Prince George’s County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Maryland is home to over 220 nursing homes certified by Medicare and Medicaid. Most of these facilities provide appropriate care and consideration to the needs of every one of their residents. Unfortunately, when an assisted living facility or nursing home fails to administer the proper care to its residents, it can be challenging for family members to identify harm or to take effective legal action.
However, a compassionate Prince George’s County nursing home abuse lawyer could provide irreplaceable assistance. Once retained, your personal injury attorney could ensure your loved one is safe from further abuse or neglect and work tirelessly to demand fair financial restitution for every form of harm they sustained at the hands of reckless caretakers.
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Although there are some cases in which a nursing home employee deliberately and maliciously causes physical harm to one or more residents, nursing home “abuse” much more often takes the form of careless “neglect” on the part of staff members or facility administrators.
For example, in a negligently operated facility, residents may go without proper nutrition, sanitary living conditions, and necessary medical treatment because of understaffing, lack of training, or a failure by the facility’s owners and operators to perform due diligence on the people they are hiring.
Unfortunately, the fact that nursing home mistreatment is often inadvertent can make it much more challenging to identify and address. While specific symptoms of neglect or abuse can vary, family members of residents should look out for the following:
- Sudden changes in a resident’s personality or mood
- Unexplained or abnormally common injuries
- Lack of clean sheets or clothing
- Dramatic weight loss
- Signs of dehydration, like yellowed fingernails
- Sudden changes in a resident’s finances or estate-related documents
Anyone who suspects a nursing home resident is suffering from mistreatment can report it to the Maryland Office of Health Care Quality. If necessary, a dedicated attorney in Prince George’s County could help take more immediate action if nursing home mistreatment poses an imminent risk to a resident’s safety.
What Damages Could Be Recovered Through Civil Litigation?
No amount of money can excuse or erase the effects of negligent or abusive treatment inside a nursing home. However, a nursing home abuse lawsuit could minimize the impact of any financial and personal losses caused by neglect or abuse on an impacted resident’s future quality of life. Recoverable damages in a claim of this nature could include the following:
- Past, present, and future medical expenses
- Reimbursement of facility costs and fees
- Physical pain and psychological suffering
- Mental anguish and suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life
In the worst-case scenario, a hardworking lawyer could assist family members of a resident in Prince George’s County who passed away due to nursing home mistreatment by pursuing restitution through a wrongful death claim.
Speak with a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Prince George’s County Today
Learning that a loved one was hurt by abuse or neglect from the people who are supposed to care for them can be a harrowing experience. Considering the emotional reaction that a situation like this can provoke, it can be difficult to calmly pursue civil litigation against the parties responsible for your family member’s injuries and losses.
Fortunately, a dedicated Prince George’s County nursing home abuse lawyer could take the lead during every stage of your legal proceedings, allowing you to focus on your family’s needs. Call today to learn more.
