Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in Albuquerque, NM

Nursing Home Abuse in Albuquerque, NM

Unfortunately, there are various types and ways that our elderly loved ones can be taken advantage of in assisted living and nursing home facilities.

Neglect

Neglect is not the same thing as abuse. However, the nursing home is entrusted with taking care of patients who cannot care for themselves. If nursing home staff withhold food or water, fail to maintain your family member’s hygiene, and otherwise neglect them, you may still have the right to financial compensation.

Emotional & Psychological Abuse

Psychological and emotional abuse are some of the most devastating types of abuse a person can endure. Some examples include:

• Name-calling
• Humiliation
• Shame
• Social isolation
• Mocking
• Taking away medical equipment
• Threats of physical violence

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is arguably the most commonly thought of abuse type. Hitting, kicking, punching, burning, and biting are just a few examples of physical abuse. The at-fault party may also face criminal assault and battery charges for physical abuse.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse in nursing homes is one of the most despicable types of abuse. Rape, sexual assault, and other criminal charges may be filed against your abuser. This is in addition to the civil claim you can file against them seeking maximum restitution.

Financial Abuse

One of the lesser-known types of nursing home abuse is financial abuse. Here, the abuser may steal money, make changes to the victim’s power of attorney, write blank checks, forge the victim’s signature, and engage in other types of financial exploitation.

No matter what abuse you or your loved one have been subjected to, you have the right to justice. You can take action today by contacting an experienced Albuquerque nursing home abuse lawyer who can help you make the liable parties pay for their negligence and misconduct.

Signs & Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse

Sadly, nursing home abuse can take many forms. You may not always be able to see signs that your family member is being abused. However, with that in mind, some indications of nursing home abuse that you can keep an eye out for.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms of nursing home abuse are:

• Weight loss or gain
• Unexplained bruises, broken bones, cuts, or burns
• Social isolation
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Being uneasy around nursing home staff
• Personality changes

These are only a few of the signs of nursing home abuse. But that doesn’t mean that these are the only signs that your loved one is being abused. If you have suspicions that your family member is suffering from nursing home abuse, you must reach out to an attorney to explore your legal options.

Who Can Be Sued For Nursing Home Abuse?

When you file your nursing home abuse claim, you will need to name the accused liable parties. It might seem obvious that you would want to file your lawsuit against the person who abused your loved one. This party could be anyone who works within the facility, such as:

• Nurses
• Physicians
• Visiting medical providers
• Secretaries
• Janitorial team members
• Other nursing home staff

But staff members aren’t the only ones who could be abusing your loved one. People visiting the facility and anyone who has access to the nursing home could have subjected your family member to abuse. With that being said, you may also be entitled to file a claim against the nursing home facility itself. In doing so, you will have the opportunity to protect other people who might have been abused potentially.

Compensation in Nursing Home Abuse Cases

When someone in a nursing home or assisted living facility abuses you or someone you love, the victim may be entitled to compensation. There are a couple of different ways that you could go about getting restitution. First, you will likely have the opportunity to file a malpractice claim with the nursing home facility’s malpractice insurance provider. Here, you may be awarded compensation for certain types of economic losses, such as:

• Reimbursement for financial exploitation
• Medical expenses and equipment
• Costs of mental health counseling

But the insurance company may not cover every economic loss. And it is unlikely that they will be willing to come and see you for your non-economic damages. So to get the most out of your Albuquerque Nursing Home Abuse lawsuit, you may need to file a civil claim. Here you can be awarded for every way your life has been impacted by the abuse you endured.

Some of the damages you could recover in your lawsuit include:

• Diminished earning potential
• Lost quality of life
• Physical pain
• Suffering
• Emotional distress
• Property damages
• Damage to your reputation
• Scarring

No amount of money will change what has happened to you. But it can go a long way in helping you rebuild your life. Furthermore, in holding the liable party accountable for their abuse and negligence, you might be able to prevent other people from enduring the same abuse.