Nursing home residents deserve to be treated with care, respect, and dignity. When a senior is subjected to abuse, neglect, or mistreatment at their care facility, the guilty party should be held responsible for the pain and losses they’ve caused.
If you believe that an employee or administrator at your family member’s nursing home is mistreating them, you have the right to hire a personal injury lawyer and take legal action. A Tulsa nursing home abuse attorney from BDIW Law can help you identify the liable party and demand that they offer compensation for your loved one’s suffering.
How to Identify Nursing Home Abuse
To determine whether or not your loved one is being mistreated, it’s important to know that there are four distinct types of nursing home abuse. Our nursing home abuse lawyers in Tulsa are familiar with all forms of elder abuse and can help you protect your loved one’s rights if they’re experiencing:
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is one of the easiest forms of abuse to identify. It involves the intentional use of force, often resulting in injury, pain, or physical impairment. Examples of physical abuse include slapping, hitting, pushing, or restraining inappropriately.
Your family member might be a victim of physical abuse if they have unexplained bruises, cuts, or injuries. Other signs of physical abuse include sudden changes in behavior and fear of specific caregivers.
Neglect
Nursing home residents require frequent check-ins, routine medical attention, and of course, basic necessities like food, water, and medicine. Neglect occurs when residents don’t receive the care and necessities they need to stay physically and emotionally healthy.
Examples of nursing home neglect include failure to provide adequate medical care, hygiene products, and other necessary resources. Some bedridden residents may require more intensive care to prevent poor hygiene, bedsores, and other negative health outcomes.
If your loved one appears dehydrated, poorly fed, dirty, or otherwise deprived of necessities, they may be experiencing neglect. Serious neglect can result in emotional distress, physical injuries, and even life-threatening medical conditions.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse in a nursing home may take the form of intimidation, shouting, humiliation, and isolation. It can also involve threats or the use of fear to control a resident. If your loved one is exhibiting signs of withdrawal, depression, anxiety, or mood changes, it could be due to emotional abuse.
Financial Abuse
This type of abuse can include financial theft, fraud, or exploitation. It may involve forging signatures, stealing personal property, or using credit cards without permission. Monitoring your loved one’s bank accounts and keeping an eye on their personal belongings can help you spot financial abuse and put a stop to it.
If you notice unexplained bank withdrawals or transfers, sudden changes in your family member’s financial situation, or missing valuables, financial abuse may be the cause.
If you believe your loved one is experiencing physical, emotional, or financial abuse, don’t wait to report it to their care facility and contact a Tulsa nursing home abuse lawyer. A skilled attorney can investigate suspected mistreatment, collect valuable evidence, and pursue legal action against the responsible party.
Our Team Is Here To Assist You Every Step Of The Way.
SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY TODAYHow Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Can Help You and Your Loved One
If you suspect your family member is a victim of nursing home abuse, our Tulsa attorneys can start by offering you a free consultation. During your consultation, they’ll ask you about the signs of mistreatment you’ve noticed, inquire about other investigations or police cases that are in progress, and determine if you have a case for a personal injury lawsuit.
Collect Evidence
If we agree to take on your case, your lawyer will start by collecting evidence of your family member’s abuse. They may use testimony from other nursing home employees, accident reports, police reports, medical records, and any relevant security footage to build your case.
Determine Liability
Once your attorney has enough evidence to paint a clear picture of events in which your family member was mistreated, they’ll be able to prove liability. Depending on who was involved with your loved one’s mistreatment, one or more of the following parties may be held responsible:
- An individual nursing home staff member
- A medical provider
- A member of the custodial staff
- A contractor or third-party vendor
- Another resident
- The nursing home itself
Take the Guilty Party to Court
Once we’ve identified the individual(s) or entity responsible for your loved one’s abuse, we’ll take legal action against them. Our nursing home abuse attorneys in Tulsa, OK, have over 65 years of combined experience advocating for the wrongfully injured in court.
We have the experience to secure the justice and court verdict your loved one needs to recover from their abuse.
Compensation Your Family Member Could Receive from a Suit
If your loved one’s nursing home abuse lawsuit is successful, they could receive compensation for multiple losses, including:
- Medical expenses
- Cost of assistive devices, rehabilitative therapy, and prescription medication
- Cost of moving to a new facility
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Punitive damages
Wrongful Death Damages
If your loved one has passed away due to the abuse they experienced at their nursing home, our Tulsa attorneys can help you pursue wrongful death damages. If your wrongful death lawsuit yields compensation, you could receive the following damages:
- Inherited medical bills
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of financial support
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Don’t Wait to Schedule a Free Consultation With an Attorney in Tulsa, OK
You’ve got nothing to lose from scheduling a free consultation with a Tulsa nursing home abuse lawyer from our firm. You won’t be charged a traditional legal fee even if you decide to work with our team. Instead, we’ll take a portion of the compensation you win from your suit.
That said, nothing is stopping you from reaching out to an experienced attorney today. In fact, the longer you wait to speak to a lawyer, the more likely your case will get thrown out of court. That’s because the state of Oklahoma has a statute of limitations for nursing home abuse suits.
Under Oklahoma Statute §12-95, you only have two years to file a lawsuit against the party responsible for your loved one’s mistreatment. Submitting a suit any later than the two-year mark could stop your family member from getting the financial support they need to regain their health and emotional stability.
Our Firm Is Here to Deliver Justice
Elder abuse is a despicable and unlawful act that must be punished. If your family member has been abused or neglected at their care facility, you have the right to stand up against their abuser and demand compensation, and we’re here to help you do so.
The team at BDIW Law takes a strong stance against abuse of all types. If we agree to work on your case, we’ll work tirelessly to hold the guilty party liable for the pain, suffering, and loss they’ve inflicted. Contact our team today to schedule a free consultation and enlist the assistance of a Tulsa nursing home abuse attorney.
