When you place someone you love in a nursing home, it means trusting the staff and healthcare professionals with their care. If they fail to provide appropriate care, or if your loved one is intentionally harmed, a nursing home abuse lawyer in Joliet can hold the responsible parties accountable.
The experienced attorneys of Postman Law have recovered more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients. If you’re concerned about the treatment of a loved one, our Joliet personal injury lawyer can investigate what happened and determine if the nursing home facility violated Illinois law.
Nursing Home Abuse Can Take Many Forms
Your loved one’s everyday life, including basic hygiene, health, and safety, will be in the hands of the various medical personnel and staff at the nursing home. Mistreatment can involve a wide range of actions. Common forms of nursing home abuse in Joliet include:
- Physical abuse: When people think of abuse, they often visualize physical abuse, like hitting, pinching, rough handling, improper restraint, pushing, and kicking. Physical abuse causes bruising, fractures and broken bones, head injuries, and other trauma.
- Neglect: Neglectful actions may mean that the nursing home staff fails to provide a resident with enough nutritious food, causing malnourishment. In addition, neglect can be failing to reposition a resident as needed, give water, or provide assistance with hygiene.
- Emotional or psychological abuse: Mental anguish can be caused when a resident experiences threats, harassment, humiliation, isolation, or intimidation. While uniquely challenging to prove, a Joliet nursing home abuse lawyer can help you establish emotional abuse by compiling a timeline of behavioral changes supported by witness statements and observations of family.
- Sexual abuse: Residents who suffer from dementia, cognitive impairment, or communication difficulties are highly susceptible to nonconsensual sexual conduct and abuse.
- Financial exploitation: While not as talked about as physical abuse or neglect, financial elder abuse is a pervasive problem. Some forms may be unauthorized withdrawals, signing over their home to a caregiver, forged documents, or improper changes to financial contracts.
At Postman Law, our team has served more than 1.4 million clients, representing victims of nursing home abuse with the dignity they deserve. We understand that investigating suspicions of abuse or neglect can be difficult for a family. Our attorneys are here to help.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer serving Joliet, call 844-767-8626
Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Are Serious Problems in Illinois
Abuse and neglect involving older and vulnerable adults can take many forms and, unfortunately, the warning signs are not always immediately noticeable. For example, older adults tend to bruise much more easily due to thinning skin and a natural weakening of blood vessels.
However, data from Adult Protective Services (APS) Statistics found disturbing information on how pervasive elder abuse and neglect is in Illinois. The 2024 annual report shows:
- Financial exploitation: 25.05%
- Emotional abuse: 16.64%
- Physical abuse: 11.09%
- Passive neglect: 10.59%
- Confinement: 2.53%
- Abandonment: 1.07%
- Sexual abuse: .98%
While the percentages above include all elder abuse, Illinois tracks investigations into nursing home misconduct, care failures, abuse, and neglect quarterly. In the last quarter of 2024, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported 305 violations.
This includes six facilities cited for type “AA” violations. An “AA” violation of the Nursing Home Care Act is the most severe and describes an occurrence that led to the death of a resident.
Joliet Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 844-767-8626
Signs of Elderly Abuse or Neglect
If you suspect your loved one is experiencing abuse, it is important to protect their safety. It is also critical to familiarize yourself with the various signs of nursing home abuse and neglect, including:
- Bedsores or pressure ulcers
- Dehydration and malnutrition
- Untreated infections
- Poor hygiene, soiled clothing, or soiled bedding
- Sudden fear, anxiety, withdrawal, or depression
- Unexplained cuts, bruises, burns, or fractures
- Frequent falls
- Excessive sedation
- Missing money or personal property
Unexpected changes in behavior can also be a red flag, especially if your loved one cannot explain what is happening. If a resident becomes fearful around certain staff members or nurses, unusually withdrawn, agitated, or reluctant to speak privately, it may mean something more is going on.
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Who May Be Liable for Nursing Home Abuse?
Liable parties in a nursing home abuse claim should be held accountable for their actions. Depending on the circumstances, multiple parties may share fault. Some of the most common responsible parties in nursing home abuse cases include:
- Nursing home company or the facility operator: Those in charge of the nursing home and run the day-to-day operations.
- Nurses: Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), and nursing assistants may be held liable for intentional acts of harm or negligence.
- Administrators or supervisors: Nursing home directors and other health care administrators may fail to respond to complaints or patterns of inappropriate conduct.
- Other healthcare professionals: Physical therapists, occupational therapists, geriatric psychiatrists, physicians, and other healthcare providers can fail to properly address ailments and injuries; this can lead to complications and additional harm.
Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have a duty of care to their residents. Violating this standard of care can cause immeasurable harm to vulnerable adults in their care.
Potential Compensation in a Nursing Home Abuse Claim
Damages associated with nursing home abuse will depend entirely on the details of your claim. Your loved one may need to move to another facility or undergo surgery, rehabilitation, or therapy to recover from the abuse. The potential compensation in a nursing home abuse case in Joliet may include:
- Medical expenses related to the abuse
- Future medical and rehabilitative care
- Moving expenses, should you choose to change facilities
- Loss of property
- Pain and suffering damages
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
In the event that the abuse results in your loved one’s death, you have options. Surviving family members may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim to hold the facility or responsible party accountable for the harm they have caused. A wrongful death lawyer in Joliet can fight for justice on your loved one’s behalf.
Talk to a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Joliet Today
You should be able to trust a nursing home or long-term care facility with your loved one’s health, safety, and dignity. However, when nursing home abuse or negligence causes your loved one serious harm, you both have rights.
Let Postman Law investigate the unique details of your case. Our Joliet nursing home abuse attorney can protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.