Nursing Home Negligence Attorney
If you believe that your loved one has been the victim of abuse or neglect in an assisted care facility, call a nursing home negligence attorney at the Hanna Law Firm. These cases have a two-year statute of limitations from the date of the abuse. So, it is important that you get in touch with us as early as possible.
Why You Need a Nursing Home Negligence Attorney
It is always a difficult decision to put a parent or other family member into the care of a nursing home. It is realizing that our loved one cannot care for himself or herself. It is realizing that we are unable to care for our loved one. And it is a decision we make only after a lot of thought and research. And because we think we are doing the right thing for our family member.
Assisted care facilities are responsible for the well-being of some of the most vulnerable members of society. When we place our family member in their care, we trust that all of our loved one’s needs will be met.
Sadly, it is not uncommon at all for nursing homes to fail in their responsibility. Nursing home abuse and neglect come in many forms. But no matter how your loved one was harmed, it is important to call a nursing home abuse attorney to get justice for your family member, hold the responsible parties accountable, and, hopefully, prevent them from harming other people. For a free consultation to discuss your case, call the nursing home lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm at (432) 580-4878. For your convenience, we have four offices in Texas: Abilene, Sweetwater, Midland, and Odessa.
What Damages Can We Get with the Help of a Nursing Home Neglect Attorney?
Damages is a legal term that means the money you may win in a personal injury case involving nursing home neglect. The two main categories of damages are economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are the more obvious financial losses suffered by you or your loved one as a result of the abuse or neglect. These include medical bills, rehabilitation, medical aids or devices, and property loss or damage. There is no cap on the amount of economic damages you may receive.
Non-economic damages are less obvious. However, that does not make them any less justified or real. Non-economic damages include money for pain and suffering (emotional, mental, and physical). If you sue a nursing home in the state of Texas, your economic damages may be capped at $250,000. If you sue more than one entity, your non-economic compensation may be capped at $500,000.
In some cases, plaintiffs may receive a special type of damages called exemplary damages. These are meant to punish the defendant in cases of extreme negligence or intentional harm. In Texas, these types of damages are capped at $200,000 or twice the amount of the case’s economic and non-economic damages, but with a limit of $750,000.
Our experienced nursing home neglect attorney at the Hanna Law Firm will be happy to discuss your case and what damages may apply.
How Will a Nursing Home Neglect Attorney Help Us?
The state of Texas and the United States have laws in place that are supposed to protect residents of nursing homes and other care facilities. The Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman has compiled a list of rights that every nursing home resident is entitled to. Here are a few of these rights (but not all):
- Being treated with dignity, respect, and consideration
- All the rights associated with being a resident of the state of Texas and the United States
- Freedom from mental, physical, or verbal abuse and chemical and physical restraints
- Freedom to associate and communicate with, privately, anyone they want in person or via telephone and mail
- Freedom to make complaints without fear of retribution.
Unfortunately, people in nursing homes and other care facilities may not be able to speak up if they are being abused or neglected. This makes them an easy target for having their rights violated. A nursing home abuse attorney from the Hanna Law Firm can help you and your loved one file a lawsuit and get some measure of justice.
Here is what you can expect:
- We will sit down with you and hear your story. We will figure out whether you have a legitimate case or not and suggest next steps forward.
- Our team will thoroughly research your claims. We will investigate the facility, their history, and track record. If there are medical records associated with the abuse, we will study those carefully. We may hire experts to help our case.
- Many of these cases are resolved through negotiation, without even going to court. This way, you may receive compensation faster. You also do not have to go through the hassle and expense of a trial. We will represent you in these negotiations and fight to make sure you receive the maximum possible compensation.
- If we are unable to come to a fair settlement through negotiation, we will help you take your case to court.
- These cases always involve lots of paperwork, communication, and nitty-gritty details. We will handle all of this for you and make sure all deadlines are met.
To meet with our nursing home negligence attorney at the Hanna Law Firm, call us at (432) 580-4878.
What if I Think My Loved One Is Being Abused in a Nursing Home?
If you believe your loved one is a victim of abuse in a nursing home or other care facility, here are a few steps you can take.
- If the situation is critical and you think your relative is in immediate danger, call 911.
- Carefully speak with your relative about the situation. Of course, we realize that if your loved one suffers from dementia or another serious condition, this may not be possible. You should also be aware that he or she may not be willing to report abuse or neglect out of fear.
- Familiarize yourself with your loved one’s rights as a resident of a care facility in Texas.
- Discuss the situation with the administrator of the nursing home. Explain the situation and discuss what can be done to make your family member safe and cared for. Request that they take steps to address the problems.
- Be a visible presence at the facility. As much as possible, actively participate in your loved one’s care.
- Document everything. Take pictures of injuries. Take notes of conversations you have with home administrators and others. Keep copies of all records, including medical bills. This will help us build a case later on.
- If you are not happy with the home administration’s handling of the case, you may file a complaint with the state long-term care ombudsman.
- Contact the nursing home neglect lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm for a free consultation.
Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
It’s not always easy to know if your loved one is being abused or neglected by the people who are responsible for their care. But the following can be signs that something is not right.
- Bedsores
- Open cuts, bruises, broken bones, or other injuries
- Weight loss or malnutrition
- Poor hygiene
- Unsanitary conditions
- Agitation
- Depression
- Dehydration
- Sudden changes in behavior, such as becoming withdrawn or picking up nervous habits
- Fear of speaking in front of staff members.
Each one of these conditions individually doesn’t necessarily mean your loved one is being abused or neglected. But they are a sign that you should keep a close eye on the situation. If you believe your loved one was injured by neglect or abuse, call us. Our nursing home abuse attorney can discern when injuries are sustained from abuse or neglect. We will let you know if you have a case and how we can help you.
Our Nursing Home Lawyers Can Help if Your Loved One Died Due to Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse
If you are a close relative of someone who died because of nursing home neglect or abuse, our attorneys can help you file a wrongful death claim. In general, you must be a spouse, child, or parent of the person who died. As with a personal injury case, the statute of limitations for wrongful death cases is two years.
In a wrongful death case, you may receive damages for losses including pre-death medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, mental anguish, and loss of companionship and comfort.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to nursing home abuse or neglect, call the Hanna Law Firm today to discuss your case.
Our Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers Are Here to Help
It is heartbreaking when you realize that someone you love is being mistreated by people responsible for their care. The dedicated and compassionate lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm promise to thoroughly investigate your case. They will gather the required documents and other evidence. They will hire experts to support your claim. And they will fight to win justice for you and your family member. We offer free initial consultations and we will not be paid until we win your case. So, you have nothing to lose. To schedule an appointment, call (432) 580-4878. We can see you at any one of our four offices in Texas: Abilene, Sweetwater, Midland, and Odessa.