If you live in San Diego County and suspect that a loved one has been injured due to elder abuse or nursing home neglect, contact an attorney today.
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San Diego, CA 92130
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San Diego County Nursing Home Neglect and Elder Abuse — How an Attorney Can Help
When a family has to make the difficult decision to place an elder into a nursing home, the family has every right to expect that their loved one will receive nurturing care from compassionate professionals. Unfortunately, there have been instances in San Diego County of elder abuse taking place in nursing homes. When elders are taken advantage of, it is often due to their reduced physical and mental capacity. If you live in San Diego and suspect that your elder loved one has suffered abuse, a nursing home neglect attorney at the firm of Phillips & Pelly can help.
Types of Elder Abuse
Our San Diego County attorneys have identified several different kinds of elder abuse that can take place in a nursing home. Neglect and abuse can take many forms, from failing to provide adequate hygienic care to financially and sexually abusing elders.
Physical Elder Abuse
Physical injury is the most noticeable kind of elder abuse and is often the result of nursing home staff attempting to forcibly control the behavior of a resident. Excessive and unnecessary use of restraints can result in bruising, welts, swelling, and even broken bones.
Sometimes a lack of adequate supervision is the cause of injuries to elder residents. If a resident is unsteady on his or her feet, an attempt to navigate stairs or long hallways alone may result in fall-related injuries such as broken hips and wrists.
When visiting your loved one at their San Diego County nursing home, be alert to signs of neglect or elder abuse. Should you suspect that abuse is occurring, you owe it to your loved one and the other residents of the nursing home to speak up.
Sexual Elder Abuse
Sexual abuse of elders can include any instance of inappropriate exposure of or contact with a nursing home resident's breasts or genitals. A staff member who is abusing residents in this way may be guilty of sexual harassment, coercion, or full sexual assault. Usually he or she will not limit this behavior to just one resident. If you suspect that your loved one or another resident at a San Diego County nursing home is a victim of sexual elder abuse, an attorney should be contacted only after alerting the appropriate government attorneys.
Nursing Home Neglect
Nursing home residents can be harmed just as much by neglect as by overt abuse. If staff members fail to diagnose and treat medical conditions, neglect to clean up unsanitary conditions in the nursing home, or fail to provide adequate water or nutritious food to residents, they may be guilty of elder abuse. If your loved one appears unkempt or has sudden weight loss or bedsores, contact the San Diego firm of Phillips & Pelly. An elder abuse attorney can help you to get justice for your loved one, as well as compensation for your elder's suffering.
Mental Elder Abuse
The signs of mental elder abuse can be much harder to detect than physical abuse, especially if your loved one has lowered mental capacity. Staff members have a great deal of mental control over residents of nursing homes. This type of elder abuse may require an attorney to fully uncover, because one staff member is often shown to have harassed or intimidated a large number of residents. An experienced elder abuse attorney can carefully compile and examine the history of complaints filed at a nursing home over a long time period to determine the extent of neglect and abuse.
Financial Elder Abuse
Some unscrupulous nursing home staff members attempt to take advantage of elder residents by stealing money or other possessions from them. Elders may be convinced that it is in their best interest to entrust sensitive financial information with staff members. San Diego residents can ensure that their loved ones avoid this type of elder abuse by contacting an attorney immediately if they notice sudden changes in their loved one's financial situation or if their elder mentions stolen money.
What to Do Now
If your loved one is in a San Diego County nursing home, and you suspect elder abuse or neglect, it is essential that you report it immediately to the California Office of the Attorney General. Government enforcement teams will step in to halt any inappropriate behavior by nursing home staff.
Contact an Elder Abuse Attorney from Our Firm
Once you have alerted the authorities to the abuse, you should speak with an attorney. The San Diego law firm of Phillips & Pelly have nearly 50 years of experience in representing victims of nursing home neglect and their families. We will fight aggressively for the compensation you deserve, yet treat you with compassion at every step of the way. Contact a San Diego elder abuse attorney from Phillips & Pelly today for a free consultation.