If your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse in St. Louis, MO, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. Nursing home abuse cases are deeply emotional and complex, but you don’t have to navigate this process alone. The experienced team at Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers is here to help you seek justice for your family member.
For over 20 years, our firm has been dedicated to representing victims in Missouri, handling a wide range of personal injury cases, including slip and fall accidents, wrongful death claims, and nursing home abuse. We have the experience and knowledge to secure the compensation your family deserves.
Contact us today at (636) 519-0085 to schedule a free case evaluation with a St. Louis nursing home abuse lawyer. Let us guide you through the process and fight for the justice your loved one deserves.
How Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers Can Help With a St. Louis Nursing Home Abuse Case
It’s hard to see a loved one declining and in need of regular care. In many cases, families are forced to move a loved one to a nursing facility to ensure they get the round-the-clock attention they need. However, too often, nursing homes fail to provide the quality of care their residents need and deserve. Nursing home abuse cases can be complicated to prove and difficult to litigate.
Nursing facilities and their insurance companies fight hard to defend against these claims and have a team of lawyers working for them. Victims and their families need an experienced personal injury lawyer to fight just as hard for them. For more than two decades, Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers has represented injured parties in St. Louis. Our team has over 30 years of combined personal injury experience. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients.
Our team has expertise in personal injury cases, but what really sets us apart is our commitment to every client we have. We take a personalized approach to every case and work hard to get results for our clients while also supporting them during a difficult time in life.
When you hire our team for a nursing home abuse case, we’ll:
- Investigate your case and gather evidence to show your loved one was a victim of abuse
- Review documentation and work with experts to determine the value of your case
- Submit a demand letter to all responsible parties for the compensation you deserve
- Negotiate with responsible parties and their insurance companies to get a fair settlement
- If necessary, file a lawsuit and represent you in court
- Provide you with legal guidance and advice throughout your claim
- Handle all administrative tasks
- Keep you updated on the status of your case
Our team of personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means clients don’t pay us upfront or out-of-pocket. Instead, we only get paid when our clients get paid through a settlement or a jury verdict.
Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation with a St. Louis personal injury attorney.
How Common Are Nursing Home Abuse Cases in Missouri
Data from the National Council on Aging reports that there are around 5 million cases of nursing home abuse every year. World Health Organization reports indicate that 2 out of 3 nursing home employees report committing some type of abuse in the last year.
Perhaps most concerning is the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Service’s report that experts believe for every case of elder abuse reported, 23 cases go unreported. This is sobering data that shows how widespread elder abuse is.
If you’re concerned that a loved one is being abused, be proactive to ensure they’re protected and responsible parties are held accountable.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is any mistreatment of residents in nursing home facilities. People in nursing homes are vulnerable to abuse, especially those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Cognitive disabilities can make reporting and proving abuse hard.
There are several different types of nursing home abuse. Our team handles all types of nursing home abuse cases, including:
- Physical abuse: These cases can involve hitting, punching, and kicking. In some instances, they involve caregivers withholding necessary medical care.
- Sexual abuse: These are particularly troubling cases and often go unreported. The abuser can be a staff member, health care provider, another resident, or even a visitor.
- Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse cases can be particularly detrimental to residents and often lead to depression and other mental health problems. Emotional abuse can include verbal abuse, humiliation, or threatening behavior.
- Financial abuse: Nursing home residents are often victims of financial exploitation. This can be theft, identity theft, or changing the beneficiary on legal documents.
- Neglect: Neglect is a type of nursing home abuse that we see frequently. It can be either passive or active. Active neglect is intentional neglect, whereas passive neglect results from inadequate training or staffing. We see a lot of passive neglect cases that are caused by negligence. Many Missouri nursing home facilities are understaffed or have staff members without adequate training. This leads to passive neglect.
Nursing home abuse comes in many forms, each of which can have devastating effects on residents and their families.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
One of the most troubling things about nursing home abuse is that it often goes unreported. Some victims are unable to communicate due to declining physical or mental health. Other victims are embarrassed or ashamed and don’t want to tell anyone about the abuse.
Because of the number of unreported cases, loved ones need to know the signs of nursing home abuse and be on the lookout for any indication of mistreatment. Some of the most common signs of nursing home abuse are:
- Frequent or unexplained injuries
- Changes in personality
- Changes in hygiene
- Bedsores
- Sexually transmitted diseases or genital infections
- Bruises, cuts, or contusions
- Weight loss
- Malnutrition
- New or unexplained financial transactions
If you notice any of these signs, take action. You can report abuse to the Missouri Adult Abuse Hotline. In addition, contact a Missouri nursing home abuse lawyer to investigate the abuse and ensure all responsible parties are held accountable.
Impacts of Nursing Home Abuse
Sadly, nursing home abuse can lead to significant physical, mental, and financial injuries. The impacts of nursing home abuse can be long-term and sometimes even fatal. Some of the most common consequences of nursing home abuse are:
- Infections
- Broken bones or physical injuries
- Secondary medical conditions caused by malnutrition, dehydration, or inadequate medical care
- Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
- Financial loss
- Decreased life expectancy
- Wrongful death
Nursing home residents are vulnerable and more at risk of serious injuries or illnesses than the general population. This means even minor injuries can lead to life-changing long-term consequences.
What Damages Are Available in St. Louis Nursing Home Abuse Cases?
After a nursing home abuse case, victims and their families can recover compensation for all of their financial and non-financial losses. These losses are recovered through economic damages and non-economic damages.
Common economic damages are:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- The cost of relocating to a new nursing facility
- Restitution for financial abuse
- Psychological counseling expenses
- Lost wages for family members who missed work because of the abuse
Non-economic damages can be substantial in nursing home abuse but are more difficult to quantify than economic damages. It’s often necessary to work with an expert to calculate and prove non-economic damages.
Common non-economic damages awarded in nursing home abuse cases are:
- Pain and suffering
- Decreased quality of life
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
- Depression and anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Loss of consortium
Our team is experienced in calculating how much personal injury cases are worth. First, we’ll evaluate all types of damages you’re entitled to. Next, we’ll gather important evidence to help determine the value of your case–including medical bills, medical records, receipts, pay stubs, counseling records, and financial documents. Finally, we’ll analyze all available evidence and work with experts to determine the value of your case.
It’s vital to accurately value a case because you only have one opportunity to get compensation from the responsible parties. Once we determine how much your nursing home abuse case is worth, we’ll fight hard to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
How Long Do I Have to File a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in Missouri?
Nursing home abuse is a type of personal injury claim. The statute of limitations for Missouri personal injury claims is five years. In most cases, this means you have five years from the date of the abuse to file a lawsuit against the responsible party.
After five years, victims and their families lose the right to file a lawsuit and have no avenue for recovery. A St. Louis personal injury lawyer can help you evaluate the timeline in your case and ensure that you file a claim against all responsible parties in a timely manner.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a St. Louis Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
If a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse in Missouri, Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers can help. Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers will investigate your case and hold all responsible parties accountable for their actions.
We pride ourselves on providing every client with a personalized approach to meet their unique needs. This approach has allowed us to recover tens of millions of dollars for our clients, and our results speak for themselves.
Call us at (636) 519-0085 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation with a St. Louis nursing home abuse lawyer.
