
- Unexplained injuries and bruising
- Monetary withdraws
- Sudden changes to estate plans
Your loved one may not be comfortable communicating with you explicitly about the abuse for fear of retaliation from the staff. This is unfortunately common, so if you notice these changes in mood or behavior, you need to take them seriously and further investigate.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are serious about filing a nursing home abuse case in Maryland, the injury lawyers at CHASENBOSCOLO are ready to help. We know you have plenty of concerns about what the legal process entails. Check out some of our frequently asked questions below, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us to discuss your case.
How Long Do I Have to Take Action?
Maryland Courts & Judicial Proceedings Code section 5-101 allows three years for you to file a claim. When you begin to suspect that your loved one is being abused, it is best to take action sooner than later, not only for your loved one’s safety but also for the outcome of your claim. As time passes, proving neglect and abuse can become more difficult so it’s a good idea to be as proactive as possible.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire CHASENBOSCOLO?
The team at CHASENBOSCOLO works on a contingency basis, which means that you do not pay up front for your legal representation. We have a No Fee Guarantee®, which ensures that you only pay us if we are able to secure a favorable settlement or verdict for you.
Will the Abusive Staff Be Charged with a Crime?
Nursing home abuse cases are a civil matter, which is different from criminal law. While you are able to hold the nursing home accountable for their actions, the success of a nursing home abuse claim in civil court will not result in any criminal penalties for the abuser. Civil action is meant to recover damages for the harm that your loved one has endured, criminal prosecution’s goal is to penalize the abuser for their actions. If your loved one has been the victim of a crime, their situation may warrant criminal prosecution as well.
Contact a Maryland Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today
While no favorable legal outcome will undo the abuse your loved one has experienced, holding the responsible party legally accountable for their actions can bring your family some much-needed closure on a difficult chapter. When your family member is suffering at the hands of abusive or negligent nursing home staff, it is your job to be their voice. Reach out to our Maryland nursing home abuse lawyers to discuss your case, your options, and how to best fight for the justice that your loved one deserves. To set up a free consultation with one of our lawyers, call (301) 220-0050 today.
