We get calls every week, unfortunately, about loved ones being abused in a nursing home, rehabilitation center, or long-term care facility. The people being cared for in these facilities are often vulnerable, physically and sometimes mentally. With Covid, there have been a lot of restrictions on visitors that has impacted care. Family members place a lot of trust in the staff at these centers. They trust that the workers will treat their loved ones with dignity and take care of their needs. When that trust is broken and a loved one suffers, it is heartbreaking. And sometimes it’s worthy of a lawsuit or at least talking to an attorney about it.

Abuse at a nursing home, rehab center, or long-term care facility can take many forms. It is not just actively harming a person physically. It can be passive, as in neglecting to provide proper care or ignoring instructions that are specific to that patient. Here are examples of nursing home abuse:

Physical abuse (cuts, scrapes, or bruises resulting from being hit, slapped, etc.). It’s shocking, but true that some staff members can get physical with clients and in other cases, other residents are known to have abuse issues and hurt someone.

Sexual abuse (rape, sexual assault).  We’ve seen this happen to residents by staff members, other residents, security guards and relatives of others in the facility. It should never happen and if it does it’s worth a call to the police and an attorney.

Physical injury from falls that could have been prevented (broken bones or bruises resulting from staff not responding to call buttons, not putting up bed rails). It blows my mind how often this happens. Lack of staffing is a huge contributor, but sometimes workers are just careless and don’t pay attention to simple instructions or put in safeguards to protect those who are fall risks.

Bedsores due to neglect/failure to move or turn a patient.  This is probably the number one call we get which is frustrating because these injuries are very avoidable. If the bedsore (ulcer, pressure sore) is beyond superficial, it’s usually grounds for a good lawsuit.

Medication errors (improper or inadequate use of medications). If this negligence causes an injury, it’s worth having an attorney investigate what happened.

Your loved one may be able to communicate to you the mistreatment that has occurred. You may be able to see the visible signs of it, such as cuts, bruises, and other injuries. Other signs of abuse include mood or personality changes, unexplained or rapid weight loss, and previously unreported health problems.  And sometimes you discover these abuses when the person you care about ends up in the hospital.

If you suspect that your loved one has suffered harm due to the action or inaction of the staff at a nursing home, rehab center, or long-term care facility, call us at 312-346-5320 to speak with a lawyer for free. We cover all of Illinois and have a great track record of helping people in these situations. There is no cost to hire an attorney to sue a nursing home for an injury. All cases are handled on a contingency basis which means we only get paid it you win the case and a recovery is made.