After Abuse, Neglect or Malpractice in a Nursing Home or Long-term Care Facility, Call a Hillsboro Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer at the Noll Law Office for Help
Although many nursing homes and long-term care facilities properly care for our loved ones in a dignified manner, unfortunately the Hillsboro nursing home abuse lawyers at the Noll Law Office know that this is not always true. Nursing home abuse and neglect is a serious and pervasive problem affecting some of society’s most vulnerable members. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), approximately 10% of all adults over the age of 60 will face some form of abuse within the next year. This figure actually doubled during the pandemic, where statistics revealed about 20% of all residents suffered some form of nursing home abuse or neglect. However, the same statistics from NCEA also estimate that only 1 out of every 24 instances of nursing home abuse are actually reported. This corroborates another government survey of nursing home residents, where 44% of residents reported that they had been abused, and 95% of residents reported that they had neglected or seen another resident neglected.
Here at the Noll Law Office, their compassionate and skilled legal team know that nursing home abuse, neglect and malpractice is greatly underreported. Sadly, it is also greatly underappreciated too. Far too many defense lawyers and insurance adjusters undervalue claims – even serious cases involving catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. Unfortunately, some plaintiff’s lawyers will also undervalue cases, sometimes encouraging victims and their families to accept unfair settlements because files were not properly investigated.
That’s why if you or a loved one were a victim of nursing home abuse, neglect, or malpractice in Illinois, especially anywhere in Montgomery County, you need to call an experienced Hillsboro nursing home abuse lawyer like one of those at the Noll Law Office. Their fifth-generation lawyers handle all cases based on the victim, not as another file to churn-and burn, and offer dedicated and compassionate representation while holding abusive and negligent facilities accountable for their actions. To learn more about their dedicated and personalized approach, call them today by dialing (217) 414-8889.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Illinois
Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms, all of which can have serious physical, emotional, and psychological consequences for victims and their families. Understanding these different types is crucial for recognizing and preventing abuse, particularly considering that statistics from NCEA indicate that only 1 out of 24 instances of nursing home abuse or neglect is actually reported. Thus, victims need to be aware of the signs of abuse for themselves, as well as family members who need to be constantly vigilant to protect their loved ones. This is particularly true when a loved one is physically or mentally unable to protect themselves or report the abuse for themselves.
Some of the most common types of nursing home abuse and neglect that the Hillsboro nursing home abuse lawyers could handle for you and your family include the following:
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse involves the use of force that results in bodily injury, pain, or impairment. This can include actions such as hitting, pushing, kicking, or improperly restraining a resident. Some forms of abuse could be more extreme and include biting, burning, cutting, pushing down stairs, hitting with a belt or solid object, or other types of conduct that would typically constitute assault.
Although these forms of physical abuse seem obvious, physical abuse could also take other forms. This includes when a caretaker makes a bath intentionally too hot and it gives a “sock burn” to a resident. Aides could also harm a resident by forcing him or her to stand up from an unsafe position to make it look like an accident, such as getting out of a bath or shower, out of a wheelchair, bed, couch, or other position that is difficult and potentially dangerous.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse in nursing homes involves nearly all types of sexual contact with a resident. Indeed, it does not need to be non-consensual for it to be sexual abuse when it is between an aide and a resident for it to be sexual abuse. That is because the law recognizes that, in most situations, a staff member is in a position of authority and power over a resident, and therefore any sexual conduct is unlawful in this arrangement.
The range of what constitutes sexual abuse can vary greatly. It could be anything from unwanted touching to rape. Signs may include unexplained genital injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, or sudden changes in behavior by a resident. Anyone could be a victim in a nursing home, but residents who are nonverbal or who are unable to defend themselves, communicate, or who may be unconscious, are all those who are at a greater risk.
Neglect
Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to provide necessary care, treatment, or services to a resident. This can include failure to provide adequate food, water, clothing, medication, or assistance with personal hygiene. This neglect could be unintentional, such as due to understaffing, poorly trained staff, overwhelmed staff, poor communication, and similar issues that result in negligent mistakes. But this neglect could also be due to intentional neglect, such as when a staff member leaves a resident in a bathtub, wheelchair, or in soiled clothing to punish the resident.
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
There are many different forms of nursing home abuse, neglect, and negligence that could result in serious personal injuries or the wrongful death of an innocent resident. Victims and their families need to be aware of these different types of abuse and neglect to ensure that their rights are well-protected under the law. That’s because, as the statistics above noted, most forms of nursing home abuse are not reported although witnessed by the vast majority of other residents.
Thus, victims and their families need to be aware of the many forms of abuse and how to identify and handle them. Some of the most common examples of nursing home abuse and neglect include the following:
- Medication errors – a resident who is given the wrong medication, incorrect dosage, too often, without food/drink, or who is not instructed to sit up after taking it to avoid a caustic injury to the throat, could all be examples of medication errors and administrative mistakes
- Falls – slip and falls or trip and falls are some of the most common and potentially devastating types of personal injuries that a resident of a nursing home could sustain. Unfortunately, these are also some of the most preventable types of personal injuries that could be avoided if a nursing home properly maintains the property.
- Bedsores – also known as pressure ulcers or pressure sores, these painful sores develop when immobile residents are not regularly repositioned or cleaned. All bedsores are an emergency, but stage three and stage four bedsores are a medical emergency that could be life-threatening and result in wrongful death.
- Malnutrition and dehydration – when residents are not provided with adequate food and water, or are not given necessary assistance with eating and drinking, they could suffer serious personal injuries. Indeed, this is one of the many reasons why some residents are placed into a nursing home. When facilities fail to carry out these basic tasks, it could be a serious sign of abuse and neglect.
- Wandering and elopement – if a resident with cognitive impairments is allowed to leave the facility unsupervised, it could result in unnecessary falls, other exposure injuries, hit by a car, or other accidents resulting in injury or wrongful death. Many residents who are prone to wander or elope must be properly monitored by staff, and with technology that can easily be achieved, but far too many nursing homes cut-corners to save money and not invest in these safety devices
- Improper use of restraints – physical or chemical restraints (depressants or sleeping medications) that are used unnecessarily or improperly can cause physical or emotional harm to residents
- Social isolation due to neglect – residents that are denied visitors or prevented from interacting with other residents could be victims of isolation, which could cause emotional harm leading to physical injuries such as those inflicted by self-harming behaviors
Was a Loved One Injured in a Nursing Home or Long-term Care Facility in Illinois? Call the Hillsboro Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer at the Noll Law Office Today
Nursing home abuse is a serious issue that demands immediate attention and action by victims and their family members. By understanding the types of abuse, recognizing warning signs, and knowing how to respond, families can better protect our elderly loved ones. If you suspect nursing home abuse, neglect, or malpractice has harmed your loved one, or if you believe you may be a victim of abuse or neglect during your stay in a nursing home, do not hesitate to contact the Hillsboro nursing home abuse lawyer at the Noll Law Office.
As fifth-generation lawyers, their compassionate and well-trained legal team can help victims and their families recover compensation for their unexpected medical bills and conscious pain and suffering. They provide dedicated representation to victims and families, and do not farm cases out to new associates in big cities in Illinois. Whether you have been injured in Montgomery County or the surrounding area, contact one of the Hillsboro nursing home abuse lawyers at the Noll Law Office to schedule a free consultation today by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by emailing them today.