Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

When choosing an assisted living facility for your family member, trust is a huge part of the choice. Unfortunately, your family member has been abused by the very care providers that were entrusted with their care. You need a Illinois lawyer that has experience fighting Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuits. Our Personal Injury Law Firm takes nursing home abuse and negligence extremely seriously, and we hold these institutions responsible for the damages and injuries that they caused to the families that trusted them. We have the experience that your family needs to fight this Nursing Home Abuse lawsuit, and we’ll fight for the complete and total recovery of your family. Our consultations are free, and we don’t charge any fees unless we win your family’s nursing home abuse claim. Call or contact our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Illinois now.

How can I tell if my loved one is being abused in a nursing home?

There are always signs that will show if your loved one is being abused or neglected by their care providers. Is your loved one looking malnourished and thin? Their caregivers may not be feeding them regularly. Have they develop sores on their underside, or have agitated red skin? They aren’t being moved or rotated, and now they are developing sores because of it. Does your family member appear nervous or refuse to cooperate with nursing home staff? Your loved one may, unfortunately, be suffering from either abuse or harassment by the staff. Listed below are several signs to look for when trying to determine if your loved one is being either abused or neglected by their caregivers.

Nursing Home Abuse Malnourishment

This is one of the more visibly apparent forms of nursing home abuse. The signs of malnourishment or a lack of feeding include thin skin, emaciation, and a general appearance of weakness or fatigue. You’re paying for your loved one to be taken care of, not abused and punished. This is not ok. You can and should sue a nursing home that neglects your loved one, and causes them to become malnourished or emaciated. What are other clear signs of possible malnourishment? Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Illinois have identified these conditions as possible signs of malnourishment:

• Skin Issues – The skin will take on a yellow hue, and in darker complexions, the skin may appear dull and heavily wrinkled. An additional warning is that the skin under the fingernails will take on a pale hue.
• Mouth Sores or Discoloration – If the mouth appears bright red, or if cankers sores are present, your loved one may be malnourished. Yeast infections or thrush infections are also a sign, and cause white patches to develop on the cheeks and tongue.
• Eye Issues – Poor or worsening vision, extremely red eyes, and swollen corneas are clear signs of malnourishment.
• Muscular Problems – If their muscles appear flaccid, or they are abnormally weak in stamina or strength, these are clear signs of malnourishment.

Nursing Home Abuse Bed Sores

Bed sores are an ailment that arises from individuals who are immobile, causing wounds that can eat down to the bone. These wounds develop from pressure and lack of blood flow, and can cause the loss of limbs and life. If your loved one developed bed sores while at a nursing home, they were neglected and not given the care they deserve. Bed Sores are even common in intensive care units. Bed sores are preventable, and they are treatable. Here are the different stages of bed sores our nursing home abuse lawyers in Illinois have identified that can show your loved one may have bed sores:

• Stage 1. Bed Sore – Skin that is itchy, red, and unusually warm.
• Stage 2. Bed Sore – Sores or blisters are now appearing on the skin.
• Stage 3. Bed Sore – The sore or blister is now at a more dangerous stage, and is causing a wide cavity to open in the flesh.
• Stage 4. Bed Sore – Infection is common at this stage, and the wounds are quite severe.

These sores are not common, and you should not accept excuses that they are. If your loved one’s care provider was giving them the care and attention they deserve, then your loved one would not have developed blood sores. You can sue for bed sores, and you absolutely should. Negligence is never ok, and should never be accepted regardless of what excuse the nursing home or long-term care facility gives you. Call our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Illinois now. We’ll make sure your loved one gets the care and recovery they deserve.

Nursing Home Abuse or Mistreatment

Abuse can be hard to spot, especially when your loved one may not be willing to admit or not able to admit that they are being abused. Abuse does happen in nursing homes, and unfortunately, its happing to your family member in an assisted living facility that you trusted. Abuse is wrong, neglectful, and possibly criminal. Here are several signs to look for when you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected:

• Financial Exploitation – This can be easy to miss if you don’t keep a detailed log of their finances. Higher than normal credit card bills, missing checks, or Wills that have been recently altered could be clear signs of financial exploitation of your loved one. If their credit cards are maxed out, if they are missing checks, or their will has been altered and you weren’t alerted, this is a clear sign of exploitation. If their checks have gone missing, if their credit cards are being declined, and if any of their other finances appear to out of order, these can be signs of exploitation. The signs for this type of abuse will be altered wills, mysterious power of attorney forms, maxed out credit cards, and missing checks.
• Neglect – This type of abuse leads to malnourishment, possible bed sores, dirty living conditions, and often serious infections. Neglect from a caregiver can also lead to self neglect.
• Physical Abuse – This type of abuse typically results in scratches, cuts, bruises, broken bones, and in some cases sexual abuse. For physical abuse, you can call the cops. You should also sue the nursing home that allowed this abuse to happen. Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Illinois will fight for the recovery and rights of your loved one.
• Psychological Abuse – If your family member appears afraid of their caregiver or nervous when the individual is around, but your loved one doesn’t have any visible bruises, they may be suffering from psychological abuse. Psychological abuse is as terrible as any physical abuse.

Are there any laws governing nursing home care?

The Nursing Home Reform Act details the rights that nursing home residents have. These laws are enforceable by law, and must be followed. According to the Nursing Home Reform Act, here is a quick breakdown of the rights your loved one can expect:

• Freedom from Abuse
• Freedom from Restraints
• The Right to Privacy
• The Right to Accommodation of social needs, psychological needs, physical needs, and medical needs
• The Right to Participate in Resident and Family Groups
• The Right to be treated with dignity
• The Right to exercise self-determination
• The Right to communicate freely
• The Right to review and participate in any aspect of the care they are receiving and any changes to it
• The Right to voice grievances

Your loved one has rights, by law, and if they’ve been violated you can pursue legal action against the Nursing Home or Assisted Living Facility that was entrusted with their care. Our lawyers are well versed in the laws the govern nursing homes and the levels of care that residents are entitled to. We can help you and your family if you decide to pursue a claim against the assisted living facility. You have options, and those who harmed your family can be held accountable. Call or Contact Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Illinois now to protect your family.