When you place your loved one in a nursing home facility, you expect that they will treat your family member with the respect they deserve. Deciding to move a family member to a nursing home is hard. In fact, it’s one of the hardest decisions that any family ever has to make. Even with extensive research, there’s no guarantee your loved one won’t experience nursing home neglect or abuse. If you suspect a problem with the nursing home, let the Illinois nursing home abuse lawyers at Gerling Law help.
How to Identify Abuse or Neglect in Nursing Homes
Unfortunately, even the best-rated Illinois nursing home facilities can be guilty of neglect or abuse. It’s helpful to understand the various types of nursing home abuse and potential warning signs. There are four main types of nursing home abuse to familiarize yourself with. These are physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse.
When you visit your family member, watch for red flags that could point to neglect or abuse. If you suspect something is amiss, it’s imperative to take swift action and ensure no further harm comes to your loved one. Some of the most common signs of potential nursing home abuse and neglect include:
- Broken bones;
- Unexplained bruises, welts, or lacerations;
- Bedsores from not moving immobile patients;
- Significant changes in their emotional state;
- Unsanitary room conditions;
- Malnutrition or dehydration;
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain;
- Withdrawing from usual activities; and
- Missing money or personal property.
In some cases, nursing home facilities lack adequate staff to supervise all residents properly. When nursing homes don’t monitor residents, it can lead to injuries. This can be deadly for people who are high-risk for falls or have memory-related conditions and get lost. Don’t hesitate to contact our nursing home neglect lawyers right away if you have suspected nursing home abuse or neglect on a prior visit.
How Can an Attorney Help You?
You shouldn’t try to pursue a claim for nursing home abuse and neglect alone. Get help from an attorney who specializes in these cases. When you search lawyers for nursing home abuse cases, contact Gerling Law for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. We have decades of experience helping clients just like you.
We will be there for you and take care of all the complicated legal issues, so you don’t have to. We want you to concentrate on your loved one while we work to hold the nursing home facility responsible. Our team of Illinois nursing home abuse lawyers is committed to protecting your family’s rights.
Nursing Home Abuse in Illinois—Rules and Regulations
Nursing homes are bound by regulations on a state and federal level. Under federal law, nursing homes must comply with the Nursing Home Reform Act. The NHRA mandates that homes have sufficient staff; provide hygiene, nutrition, and grooming to residents who cannot perform such tasks; and maintain each resident’s dignity and respect. These are just a few of the rules that comprise the “Residents’ Bill of Rights.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency that has published its regulations on long term care facilities. A large portion of Medicaid and Medicare funding goes toward nursing home care and long-term care services for the disabled and elderly. These guidelines further regulate compliance of any facility that is Medicaid- or Medicare-approved.
The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act is the state-level law that governs nursing homes. Its purpose is to ensure no resident is deprived of their rights, privileges, or benefits that are guaranteed by the U.S Constitution or under state law due to residing in a nursing home. It outlines several protections and provisions. These provisions include but are not limited to:
- The right for residents to refuse medical care;
- Requirements that facilities provide adequate personal property storage and a secure area for smaller items of value; and
- Requirements that physicians give orders and oversee medical treatments.
Despite all these regulations, some nursing homes do not take the necessary steps to keep abuse from happening.
Filing a Claim for Abuse or Neglect
Stressful working conditions, high turnover rates, and inadequate training are three common causes of neglect in nursing homes. It’s imperative to hold these nursing homes accountable. Other families shouldn’t have to experience what you’re going through. To understand how the filing process works in these types of cases, you should first schedule an appointment with our office.
When you retain our firm to represent you, we will build the strongest case possible. We start by obtaining all necessary documentation and relevant evidence. We will compare what is happening with the facility against what the current regulations and rules are. If we determine your case has merit, we’ll send a demand letter to the nursing home requesting compensation.
In most cases, you should not expect the matter to resolve quickly. Nursing homes don’t want to admit guilt, and they don’t want any payouts on their records. Abuse and neglect in nursing homes typically aren’t limited to only one case. There is a pattern of abuse that must be stopped.
Go with Experience, Go with Gerling
Choosing the right Illinois nursing home abuse lawyers is essential. Not all personal injury attorneys in the state have the same level of experience. You need to choose a law firm with the right kind of experience. At Gerling Law, we have decades of experience helping clients in all types of personal injury matters, including suspected nursing home abuse.If you have concerns about a loved one’s safety in their nursing home, contact our Illinois nursing home abuse lawyers immediately. Call Gerling Law at 1-888-GERLING (888-437-5464) or complete our online case review to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. You want an attorney who can get results. You want Gerling Law. Remember, Go with Experience. Go with Gerling.™.