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June 20, 2021

When Should I Talk To a Nursing Home Lawyer?

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Posted in Wisconsin Workers Compensation Related News

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

When your loved one is in a nursing home, you expect them to receive proper care. This includes receiving medication on time, eating three meals a day, and spending plenty of time doing activities. Unfortunately, as a nursing home abuse lawyer in Kansas City, MO from a firm like  Royce Injury Attorneys LLC can explain, this isn’t always the case. Here’s what to do if you suspect your loved one may be being abused.

Signs of Abuse in Nursing Home Residents

There are some definite signs you can look for to determine whether or not your loved one is suffering in their nursing home.

Physical abuse is the most visible: Look for unexplained broken bones or sprains, bruising or scratches, or signs of restraint. Other physical signs include broken glasses, improperly dispensed medication, bedsores, or staff members seeming hesitant to leave you alone with your loved one.

Emotional abuse also occurs in some nursing home environments. Sometimes, an emotional abuse victim may show signs of dementia without a diagnosis, such as rocking or mumbling. He or she may also seem more withdrawn and be uninterested in previously enjoyed activities. 

When To Contact a Nursing Home Lawyer

If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, the best time to contact a nursing home lawyer is immediately. An attorney who specializes in such cases can help you gather evidence, including talking to potential witnesses and pulling the nursing home’s records. An attorney can also assist you with filing your case in court and helping you through the litigation process.

What To Expect During Your Abuse Case

There are four main steps to a nursing home abuse case: Pre-suit investigation, discovery, trial preparation, and the trial itself. The pre-suit investigation is when you will pull medical records for your loved one and review the history not only while in the nursing home but for up to a decade prior.

The second step is the discovery process. Once a pattern of abuse is established for a resident, a lawyer can review thousands of pages of a nursing home’s medical documents, as well as the financial documents of any corporations that own it.

Trial preparation includes narrowing the documents down to the most important ones, preparing expert witnesses and serving other witnesses with papers to appear, and more. Finally, when the court date arrives, your attorney will help you present your case in front of a judge.

If you suspect a loved one is suffering emotional, physical, or sexual abuse in a nursing home, the time to act is now. Contact an experienced nursing home lawyer to begin building your case. 

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