NURSING HOME ABUSE
What is nursing home abuse?
In Illinois, there about 1,200 long-term care facilities that include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and residential care facilities. Those 1,200 facilities serve more than 100,000 residents combined and have a responsibility and legal obligation to care of the needs of the residents to the best of their abilities. Although these facilities are inspected by the Illinois Department of Public Health on an annual basis, neglect and misconduct can still occur and many instances still go unreported.
Whether you or a loved one was injured or killed while under the care of a nursing home, assisted living facility, or residential care facility, you deserve compensation. The decision to trust a long-term care facility with your loved one was likely a difficult one. James J. Gay Law, LLC will work with you to recover the compensation you deserve in a timely manner.
Once you or your family sense the possibility of nursing home abuse, it is best to remove them from the situation, even going so far as to call 911 if they are in imminent danger, as soon as possible. You can report the facility to the Illinois Department of Public Health at
Residents of long-term care facilities are often physically and/or mentally fragile, often needing help from nursing home staff to eat, bathe, and move. The power dynamic between residents and nursing home staff, other healthier residents, and nursing home visitors can lead to:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial manipulation
- Negligence, whether physical or medical
Nursing home abuse or neglect can be difficult to spot for family and loved ones of the victim.
Most often these signs will be subtle. Some warning signs that the victim of nursing home abuse might exhibit could include:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, broken bones or other injuries
- Weight loss
- Unexplained changes in mood, mental state, or interest in activities
- Unusual change in behavior
- Unexplained changes in finance, estate documents, or other important materials
- Wanting to be left alone
- Not wanting to be left alone with certain nursing home staff members
- Smell of urine or feces
- Torn clothing or bedding
- Loss of personal property
Some injuries that may occur to a resident as a result of abuse, misconduct, or negligence are:
- Bruises, cuts, abrasions, burns, or lacerations
- Bedsores or pressure sores
- Broken bones or sprains
- Unexplained falls
- Head injuries
- Medication errors, including misdiagnosis, underdose, or overdose
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Depression and anxiety
- Sepsis
- Choking negligence
- Clogged breathing tube
- Belittling and other emotional trauma
- Nonconsensual sexual contact of any kind
- Unreasonable physical restraints
- Chemical restraints, such as issuing antipsychotics unnecessarily
- Wrongful, unexplained, or untimely death *
- Financial exploitation
- Inadequate staffing and/or training
- Inadequate nursing home conditions and maintenance of facilities
- Lack of access to medical care
- Lack of appropriate assistance
- Contractual violations
- Wandering from facility
How we can help you with your nursing home abuse case
If you or a loved one have been the victim of nursing home abuse, misconduct, or negligence, you may be able to sue for damages. You want to hold a long-term care facility accountable for the harm that you or a loved one suffered while under their care. We will fight to get you compensation for such things as:
- Nursing home expenses
- Past and future medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death *
The James J. Gay Law, LLC has experienced attorneys who can help you recover the damages you deserve. Although we must trust medical professionals with the health and care of our loved ones, they can take advantage of their position. Our lawyers are here to get you the compensation you and your loved one deserve and, by suing the long-term care facility, to protect future residents from the suffering in similar ways.
The next step in your nursing home abuse case with James Gay Law
Give us a call today and make an appointment. We’ll take a look at your case, and any records you may have, and discuss how we can get the help you get the compensation you need.
Give us a call today 312.800.1970 and make an appointment.
We’ll take a look at your case and discuss how we can get help you get back on your feet again with the compensation you need.
James J. Gay Law fights for individuals who have sustained injuries in a variety of situations. Different degrees of fault can exist and several elements are necessary to prove a case in court and be successful against the wrongdoer or negligent party in a tort action. Also, more than one person or party may be at fault, and responsibility may be apportioned among all of the wrongdoers.
In some instances, the victim may even be partly at fault for the tragedy but that does not necessarily mean the person does not have a right to bring a lawsuit. Consulting with an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer such as James J. Gay Law, LLC is important to determine whether or not a particular claim should be brought to court to achieve a fair resolution for an injured person.
Working with an experienced law firm is the only way to recover the damages you or your loved one are owed. Make an appointment with the James J. Gay Law and you’ll receive a free consultation with an experienced lawyer who can help you recover both monetary and non-economic damages.