Dayton Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

As a loved one begins to age, nursing home facilities and assisted living homes can offer optimal care. We trust these facilities and their staff members to keep our loved ones safe and comfortable. When that trust is betrayed by an act of negligence or abuse, the consequences can be dire, and you deserve compensation and justice alike. The elderly are some of the most vulnerable members of society, and a Dayton nursing home abuse lawyer can protect them.

If you have reason to believe your senior loved one has been suffering abuse or neglect at the hands of their nursing home or a similar facility caregiver, the team at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber is here to listen to your story and advocate for your family. Your loved one deserves to thrive in their golden years, and we are here to help that happen. When the time comes to hold a nursing home liable for abuse, make the right decision and call Spangenberg Shibley & Liber.

Protect Your Elderly Loved Ones: Over $1 Billion Recovered by Spangenberg Shibley & Liber

Since 1946, the attorneys at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber have been working hard on behalf of seniors and their families across the state of Ohio and even nationwide. As we age, we deserve care, respect, and dignified treatment. When we are treated instead with abuse or neglect, justice must be served. Whether you are a victim yourself, you suspect a loved one is being treated in this way, or you are looking to refer a case to our team, we are here to support you.

At Spangenberg Shibley & Liber, we are proud to say we have obtained 25% of all seven-figure verdicts in Ohio in the last two years. Recently, we were able to recover $4.4 million in a verdict on behalf of a family whose loved one died following a fall at a nursing home. * We have been helping individuals and families for over 80 years and have no plans of stopping anytime soon. While past results cannot guarantee future outcomes, we are here to advocate for your rights.

Our attorneys are here to treat your case with an unwavering dedication to justice and can go the distance to obtain the full and fair amount of compensation you and your family deserve. Our award-winning trial lawyers are here to stand up for your rights both inside and outside of a courtroom. To us, you’re not just another case number, but a human being who deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Let us serve you today.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse in Dayton

Across the United States, two out of every three nursing home or long-term care facility staff admit to some kind of abuse. This is a rather staggering statistic, but it is a crucial one to be aware of. When it comes time to place an elderly loved one in a nursing home or other care facility, you want to make certain they are receiving the care and support they deserve. When this care and support turns to neglect and abuse, you have the right to legal protection.

There are various types of abuse and neglect that can take place in the Dayton area nursing homes. Understanding the abuse your loved one has suffered will be important to the success of your case. At Spangenberg Shibley & Liber, we are here to help families through nursing home abuse cases that involve the following types of abuse:

• This is one of the most common forms of nursing home abuse and can include any kind of physical act, such as shoving, kicking, pushing, restraining, hitting, grabbing, or otherwise handling an elderly resident in a rough or intentionally harmful manner. It can also include intentionally withholding care or medical intervention from a resident as a form of punishment.
• The devastating reality is that around 7% of all nursing home abuse is sexual in nature. Sexual abuse can occur when a staff member commits any kind of sexual assault against your loved one, forces your loved one to look at explicit material, or causes any kind of forced nudity to take place.
• All senior residents deserve to be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity. If a staff member is verbally assaulting your loved one, swearing at your loved one, putting them down, or acting as though they don’t exist, it can affect the mental health and emotional well-being of your loved one.
• It is all too common for staff members to take advantage of an elderly individual’s finances, especially when that individual suffers from memory issues like dementia or Alzheimer’s. Financial abuse can look like forging checks, identity theft, changing the ownership of bank accounts or deeds, or any other way of stealing money from a resident.
• Resident-to-resident. Abuse does not always come at the hands of caregivers, facility staff, or outside medical professionals. In fact, abuse can actually be committed by other residents at the facility. While the staff members of the nursing home are not directly to blame for this kind of abuse, they are still liable for taking care of the issue and protecting your loved one, and when the abuse goes unaddressed, they can still be at fault.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse to Be Watchful for

According to a recent study put out by The Elder Justice Roadmap, a research initiative that was funded by the U.S. DOJ, shows that around 10% of all U.S. adults over 60 years of age experience some kind of abuse every year. However, only about one in every 24 cases is actually reported to the necessary authorities.

At Spangenberg Shibley & Liber, we understand that you want your loved one to receive good and supportive care, and we are here to protect their rights to this care. When you suspect your loved one is facing neglect or abuse, however, we advise you to be on the watch for these common signs:

• Sudden changes in behavior or mood. When there is a noticeable shift in an elderly person’s mood or behavior, this could be a sign of psychological or emotional abuse. When they are depressed, withdrawn, or suddenly more agitated, this kind of behavior can be the direct result of harassment, forced isolation, or intimidation.
• Unexplained bruising or injuries. Though bruising is common in the elderly population, consistent and unexplained injuries or bruises could be a sign of abuse. These injuries can also be a sign of neglect, where the facility is not providing them with proper care, and falls or other similar accidents take place more often.
• Infections, bedsores, and poor hygiene. When an elderly resident begins experiencing bedsores, or pressure ulcers, a consistent state of poor or inadequate hygiene, and recurring infections, then this could point in the direction of abuse or neglect. It can also point out that the staff is failing to provide your loved one with basic care, such as cleaning them, repositioning them, or providing them with needed medical attention.
• Fear or withdrawal. If an elderly resident begins to show signs of fear, especially when they are in the presence of a particular staff member, become socially withdrawn from other residents, or flinch at any kind of physical contact, this could point to a variety of abuse, including emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and physical abuse.
• Signs of sexual assault. One of the telltale signs of sexual assault in a nursing home is the unexpected diagnosis of an STD, or sexually transmitted disease. Other signs can include unexplained bruising or bleeding in and around the genital area.

If you notice any of these signs of potential abuse, you need to contact Spangenberg Shibley & Liber as quickly as possible. We are here to protect your loved one, and the sooner you contact us, the sooner we can do just that.

What to Expect in a Nursing Home Abuse Case

When you suspect nursing home neglect or abuse, your very first step will be to contact an attorney who can review any evidence you might have and determine the validity of your case. At Spangenberg Shibley & Liber, we are here to review all the details you have to offer. From there, the process of a nursing home abuse case in Ohio will typically include the following steps:

• A detailed investigation. The attorneys at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber are here to gather evidence in support of your claim. Through comprehensive and independent investigation, we can uncover evidence such as medical records and facility reports, and conduct interviews to gather eye-witness statements to build a solid foundation for your case.
• Filing the official claim. Then, we are here to guide you through the filling out and filing of all official claim paperwork. We are also here to handle all the legalities that are associated with filing a claim against the negligent facility and liable staff members.
• Negotiation and litigation. While our attorneys are skilled and experienced negotiators and can reach a settlement for your loved one in this manner, we are also fully prepared to take your case to trial. When the liable party refuses to offer fair compensation, we don’t give up. Rather, we bring your case to court and advocate for your rights and your loved one’s rights before a judge and jury.

FAQs

Q: What Damages Can My Family Recover for Nursing Home Abuse?

A: In a nursing home abuse case, there are a number of damages your family may be able to recover, based on the exact circumstances of your case. This can include the coverage of any related medical expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages. If your loved one has died as a result of the abuse, in addition to these damages, you may also recover any funeral or burial costs.

Q: Who Can Be Held Liable for Nursing Home Abuse in Ohio?

A: In Ohio, there is a wide range of parties that may be held liable for a nursing home abuse case. These can include the actual facilities themselves, such as a nursing home, an assisted living home, memory care units, residential care homes, or in-home care organizations. It can also include the staff members, doctors, and nurses of the facility, and even other residents.

Q: Why Does Nursing Home Abuse Happen?

A: Nursing home abuse happens for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is the presence of unsafe conditions inside the facility. The most common reasons for unsafe conditions include poor oversight by the staff, poor hiring decisions, understaffing issues, a lack of infection prevention and overall hygiene, a lack of safeguards and protections in place to keep medication errors from happening, and inadequate training of staff.

Q: How Long Does a Nursing Home Abuse Case Take?

A: The length of time it takes a nursing home abuse case to reach a resolution will depend on a variety of factors. These factors can include the type of abuse suffered by the victim, the availability of the evidence to help prove the abuse, the availability of the courts, and whether or not the case goes to trial or is settled through pre-trial negotiation.

Hire a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Serving Dayton Area Families

If you have reason to suspect your loved one is suffering abuse at the nursing home or similar care facility in Dayton, the team at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber is here to help. Whether your loved one resides at Riverside Healthcare Center, Grafton Oaks Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, or the Widows Home of Dayton, we are here to protect your loved one from abuse at the hands of their caregivers.

We firmly believe that your loved one deserves nothing short of excellent care. When you hire a nursing home abuse lawyer from our team, you can rest assured knowing we have you and your loved one’s interests at heart. To learn more about our legal services and to schedule an initial consultation, contact our offices today. We are here to serve you, whatever your case entails.

*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.