San Diego Nursing Home Physical Abuse Lawyer

Recognizing and Preventing Nursing Home Abuse

There are many different indications of physical abuse. The most common signs of nursing home physical abuse appear directly on the victim’s body and include unexplained injuries like bruises, sprains, and burns.

It is also important to verify explanations of injuries and check that the injuries are healing properly. Be sure to note whether the injury continuously appears in the same or other locations. Unfortunately, such patterns often are grave indicators of abuse, in which case a knowledgeable attorney should evaluate the circumstances and assist you to ensure that such abuse does not continue.

Understanding the Causes of Nursing Home Physical Abuse

In the United States, physical abuse in nursing homes occurs for a variety of reasons. One common reason is under-staffing. Other reasons include failure to conduct background investigations on employees, failure to properly train staff, failure to properly supervise staff members, and failure to provide the proper ratio of staff to patients. These reasons are no excuse, and nursing homes have a duty to provide residents with a safe place to live. 

There are also many risk factors that may make you or a loved one more susceptible to becoming a victim of nursing home abuse, including:

• Memory loss:​ Those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other memory loss diseases or conditions are more prone to abuse as they are vulnerable and fail to recognize abuse as it occurs.
• Disabilities:​ Elderly individuals who are disabled often are more prone to experiencing abuse as well. These individuals often require a bit more work, assistance, and patience from caregivers, which in turn can frustrate caregivers. Upon becoming frustrated or irritated, a caregiver can lash out at an elderly individual in the form of physical abuse.
• Isolation:​ Nursing home residents who do not receive regular visits from friends or family are also more susceptible to abuse, as they are not regularly monitored.

All elders are susceptible to abuse regardless of whether they suffer from any of the conditions mentioned above, as elder abuse is the choice of the perpetrator. It is important that caregivers are truly passionate about what they do and feel rightfully compensated for their work. Taking care of an elderly patient is never easy and can sometimes be as emotionally frustrating as it is rewarding.

Steps to Protect Your Loved Ones from Nursing Home Abuse

Extensive research should be done when considering a nursing home, but sometimes research is not enough. To ensure that a loved one is not being physically abused in a skilled nursing facility, remain in constant contact with them. It is also important to visit in person at random times to limit the possibility of physical abuse being covered up. During in-person visits, look for obvious signs of abuse. It is also a good idea to consider the living environment: Is the facility clean and organized? Do the staff seem genuinely happy and attentive when dealing with the patients? Finally, do the other residents appear to be in good care and spirits? These are all important things to consider, as they may be indicators of a much larger problem in the nursing home.

Nursing home neglect and abuse must be stopped, and the owners of nursing homes are responsible if a resident in their care becomes the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect. If one of your loved ones was physically abused in a skilled nursing or assisted living facility, ​contact ​Joel R. Bryant today. It is important to speak up on behalf of elderly family members, because many times, dependent adults are unable to speak up out of fear, embarrassment, isolation, or diseases such as Alzheimer’s that leave them more vulnerable to being abused.

Our experienced team of attorneys​ can help recover the compensation you deserve, ensure that the abuse stops, and hold the perpetrators responsible. 

Reach out by calling (619) 597-2577 today for a free, confidential consultation with a lawyer to see if your loved one’s case justifies legal action through a personal injury lawsuit.