Our Personal Injury Attorneys Fight for Victims of Elder Abuse
Nursing home neglect and injury aren’t insignificant or unknown problems. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that two out of three workers at retirement communities or nursing homes have committed abuse.
With the global population of people over age 60 expected to more than double by 2050, Keches Law Group is here to help defend seniors who have experienced nursing home neglect, sustained an injury in a residential long-term care setting, or who have suffered any kind of elder abuse.
A nursing home or senior living community can be a great choice for an older adult who needs a little extra help with daily activities. But when you or your loved one moves to a skilled nursing facility or retirement community, there’s a clear expectation that residents’ safety, happiness, and health needs will be met. The workers who support elderly residents have a duty to ensure they receive proper care and attention – and we’re here to help.
Reach out to our skilled nursing home neglect lawyers at Keches Law Group if you suspect your family member is not receiving adequate care or even being subjected to abuse or neglect.
What is Elder Abuse and Elder Neglect?
Elder abuse refers to any knowing, intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.
Neglect of older people is described as the refusal or failure of a caregiver to fulfill obligations or duties. Obligations and duties include: providing any food, clothing, medicine, shelter, supervision, and medical care and essential services.
To combat elder abuse and neglect, every state in the country has passed laws. The laws are there to prevent physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, abandonment, exploitation and self-neglect.
What Warning Signs Should I Tell a Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer?
Have you noticed anything different about your loved one? One warning sign doesn’t mean they are being abused, but knowing what to look for can help identify whether the senior citizen in your life is suffering from nursing home neglect.
- Physical abuse: Look for bruises, pressure marks, broken bones, abrasions, and burns.
- Emotional abuse: Withdrawal without explanation, depression, loss of alertness.
- Sexual abuse: Bruises around the breasts or genital area
- Exploitation: Sudden changes in financial situation
- Neglect: Bedsores, unattended medical needs, poor hygiene, and unusual weight loss
In addition to the signals above, watch out for any signs that your loved one’s living situation has changed for the worse. Frequent arguments or other signs of tension, changes in personality or behavior can also be indications of nursing home abuse.
How Can Keches Law Help with Nursing Home Neglect Cases?
When nursing homes don’t treat residents with dignity, our personal injury lawyers want to know about it. Working in tandem with any and all agencies necessary, Keches Law Group will get the information our clients need. We represent injured residents and their families in cases of nursing home negligence or abuse. Our lawyers have a no-fee policy—you only pay attorney’s fees when we get a successful result in your case.
What Qualifies as Nursing Home Neglect?
Keches Law Group medical malpractice attorneys and nursing home negligence lawyers represent injured nursing home residents in the greater Boston area and throughout Massachusetts. Our attorneys are ready to stand up for people suffering a variety of nursing home injuries including:
- Failure to provide proper care, including failure to diagnose conditions that require prompt treatment
- Medication errors — over-medication, under-medication, and errors in providing the correct medicine or dosage
- Preventable falls that often result in multiple fractures or brain injuries and death
- Bed sores (decubitus ulcers) that are undiagnosed and untreated
- Failure to properly supervise residents leading to residents wandering off or becoming lost or injured
- Elder abuse and neglect caused by insufficient screening, poor training of staff or improper staff/patient ratios
How Widespread of a Problem is Elder Abuse?
In a given year, 10% of American citizens aged 65 or older are victim to elder abuse. But the problem is actually even worse worldwide.
As of 2015, there were 900 million people aged 60 or older in the world. A 2017 review of 52 studies across 28 countries found that 15.7% or 1 in 6 people age 60 or older suffered from some form of elder abuse.
The most common reported type of abuse was psychological, occurring in 11.6% of people.
With the senior population growing, it is projected that by the year 2050 there will be 320 million victims of elder abuse.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?
The physical and psychological well-being of the senior citizens that are supposed to be in good hands are put in jeopardy if nothing is done to curtail the actions of neglect and abuse.
Physical injuries can be as small as cuts and bruises or as serious as head injuries and broken bones. Psychologically, the patient can become fearful or anxious. It can cause trust issues as well.
In some cases, the abuse can make existing health problems worse or even lead to early death.
Contact a Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer at Keches Law Group
If you suspect nursing home negligence or an elder abuse law violation has caused harm to your loved one, contact us. A talented and capable Keches Law personal injury attorney is waiting to hear your story, and our firm has the resources to investigate your claim.
Keches Law Group is one of the largest and most well-respected personal injury and workers’ compensation law firms in Massachusetts. Since opening in 1986, we’ve recovered more than $2 billion for our clients. Other practice areas include social security disability, employment law, class action, medical malpractice, and more.
