Gloucester County Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
When you entrust an elderly loved one’s care to a nursing home or assisted living facility, you expect that he or she will enjoy a certain standard of living. You expect that your relative will have access to prompt and adequate medical treatment, will be guaranteed certain legal rights, and will be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. However, many nursing homes around the country permit neglectful care and even outright abuse to jeopardize the safety and well-being of their residents on a daily basis. Statistics indicate that elder abuse is a serious nationwide problem, and unfortunately, Gloucester County is no exception.
If you are worried that your family member is being abused or neglected at his or her care facility, it is critical that you consult with an experienced attorney immediately. Gloucester County nursing home abuse lawyer Brent Wieand can help evaluate your family’s situation, advise you regarding your possible legal options, and fight aggressively for maximum compensation. Your information will always be kept confidential, and you will never pay any atttorney’s fees unless Brent is able to make a recovery for you.
To start discussing your claim in a private legal consultation, call The Nursing Home Injury Help Center at (215) 666-7777 today.
Signs of Elder Abuse: Nursing Home Injury Claims Our Attorneys Handle
In cases where a senior is being harmed by care facility staff members, there are two broad issues which may be to blame: abuse, and negligence. Negligence or neglect means the facility’s caregivers failed to live up to the standards of care provided by state and federal law, while abuse refers to the deliberate infliction of pain or distress. However, abuse is not always physical. Seniors may also be victimized by emotional abuse or sexual abuse, or the mistreatment may even take the form of financial exploitation.
Brent Wieand, creator of The Nursing Home Injury Help Center website, handles a broad spectrum of personal injury claims involving abuse and neglect. If you’ve been affected by any of the following issues, or if you’re simply concerned that your loved one may not be receiving proper care, call Brent right away to arrange for a free and confidential case evaluation:
- Wrongful Death — In very extreme cases, abuse or negligence can both lead to the accidental, preventable death of an elderly resident. In all but a few exceptional circumstances, New Jersey residents have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim.
- Bone Fractures — Broken bones are always painful and inconvenient, but for seniors, the health consequences can be extremely drastic due to diminished bone density. Hip fractures are an especially common problem, with the CDC reporting more than 250,000 hospital admissions in 2010 alone among people aged 65 or older.
- Falls — On a related note, over 95% of hip fractures among the elderly are caused by falls. Nursing home staff members must monitor residents closely and supply any necessary mobility equipment, such as walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.
- Amputation — Many residents of assisted living homes suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, which can necessitate an amputation if the disease is not carefully monitored. If your loved one had to have a foot or leg amputated, the nursing home’s medical staff may not have properly managed his or her illness.
- Dehydration and Malnutrition — Nursing home residents often need assistance feeding themselves due to illness or cognitive issues. If your loved one is losing weight or appears severely fatigued, he or she may not be receiving adequate nutrition.
- Elopement and Wandering — When a resident wanders off of the facility’s premises, it is referred to as “elopement.” Elopement is virtually always the result of under-staffing or careless, inadequate supervision. When a resident elopes, they can be very seriously hurt, particularly because the victims often suffer from issues such as Alzheimer’s or dementia which interfere with memory and decision-making.
- Improper Wound Care — Because older persons have weakened immune systems, early and proactive wound care is critical to maintaining health. If your loved one passed away or was seriously harmed because a wound was allowed to fester or become infected, you may be able to recover damages for your losses.
As with wrongful death claims, New Jersey personal injury claims must be brought within two years of the date of injury. If you fail to meet this two-year deadline, which is known formally as the statute of limitations, your family’s legal recourse may be severely limited unless there are exceptional circumstances. Even if the injury was very recent, it is always to consult with an attorney immediately, both for the sake of the statute and your loved one’s health and safety.
If you’re concerned about elder abuse or a wrongful death in your family, our legal team can help. To arrange for a completely free and confidential case evaluation, call Gloucester County nursing home abuse attorney Brent Wieand right away at (215) 666-7777, or contact us online to get started.
Disclosure: Attorney Brent Wieand’s office is located in Philadelphia, PA. We happily serve clients throughout all of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
