When Do You Need An Arizona Nursing Home Abuse Attorney?
If You Suspect A Loved One Is a Victim of Arizona Nursing Home Abuse, Then You Need To Consult With An Arizona Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Near You.
No one ever wants an Arizona nursing home abuse attorney, but knowledge is key. You chose the nursing home with care, you inspected them and talked their team about the care your loved one would receive. Or, maybe you were assured by their attending physician that a nursing home was necessary to recover.
Regardless, you never believed your loved one would be harmed and you would be seeking a nursing home abuse attorney. It is a hard decision to make. Now you are asking yourself, should you file a complaint against the nursing home?
The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is a difficult one to make. Often family members place their loved one in a nursing home due to necessity, and because they believe their loved one will receive better care from professionals in a nursing home facility. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and Arizona Nursing Home Abuse occurs.
To figure out how the nursing home you have chosen for your family is rated and to see if the home has any prior violations, check out our nursing home index. We’ve compiled all of the nursing homes in Arizona as well as their health code reports.
Additionally, take a look at our Nursing Home Glossary– an index of important words you need to know in a nursing home abuse case and their definitions.
Although many individuals may not be aware, Arizona nursing home abuse occurs at an alarming rate in the United States as compared to other states. It is estimated that 1 in every 10 elderly adult suffers some form of abuse, with 40 percent of nursing home residents saying that they have been abused within the past year. The issue of nursing home abuse is all the more concerning as the elderly population in the United States and Arizona is growing and more individuals are having to resort to residing in nursing homes or having to make arrangements for loved ones to live in a nursing home.
If you are a nursing home resident or have a loved one who is a nursing home residents it is important to know that nursing home abuse is not only wrong, it is against the law. As a victim of abuse, or a family member of a victim, you may have legal recourse against abusers and those who caused you harm. Having an experienced Arizona nursing home abuse attorney who aggressively fights for victims’ rights can help to ensure that the abuse stops, the perpetrator is punished, and the victim receives justice and compensation.
The Arizona nursing home abuse attorneys at Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm near you have significant >experience in helping clients who have been a nursing home abuse victim. Our offices are conveniently located in nearby Chandler, Peoria, and North Phoenix, and we can meet in-person at our nearby offices, over the phone, or video call. You can contact us for a free consultation, or read on to find out more.
By the way, we will also help with other problems that have cost you sleep, like finding a nearby doctor who can help you or recommending you to temporary or long-term care options. You and your family’s’ safety and health are our top concern, and even the best legal team isn’t good enough if your quality of life isn’t sustainable while justice and compensation are on the way. The whole point of legal action is to regain quality of life, so we help you long-term as attorneys and short-term as your go-to people. Our familiarity with the local Phoenix courts makes us confident that we can help you get the best settlement possible.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse occurs when a nursing home resident is mistreated or neglected, which can be manifest in a variety of ways, including:
- Physical Abuse
- Misuse of restraints
- Verbal and emotional abuse
- Physical neglect
- Medical neglect
- Verbal and emotional neglect
- Misappropriation of personal or real property
Nursing home abuse can be committed by nursing home staff or workers, including doctors and nurses, and in some instances, another resident may even be the abuser. While the facts and circumstances surrounding instances of nursing home abuse may vary, both federal and state law make nursing home abuse illegal and provide victims of nursing home abuse with possibilities for recourse.
What to Look For
While abuse occurring in nursing home facilities can happen in a variety of ways, there are some signs to look for if you are concerned about your loved one being abused. These signs can include things, such as:
- Bruising
- Sores that won’t heal
- Social isolation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Extreme weight loss or gain
It is important to look for signs of abuse because unfortunately victims of nursing home abuse often do not report the abuse as they fear retaliation, or because they do not know to whom to report the abuse.
Additionally, it is essential to get the abuse to stop as quickly as possible as nursing home abuse victims may already have compromised health and the abuse can make them more ill, and in some cases may even cause or hasten death. Research shows that nursing home abuse victims are three times more likely to be admitted to the hospital and that they are more likely to develop other health issues.
In addition to the physical and emotional toll nursing home abuse has on its victims, the extra medical treatment also has a huge financial cost. Hospitalization for nursing home abuse victims costs an estimated $2.8 billion a year paid by Medicare. This dollar figure does not include other medical treatment for abuse not requiring hospitalization and the money that Medicaid contributes to treatment for abuse victims.
Nursing Home Abuse is Against the Law
Nursing home abuse is against both Arizona state law and federal law.
Nursing home abuse was outlawed at the federal level with the passing of the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987. Importantly, these laws also set standards and dictate regulations for how nursing homes are supposed to operate, including things such as, doctor and nurse training, patient rights, and mechanisms for reporting abuse. Further, the law outlines punishments for those found guilty of nursing home abuse. The federal law also allows states to impose their own rules on nursing homes operating within their state.
In Arizona, the legislature has passed the Adult Protective Services Act which regulates nursing home facilities, defines and outlaws nursing home abuse, and outlines what recourse is available to victims of nursing home abuse. Victims of nursing home abuse may also have a legal case against abusers under Arizona civil liability laws and under Arizona’s Medical Malpractice Act.
Under both the state and federal law, victims of nursing home abuse have legal rights. Understanding and asserting your rights as an abuse victim can be challenging. Having a Chandler, Arizona personal injury attorney to fight for your rights can make a difference in your case.
Contact Us
Suffering from, or watching your loved one being victimized by nursing home abuse can be difficult. Knowing how to get the abuse to stop, ensuring the nursing home resident is not retaliated against for reporting abuse, and getting compensated for damage caused by the abuse can be confusing and challenging. That is why the Arizona nursing home abuse attorneys at the Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm are here to assist you.
Our team of Arizona nursing home abuse attorneys is dedicated to seeking damages on behalf of those family members who are being abused and help you find better accommodations for them in the nearby area. We’ve worked on a number of nursing home abuse cases previously in your area and take the time to understand the family’s concerns as well as the situation they believe their loved one is in.
At Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm near you, we have more than 15 years of experience helping clients obtain compensation for their and their loved one’s personal injuries, including those from nursing home abuse in the Phoenix area. When you’re ready to talk, please contact our office to arrange a free initial consultation by phone or at our Chandler office, conveniently located near you.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, contact Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm in nearby Chandler, AZ to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. We provide personal injury legal services to clients in your area including Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Peoria.
