Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
An elderly loved one deserves compassionate care with medical attention that meets their needs, a clean, comfortable environment, stimulating social activities, and respect for their human dignity. Nursing homes in Atlanta and elsewhere have a legal obligation to provide all of those essential aspects of elder care. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse in Atlanta is far from uncommon. According to alarming data from the Nursing Home Abuse Center, an investigative report unearthed 700 allegations of nursing home neglect and abuse in Georgia, describing the problems as “widespread” with substantial evidence of underreporting.
If your elderly loved one suffered injury, a worsened physical or mental health condition, or death due to nursing home abuse in Atlanta, contact Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC for compassionate, assertive legal advocacy.
Why Choose Piasta Walker Hagenbush for Your Nursing Home Abuse Claim in Atlanta?
The Atlanta personal injury law firm of Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, is dedicated to pursuing justice through financial accountability, including in egregious nursing home abuse cases in Atlanta and the surrounding Georgia region. With Piasta Walker Hagenbush working on your family’s behalf, you’ll find the following advantages:
- A reputation for results, with over $100 million recovered for our injured clients
- An attorney dedicated to your case who will strategize an approach based on the unique circumstances, rather than using a cookie-cutter strategy that might not recover the maximum compensation available to your loved one or surviving family members
- An entire legal staff working to advance your case, with access to medical experts and other resources to support your claim
- Experienced investigators to document evidence, carefully calculate damages to maximize financial recovery, and prepare your case as though for court in case a trial becomes necessary, while seeking a low-conflict result through a settlement whenever possible
Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, offers a free confidential consultation and contingency-based payment, so you pay nothing up front, and only pay your lawyer’s fees after they’ve recovered compensation for you or your loved one.
What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse In Atlanta
Some nursing home residents are unable to speak due to medical problems, or they may have dementia, leaving them unable to report abuse. Other nursing home residents don’t report abuse because they are ashamed or don’t wish to burden family members. Tragically, nursing home neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse often cause a significant decline in an elderly person’s physical health, cognitive ability, and life expectancy.
If you suspect your loved one in an Atlanta nursing home is the victim of abuse, it’s important to take immediate action by doing the following:
- Report the abuse to the nursing home administration, local law enforcement, and the Atlanta nursing home ombudsman office
- Take photographs of visible injuries and document any behaviors or signs of abuse
- Have the elderly loved one undergo a complete medical assessment by a doctor who is unrelated to the facility
- Ask for a detailed medical report of their findings and obtain a copy of the elderly loved one’s most recent physical examination before the suspected abuse occurred
- Make a list of any staff members or other residents who witnessed the abuse
- Keep any torn or bloodied clothing or bedding in a plastic bag
Reach out to an Atlanta nursing home attorney at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC for representation to recover financial compensation and a voice for justice for your loved one.
What are the Most Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse In Atlanta?
The elderly are highly vulnerable to abuse due to their physical decline and incapacity. These are often accompanied by cognitive decline, which can make it difficult or impossible for the elder to report their abuse. The term “nursing home abuse” in Atlanta covers the following types of mistreatment:
- Neglect, or failing to provide adequate nutrition, hydration, and hygiene, failing to administer correct and timely medications, failing to provide adequate assistive mobility equipment, or abandoning residents in their rooms, common areas, or outdoors
- Physical abuse, or intentionally hitting, punching, kicking, pinching, shoving, or otherwise physically harming or assaulting a nursing home resident. Physical abuse may also include the unnecessary use of physical restraints or sedatives to control a resident, stealing a resident’s medication, or swapping over-the-counter pain medications for a resident’s prescription painkillers
- Emotional abuse, or yelling, badgering, berating, harassing, or belittling a resident. Emotional abuse may include intentional intimidation, threats, or imposed isolation as “punishment”
- Financial abuse, or making unauthorized transactions in a resident’s bank accounts, stealing spending money, or accessing a nursing home resident’s home, car, or belongings
- Sexual abuse, or unwanted touching or penetration by a staff member or another resident
According to a survey of 577 nursing home caregivers, 81% of staff members admit to witnessing emotional abuse by other caregivers, and nearly 25% of family members reported that their loved one in a nursing home experienced at least one instance of physical abuse.
Recognizing the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Despite their promises, reassurances, and glossy brochures, many nursing homes in Atlanta are overcrowded and chronically understaffed, resulting in overwhelmed, exhausted, and frustrated caregivers, high staff turnover rates, and inexperienced caregivers.
It’s crucial for family members to recognize the possible signs of nursing home abuse before it causes irreparable harm or wrongful death. Common signs of nursing home abuse include the following:
- Unexplained injuries, including fractures, head injuries, bruises, and facial trauma
- Sudden weight loss
- Dry, chapped skin and lips
- Torn clothing or bedding
- Unclean room, bathroom, or bed linen
- Uneaten meals and untouched beverages remaining in the room
- Broken personal items, such as dentures, glasses, and hearing aids
- Untreated bed sores
- Medication mistakes
- Bruises or bleeding around the private parts
- Unkempt appearance
- Sudden changes in mood, temperament, or personality
- Social withdrawal
- Reluctance to speak in front of caregivers
- Signs of restraint use, such as bruised or chapped wrists and ankles
- Broken mobility equipment
- Sudden changes in financial status or unexplained account transactions
If you notice any of the above signs of potential abuse in an Atlanta nursing home, it’s essential to act quickly.
Contact Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC For Representation In your Nursing Home Abuse Case
Legal action doesn’t erase the physical and emotional harm caused by a loved one’s abuse in a nursing home, but it can bring a sense of justice and accountability through compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma. If the elderly loved one died from their abuse, a family member can recover wrongful death benefits. More importantly, demanding accountability through an Atlanta nursing home abuse lawsuit helps deter other caregivers from abusing elderly residents.
Contact Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC today so we can bring justice in your case.