Nursing Home Abuse
The Phoenix, Arizona nursing home lawyers with Phillips and Associates can help the victims of elder abuse and nursing home abuse. We can also help their families receive the compensation they are legally entitled to. If you suspect that your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse, please contact our Phoenix, Arizona lawyers to discuss your situation.
Many of our elderly, either now or sometime in the near future, will need the type of care that can only be provided in a nursing home environment. While there are many fine nursing homes in Arizona, there are some that fail to adequately provide for the needs of their residents. Others may actively contribute to abuse, neglect and injury of those under their care. When nursing home abuse occurs, our lawyers with the Phoenix firm of Phillips and Associates can help.
Abuse is defined as the harmful treatment of people, including rough handling of the elderly or even the use of insulting or coarse language. It is also against the law for any nursing home to use verbal, mental, sexual, or physical abuse, corporal punishment, or involuntary seclusion.
Neglect is defined as a failure to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness. Neglect occurs on an individual basis when a nursing home resident does not receive care in one or more areas. For example, if staff fails to frequently monitor a resident known to be incontinent, and this results in his or her being left in urine or feces, this constitutes nursing home neglect.
Nursing home abuse and/or neglect can involve not only the physical well-being of the resident, but also the mental, and/or psychological well-being of the resident as well. Nursing home abuse and/or neglect can take many forms, all of which are too numerous to list. The following, however, represents common examples of nursing home abuse and/or neglect:
- Failure to provide proper nutrition and hydration
- Failure to assist in personal hygiene when needed
- Over-medication or under-medication
- Failure to take reasonable precautions to prevent falls
- Failure to answer call lights in a timely fashion
- Failure to turn residents in their beds (leading to pressure sores)
- Failure to take residents to the toilet (leaving them in soiled garments or beds)
- Slapping or other physical abuse of the resident
- Use of unwarranted chemical or physical restraints
- Emotional or verbal abuse of the resident
- Retaliation when a resident makes a complaint or files a grievance
- Failure to take adequate precautions to prevent injury to the resident
- Failure to provide for appropriate medical care
- Sexual assault or rape of the resident
- Theft of the resident's money or other personal property
Nursing home abuse can be difficult to detect. If you even suspect that your loved one is a victim, please contact our Phoenix nursing home lawyers with Phillips and Associates to discuss your case. We can help you determine if your loved one is being abused and fight for the compensation you and your loved one may be legally entitled to.
