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When people send their loved ones to assisted living facilities in Philadelphia, they do so because they believe the facility will do a much better job of caring for their elderly relatives than they could, given their circumstances. Therefore, if the people who are meant to care for your loved one start abusing or neglecting them, it can be distressing. The good news is you can hold them accountable for their negligent actions.
With the help of a Philadelphia assisted living abuse lawyer at Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., you can make the retirement home or the liable staff pay for their misdeeds. Our team of resourceful nursing home abuse attorneys is here to help you and your loved one during this difficult period. Contact us to discuss your case.
Understanding Abuse in an Assisted Living Facility
When most people think of elder abuse, they often only think in terms of physical assault or intentional harm. Yet, there are many other ways that the people working in the nursing facility can unintentionally hurt your loved one. The common types of abuse suffered by residents of an assisted living facility include:
- Neglect or abandonment
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse or exploitation
- Non-supervision of residents needing memory care
- Emotional or psychological abuse
- Verbal assault
- Unnecessary use of physical restraints
- Medication maladministration – either wrong drugs or wrong dosages
These can lead to significant injuries, psychological trauma, and even fatalities for residents. No one should have to endure any of these, especially not your elderly loved one. If you suspect abuse or neglect in an assisted living facility, a Philadelphia lawyer can help protect your loved one’s rights and pursue accountability. An attorney can make it right by bringing legal action against all negligent parties.
What Are The Signs of Elder Abuse at a Retirement Home?
Unless the perpetrator is careless and blatantly hurts your senior loved one, elder abuse is not often obvious. You can visit multiple times without observing their mistreatment. And even when you are staring at it, you may likely dismiss it.
This is why you have to know what to look out for in an abused assisted living facility resident. Common signs include:
- Unexplained welts, marks, bruises, cuts, or scratches
- Joint dislocations or fractures
- Bedsores, dirty clothing or beddings, a funny smell, or an unkempt appearance
- Rapid weight loss, dry skin, sunken eyes, or an unusually gaunt frame
- Unexplained deterioration of their health issues
- Behavioral changes, furtive glances, social withdrawal, or moodiness
- Increased financial activity, missing assets, unexplained financial transactions, or unrecognized names in bank statements
Unless you are actively observant, it is easy to miss these cues and leave your loved one vulnerable to continued abuse. If you notice any of these warning signs, speaking with a Philadelphia assisted living abuse attorney may help you understand your options and protect your loved one from further harm.
Establishing Liability in a Retirement Home Negligence Case
When your loved one is hurt by the people who should care for them or does nothing while another resident hurts them, liability often falls on the facility management or its staff. The basis of all injury or abuse lawsuits is establishing that these entities were negligent in their actions.
A Philadelphia lawyer handling assisted living abuse cases must show that the facility or its staff owed your loved one a duty of care and failed in that duty. As a result, your loved one was hurt, leading to damages such as reduced quality of life, pain and suffering, mental anguish, or medical expenses for physical injuries.
Contact Our Philadelphia Assisted Living Abuse Attorneys
After years of caring for, providing for, and protecting you, your elderly relative deserves to be cared for. Abuse or mistreatment is not care. Talk to a Philadelphia assisted living abuse lawyer at Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys, P.C. if you suspect they are being abused. We can assist you in bringing legal actions against the abusers.
Call now for a confidential consultation with one of our attorneys.
