Carmel, IN Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

When a senior is abused in a nursing home, the facility responsible for taking care of them can be held responsible in Carmel.

There are many signs of nursing home abuse that families of seniors can look for in their loved ones in Carmel. These include physical injuries, worsened health, financial difficulties, and depression, among others. Remove your loved one from the facility’s care if abuse is suspected, report the abuse to the necessary agencies, and allow our attorneys to investigate the situation. During our investigation, we might learn that a victim’s rights as a nursing home resident were violated. Violations of a nursing home resident’s rights include restricting a resident’s access to family and friends, inhibiting them from being part of their medical care, and any form of abuse, including physical, sexual, financial, or emotional abuse.

To have our Carmel, IN nursing home abuse lawyers analyze your case for free, call Wruck Paupore today at (219) 322-1166.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse in Carmel, IN

Abuse in nursing home facilities can take many forms and might not always be clear to those closest to nursing home residents in Carmel. Common signs of abuse or neglect of seniors include visible injuries, health issues, financial problems, and depression.

Physical Injuries

Physical abuse is a common type of abuse experienced by nursing home residents in Carmel. Physical abuse might lead to injuries such as bruises, broken bones, fractures, or burns. Neglect might lead to bed sores or infections due to poor hygiene. If you notice physical injuries to a nursing home resident close to you and the facility cannot provide proper insight into their cause, your loved one might be a victim of nursing home abuse.

Worsened Health

Certain types of abuse common in nursing homes, like physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse, can cause a victim’s health to decline. Fear, isolation, and depression can cause worsened medical conditions for seniors already dealing with illnesses. A steep decline in health or happiness might be due to abuse and should be investigated.

Financial Difficulties

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for nursing home residents to be victims of financial abuse in Carmel. Nursing home staff members might convince a senior to give them their banking information or their personal valuables, like jewelry. A sudden loss of money or personal belongings might be an indicator of financial abuse.

Depression

Abuse of any kind can have a negative effect on a victim’s quality of life. A nursing home resident experiencing abuse might become withdrawn, isolated, and depressed. They might lose interest in engaging with their community and might avoid reaching out to loved ones or fellow residents out of fear or concern that they will be penalized by an abuser.

What to Do About Nursing Home Abuse in Carmel, IN

If you believe that a senior close to you is a victim of abuse while a resident of a nursing home, you should remove them from the facility right away and begin an investigation into negligence.

Once you recognize signs of abuse in a senior close to you, it is best to remove them from the facility whose negligence is causing harm to them. This is important for the victim’s safety and the success of your eventual case. If the victim stays at the facility after the abuse is unveiled, it might undermine their claim. It is also important to report possible abuse to the nursing home facility and identify which specific staff members are involved in the abuse. It might also be prudent to report the abuse to law enforcement officials in Carmel.

Once you have taken the proper steps to ensure the victim’s safety, our nursing home abuse lawyers can begin investigating your case. This might include speaking to other residents to learn whether or not they witnessed abuse or negligence firsthand. Medical records documenting a victim’s physical injuries due to abuse will also be necessary to a case, meaning victims should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Because nursing home facilities are unlikely to accept responsibility for the abuse of a resident, it is important to pursue a case quickly in Carmel. When a case is prolonged, it might have a lower chance of success.

Laws Protecting Nursing Home Residents in Carmel, IN

The rights of residents of nursing homes in Carmel are outlined in both Indiana law and federal law. These rights protect residents from certain wrongs and enable them to seek compensation should their rights be violated due to abuse in Carmel.

According to 410 Ind. Admin. Code 16.2-3.1-3, residents of nursing homes have certain rights throughout Indiana, including Carmel. This includes the right to speak and interact with those within a facility and outside of it. Abuse involving the isolation of a resident or the prohibition of contacting loved ones to report abuse would violate their rights.

Residents also have the right to be informed about their medical care and the medical professionals or staff members involved in that care. For example, if a certain staff member abuses a resident, that resident can request that the staff member no longer treat them without providing a reason.

Furthermore, residents in Carmel have the right to raise concerns with nursing home facilities and report abuse or neglect without fear of retaliation or discrimination.

Many additional rights are given to nursing home residents in Carmel, including the right to privacy and self-determination. Federal laws, like the Nursing Home Reform Act, provide other rights for residents and rules for nursing homes. Should any of a nursing home resident’s rights be violated by a staff member or the facility they reside in, they may have a case.

Call Our Carmel, IN Attorneys About Your Nursing Home Abuse Case Today

For a free case assessment from our nursing home abuse lawyers, call Wruck Paupore at (219) 322-1166.