Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Philadelphia, PA Offering Legal Support for Elder Mistreatment in Philadelphia County, Montgomery County, Chester County, Delaware County, and Throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania
Families place a lot of trust in the staff who care for loved ones in a nursing home. The employees of a nursing home are meant to be able to support our loved ones in ways that we cannot, by providing constant care and supervision to protect them. It can be devastating to learn that nursing home staff violated this trust through reckless or negligent actions, causing a loved one to suffer physically or emotionally. A Philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyer can help you hold the liable party responsible for their actions.
At van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim, we have more than a dozen personal injury attorneys who recognize the urgency and importance of these claims. Our Philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyers have decades of combined experience developing personalized strategies to hold negligent facilities responsible for the harm they cause. Our compassionate and aggressive representation strategies can be the advantage you need through every stage of your nursing home abuse claim.
Call (215) 486-0123 or contact us online. We work around-the-clock for clients and are available to you at any hour of the day or night.
Types of Harm Nursing Home Abuse Can Cause
Injuries from nursing homes typically fall into one of two categories: abuse or neglect. Injuries from abuse are directly tied to the deliberate actions staff members take, whereas injuries from neglect are the result of inaction.
No matter what initial decisions caused the harm your loved one suffered, allow us to seek justice for them. In many cases, victims of abuse or neglect cannot advocate for themselves, but we’re committed to making it clear that any avoidable harm in a nursing home is entirely unacceptable.
How Abuse and Neglect Occur in Nursing Homes
There are many different ways that a nursing home and its staff can inflict harm upon residents. Some of the more common causes are:
- Physical abuse, including striking, manhandling, or over-medicating
- Emotional abuse, like verbal threats, humiliation, or isolation
- Neglect by deprivation of food and water, hygiene, or medical care
- Sexual abuse in the form of any unwanted or non-consensual sexual contact
- Financial abuse, such as stealing possessions, coercing transactions, or forging documentation
- Medical negligence, including failing to treat conditions, not administering medication properly, or delaying diagnosis
Any form of neglect or abuse can be hard to spot, even by those who regularly visit their loved ones.
How to Spot the Warning Signs
To help you prevent your loved one from suffering in these ways, it is important to recognize these signs of abuse and neglect:
- Sudden changes in your loved one's behavior
- Flinching or recoiling at physical touch
- Mood swings or hysteria
- Neglected fingernails, teeth, or hair
- Reluctance to speak in front of staff
- Unusual financial transactions
If you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected, contact a Philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyer to determine the truth.
Who Is Liable for Your Loved One's Harm?
Upon discovering abuse or neglect, your initial reaction may be that a particular staff member is responsible, but multiple parties could bear liability. In our experience with these claims, the parties that may possibly be liable for neglect or abuse include:
- Individual staff members
- The owner or operator of the nursing home
- Healthcare providers, such as physicians or therapists
- Third-party vendors, like security, food services, or maintenance people
There are also situations where the legal liability falls on multiple parties. In those cases, our trial-tested attorneys are prepared to take everyone who had a hand in harming your loved one to court to hold them responsible.
The Way Our Philadelphia Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers Build These Cases
We take a thorough and meticulous approach to building personal injury cases, so we can resolve them as soon as possible without sacrificing quality. Some of the actions we will take on your behalf to build your claim include:
- Interviewing any witnesses, including staff and residents
- Reviewing all medical records, care logs, and surveillance footage
- Consulting with expert witnesses
- Investigating patterns of past abuse or neglect
- Gathering and preserving any documentation to build a timeline of events
It can be hard enough to console your loved one after discovering the harm they suffered while also finding a new place that you can trust to care for them. When you already have so much on your hands, leave the legal responsibilities to our Philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyers.
To schedule a free consultation with our law offices, please call us today or send us a message. Consultations are completely confidential.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Philadelphia, PA, Can Help You Seek Justice
To our Philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyers, these claims aren't about making money—they are about making sure that this kind of harm never happens again. In most cases, significant financial restitution can be enough to convince a nursing home to change its ways to prevent further harm to its residents.
The compensation from these claims plays a critical role in helping our clients experience a better tomorrow, which is why we fight to see that your compensation reflects the current and future costs of the abuse or neglect, including:
- Medical expenses
- Relocation expenses
- Long-term care services
- Emotional suffering
- Loss of dignity
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Pain and suffering
Pennsylvania law also allows us to pursue punitive damages in cases where the harm caused was the direct result of gross negligence. No matter what kind of compensation you and your loved one deserve, you can trust us to fight for the fair and full settlement you should receive.
What Makes Our Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers the Right Fit for Your Claim
Any personal injury claim has the potential to quickly become complicated. Our experienced team is capable of handling the most challenging nursing home negligence claims, regardless of what it takes to pursue the ideal outcome.
We are just as prepared for trial as we are for negotiation, and we will always ensure you understand all your options and help you decide what is best for you and your loved one.
We want our clients to feel confident in contacting us, which is why we offer free initial consultations and only charge for our services if we win compensation for our clients.
Pursue Your Claim With a Philadelphia Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer Today
The sooner you contact one of our nursing home negligence lawyers, the sooner we can resolve your claim and you can move forward after such a harrowing experience. Contact our office today by calling 215-486-0123 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation.
