Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Easton and Bethleham, PA
Practice Areas
Easton nursing home abuse lawyer Edward Shaughnessy provides compassionate legal representation for nursing home residents who have suffered nursing home abuse or neglect in their nursing home or assisted living facility in the Lehigh Valley area.
If you suspect your loved one has been the victim of elder abuse or poor treatment at their nursing home, you could pursue a nursing home abuse lawsuit to recover compensation for damages. With a proven track record of success and a deep understanding of the intricacies surrounding nursing home abuse cases, our dedicated legal team strives to seek justice and secure financial compensation for nursing home abuse victims.
Our Easton nursing home abuse attorneys will fight for your family’s rights and ensure the responsible parties are held accountable.
Contact an Easton nursing home abuse attorney at the Law Offices of Edward P. Shaughnessy to discuss filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit on behalf of your elderly loved one. Call 610-258-9955 today to schedule a free consultation.
Our Easton nursing home abuse lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so clients won’t owe any legal fees unless their personal injury claims are successful.
How an Easton Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help
There are several types of elder abuse that our Easton nursing home abuse attorneys see regularly, including sexual, mental, physical, financial, and emotional abuse. An experienced Easton nursing home abuse lawyer can file claims for the following types of nursing home abuse in Easton, PA:
Medical Malpractice Claims in Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, medically trained staff member, or nursing home facility fails to meet the expected duty of care. This can include lack of or improper medical treatment or medication errors that cause harm to nursing home residents.
Sexual Abuse Claims in Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes
Sexual abuse in nursing home facilities includes any form of unwanted sexual contact, from touching to sexual assault, leaving profound psychological and physical effects on victims.
Key warning signs of sexual assault or sexual abuse include unexplained genital injuries, behavioral changes like agitation or withdrawal, PTSD symptoms, unexplained STDs, or damaged clothing. Victims may also show fear or anxiety towards a specific staff member or other residents.
Emotional Abuse Claims in Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes
Emotional abuse in nursing home facilities and assisted living facilities is a very serious yet often overlooked issue. It takes various forms, each inflicting deep psychological scars on elderly residents.
Isolation is a common tactic, where nursing home residents are kept away from social interactions.
Verbal abuse involves using derogatory language that can lower a nursing home resident’s self-esteem.
Intimidation is also widely used, where nursing home staff or other residents use threats or coercive tactics to instill fear or compliance in the elderly. This type of nursing home abuse can create an environment of constant anxiety and distress for nursing home residents.
These forms of nursing home abuse are not always as visible as physical injuries but are equally damaging.
Financial Abuse Claims in Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes
Financial abuse in nursing homes involves exploiting the assets and resources of elderly residents through unauthorized use of funds, signature forgery, coercion into signing legal documents, theft of money or possessions, and fraudulent billing.
It’s vital for family members and guardians to closely monitor financial activities and maintain open communication with their elderly loved ones to prevent and detect financial abuse.
Physical Abuse Claims in Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes
Physical abuse involves actions like hitting, pushing, or improperly using chemical or physical restraints, leading to broken bones and other serious injuries. It’s important to note that the unnecessary use of chemical and physical restraints is illegal.
It’s crucial to recognize warning signs of abuse, particularly around certain nursing home staff members.
Common Examples of Nursing Home Neglect in Easton, PA
A substantial amount of nursing home abuse and neglect occurred at nursing home facilities and assisted living facilities in the Lehigh Valley area. The warning signs that a nursing home resident has suffered neglect include:
Poor Hygiene in Lehigh Valley Nursing Facilities
Proper hygiene is critical in nursing homes for preventing infections, supporting health, and ensuring residents’ dignity. These signs of nursing home abuse or neglect necessitate prompt intervention to prevent rapid health deterioration. An Easton nursing home neglect lawyer can help.
Frequent Infections in Lehigh Valley Nursing Facilities
Elderly residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are at an elevated risk for infections due to age and pre-existing conditions. Recurring infections, however, often indicate lapses in hygiene, poor sanitation, or medical negligence.
If your loved one has frequent infections, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer in Easton, PA, for a free consultation.
Malnutrition and Dehydration in Lehigh Valley Nursing Facilities
This form of nursing home abuse or neglect can occur due to inadequate staffing, poor meal quality, and failure to detect early signs of decline. Quickly recognizing symptoms like sudden weight loss, lethargy, dry mouth, and confusion is vital for timely intervention within the care facility.
The presence of experienced Easton nursing home abuse attorneys can help to ensure your loved one, as well as other nursing home residents, get the care they need.
Bed Sores in Lehigh Valley Nursing Facilities
Bed sores, or pressure ulcers, result from prolonged pressure on the skin and are a frequent issue in nursing home abuse cases.
If your loved one has a stage 3 or 4 bedsore, contact an Easton nursing home abuse attorney immediately for a free consultation. Early intervention with a nursing home abuse lawyer by your side can deter this form of nursing home abuse quickly.
Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards in Lehigh Valley Nursing Facilities
Slip, trip, and fall hazards pose significant risks in nursing homes, especially for senior citizens prone to severe injuries from falls. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have a vital duty to mitigate these dangers by maintaining safe environments and training nursing home staff members in safe handling practices.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers have experience determining whether injuries were caused by age or negligent staff.
Why Does Abuse and Neglect Happen in Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes?
Nursing home neglect and abuse ultimately boil down to nursing home facility staff failing to take proper care of nursing home residents. While some nursing home abuse occurs between residents, most occur from staff members, with 2 in 3 staff members admitting to abusing their residents in the last year, according to the World Health Organization.
Understaffing in Nursing Homes
Understaffing in nursing homes is creating a crisis that significantly contributes to elder abuse and neglect. An understaffed assisted living facility also increases the likelihood of unmonitored abuse and accidents.
Understaffing is never an excuse for nursing home abuse. Contact our Easton nursing home lawyers for a free consultation if you believe understaffing could be causing abuse locally.
Poor Training in Nursing Homes
Inadequate training among nursing home staff can severely impact resident care. Every staff member must be well-versed in the complex needs of the elderly. Without proper training, a staff member might mishandle resident care, miscommunicate, make medication errors, or misuse equipment.
Nursing homes are paid to ensure proper staffing and training of every staff member. If they fail to meet this duty, contact an Easton nursing home abuse attorney for a free consultation.
Overworked and Underpaid Staff Members
Overburdened with excessive responsibilities, staff members may experience burnout. However, again, your family pays the nursing care facility or assisted living facility to care for your loved one.
Overworked staff is not an excuse for abuse or neglect. An Easton nursing home abuse lawyer can advise you of your legal options during your free case review.
Financial Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect in Lehigh Valley, PA
Our nursing home abuse lawyers pursue maximum compensation for elder abuse. In nursing home abuse and neglect cases, the responsible parties may be required to compensate the resident for damages, some of which include:
Medical Bills: This covers the cost of medical treatment, including hospital stays, medications, physical therapy, and any future medical care related to the injury.
Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress endured by the resident caused by the responsible parties. This is particularly important in cases involving elder abuse or severe neglect.
Loss of Quality of Life: Damages for the diminished quality of life experienced by the nursing home resident, including loss of independence, enjoyment, and participation in daily activities.
Wrongful Death Damages: If the negligence leads to the death of a nursing home resident, a family member or spouse can claim damages for funeral and burial expenses, loss of companionship, and other impacts of their loved one’s death.
All personal injury cases vary, and the specific damages claimed will depend on the circumstances of the negligence and the extent of the harm caused. An Easton nursing home lawyer can provide guidance on the types of damages applicable in your specific nursing home abuse case. If your loved one died as a result of nursing home abuse or neglect, an experienced Easton wrongful death attorney can help you understand your legal rights.
Easton Nursing Home Abuse Faqs
What is Nursing Home Negligence?
Nursing home negligence is a form of elder abuse that occurs when a nursing home or assisted living facility fails to provide the standard of care required for its residents.
Common negligent behaviors within assisted living facilities include inadequate medical treatments, personal hygiene assistance, nutrition, and safety measures. Nursing home neglect can lead to deteriorated physical and emotional health, significantly impacting residents’ quality of life.
How to Report Nursing Home Neglect or Nursing Home Abuse in Pennsylvania
If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect, you should first document any evidence. Then, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s Protective Services Office by calling 1-800-490-8505, or the Pennsylvania Department of Health by calling 1-800-254-5164, emailing c-ncomplai@pa.gov, or using the online complaint form.
You should also contact an Easton nursing home neglect lawyer. Our experienced nursing home neglect attorneys will ensure that the allegations are taken seriously and investigated promptly, protecting vulnerable nursing home residents.
How Much Does a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Cost?
Nursing home abuse lawyers typically work on a contingency fee basis, meaning each nursing home abuse attorney only gets paid if you win your case or settle outside of court. This arrangement allows victims and their families to pursue justice through an attorney-client relationship without upfront legal costs.
What is the Fear of Retaliation in Nursing Homes?
The fear of retaliation in nursing homes refers to the concern among nursing home residents and sometimes nursing home staff members that they will face negative consequences if they report nursing home abuse, neglect, or other forms of mistreatment in nursing home facilities or assisted living facilities. Such a culture can significantly hinder the protection and safety of residents.
What is the Average Nursing Home Neglect Settlement in Pennsylvania?
The average settlement for nursing home abuse cases in Pennsylvania varies widely based on the specifics of each case, including the severity of the neglect, the extent of the resident’s injuries, and the impact on their quality of life. A nursing home neglect lawyer can help ensure your loved one receives fair compensation and justice.
How to Prove Negligence in a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit
Proving nursing home negligence in Easton, PA, is similar to proving negligence in personal injury claims. Establishing nursing home neglect occurred involves establishing the four elements of negligence: the nursing home owed a duty of care, the nursing home breached this duty to provide adequate medical care, the breach caused damages, and the presence of quantifiable damages, such as medical bills, pain, and suffering, etc.
Critical evidence can include medical records, witness testimonies, expert opinions, and documentation of incidents and conditions in the nursing home. Gathering and presenting this evidence effectively requires the expertise of Easton nursing home abuse lawyers, who can establish negligence and seek justice for the affected residents.
Can You Sue for Wrongful Death in a Nursing Home?
You can sue for wrongful death if it can be proven that nursing home abuse and neglect directly led to the death of a resident. A wrongful death lawsuit in a nursing home context typically arises when a resident dies as a result of the facility’s failure to provide proper care, which could include failures in healthcare, inadequate attention to basic living needs, or failure to prevent harmful incidents.
Our Easton nursing home abuse lawyers handle a wide variety of personal injury cases, including those that result in the untimely death of a loved one. Our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys can help you navigate the complexities of nursing home abuse cases and hold your loved one’s abusers accountable for their negligence.
Experienced Easton Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Serving Lehigh Valley
Taking action against abuse in Easton nursing home facilities is critical for protecting our most vulnerable citizens. The Easton personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Edward P. Shaughnessy are dedicated to providing compassionate and effective legal representation to those who have suffered at the hands of nursing home negligence.
Every nursing home abuse attorney is equipped with the skills necessary to navigate the legal system, hold responsible parties accountable, and fight for the compensation and care that victims and their families deserve. Our nursing home abuse lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so you won’t owe us any legal fees unless the elder abuse case is successful.
Call 610-258-9955 to schedule a free case review with Easton nursing home abuse attorney Ed Shaughnessy.
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