Pittsburgh PA Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

In an ideal world, it would be possible for all of our loved ones to live at home. Often due to medical conditions or financial means we need nursing homes and assisted living facilities to care for our loved ones. Many of the nursing homes in Pennsylvania and Ohio are good places for our loved ones to reside. Unfortunately, our Pittsburgh nursing home abuse attorney has seen a number of cases where people have been injured due to neglect or abuse in a nursing home or assisted living facility.

When you trust a parent or loved one to a nursing home facility, you do so with the expectation that they will be treated with the care, the competence and the respect they so richly deserve. The discovery that your family member has been the victim of neglect, medical malpractice or even abuse can be devastating.

Second only to the state of Florida, Pennsylvania has one of the fastest aging populations in the nation. The need for care in conditions such as this can rapidly outpace the availability of outstanding care, and even a highly respected nursing home may hire someone who causes serious harm.

Why Choose Us for a Pittsburgh Elder Abuse Case?

Our personal injury team provides exceptional representation for plaintiffs who have been seriously injured as a result of the abuse and neglect of others.

• We are a full-service firm with extensive experience in all matters of personal injury law.
• We have a reputation for record-setting results and have secured multi-million-dollar verdicts for numerous clients.
• Our team of attorneys represent clients on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge any upfront fees, and you do not pay legal costs if we do not secure a favorable verdict or settlement on your behalf.

If you know or even if you suspect that a family member has suffered neglect or abuse in a nursing home facility, take action to protect your family’s rights and your safety. At Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., we represent clients throughout Pennsylvania from our offices in Pittsburgh, New Castle, Hermitage, Butler and Erie. Our personal injury lawyers in Pittsburgh can help you fight in and out of the courtroom to hold negligent and abusive care providers responsible.

Types of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse falls into seven categories, as defined by the NCEA. Each of these types of abuse can happen in or out of nursing homes.

• Physical abuse: the use of physical force against an elder, may result in bodily injury or pain.
• Sexual abuse: includes any kind of non-consensual sexual contact with an elderly person.
• Emotional/psychological abuse: the infliction of emotional anguish, pain, or distress through verbal or behavioral actions.
• Neglect: a caretaker’s refusal or failure to fulfill their obligations or duties to an elder.
• Abandonment: a caretaker’s desertion of an elderly person in their care.
• Financial exploitation: the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds or assets, often for the personal financial gain of the perpetrator.
• Self-neglect: the behavior of an elderly person that threatens their own health or safety.

What Abuse is There in Nursing Homes?

Abuse in nursing homes can take many forms. It can include assault, battery, sexual assault, unreasonable physical constraints, prolonged deprivation of food and water, and unauthorized use of chemical restraints and drugs. By law, nursing home neglect is defined as the negligent failure of any person having the care or custody of an elder or dependent adult to exercise that degree of care which a reasonable person would exercise in a like position. Neglect also comes in many forms, and it can strike where you least expect it – even in New Castle, Butler, Erie, Kittanning, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Sharon, Altoona or other places that otherwise seem perfectly safe.

Neglect can include failure to assist in personal hygiene; failure to provide adequate food and clothing; failure to give medical care for physical and mental health needs; failure to protect from health and safety hazards; and failure to provide adequate nutrition.

Our Pittsburgh elder abuse attorneys believe that all people who suffer unnecessarily as a result of ignorance, negligence or abuse have the right to hold the people responsible for damages accountable. Too often it is those without a voice, including nursing home residents, who suffer the most. It may come down to a situation where a loved one only suspects that something is wrong.

If you are that loved one, you may be facing the choice between hiring a professional to dig deeper or hoping for the best. You should know that if there is medical malpractice, abuse or neglect, it is unlikely to go away on its own.

What are the Warning Signs for Nursing Home Abuse?

There are warning signs for nursing home abuse and neglect. If you suspect that someone you love is the victim of nursing home abuse, you should look out for the following for Physical Abuse. This includes any of the following:

• Open wounds, cuts, bruises and welts
• Loss of weight
• Frequent unexplained injuries
• Inability of the caretaker to adequately explain conditions
• Sudden changes in the elder’s behavior
• Over-medication
• Sexual Assault
• Reports of abuse

What Are Some Main Indicators of Nursing Home Neglect?

Some or all of the following could be warning signs for neglect, or lack of supervision in an elder care facility. Be on the lookout if your loved ones suffer from any of the following:

• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Pressure sores
• Bed sores
• Lack of personal cleanliness
• Unsanitary and unclean conditions
• Begging for food
• Need for medical or dental care
• Lice
• Open wounds
• Rashes
• Inadequate staff supervision
• Wandering and elopement
• Reports of neglect

Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Residents of a nursing facility can file their own lawsuit for abuse and neglect, or their loved ones may file a claim on their behalf. If you or your loved one has a valid nursing home abuse or neglect claim, an experienced Pittsburgh nursing home abuse lawyer may help you recover the following compensation:

• Any current future and medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Mental and emotional trauma
• Any related attorney’s fees

Our Pittsburgh Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Offer Free Case Evaluations!

What should you do if you suspect abuse or neglect? The simple answer is to get help, and get it fast. If the situation is life-threatening, you should immediately seek medical assistance and intervention through a private doctor. Whether the condition is life threatening or not, it is also important that there be an adequate investigation.

The law provides significant remedies to address injuries suffered by nursing home patients. Under certain conditions, victims and their families can obtain verdicts for personal injury damages for pain and suffering, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and the return of monies paid to the nursing home or assisted living facility. Contact our nursing home abuse attorneys in Pittsburgh who are dedicated to vindicating the rights of the elderly and disabled.

If you suspect abuse or neglect in Pennsylvania or Ohio, call us at one of our offices to speak to an experienced Elder Abuse or Nursing Home Neglect Attorney. You can call us in Pittsburgh (412) 262-2888 or dial toll-free 1-800-777-4081.  

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