Gainesville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is a common occurrence. From physical assaults to financial fraud, there are countless ways that a person could take advantage of a resident in an assisted living facility.
If someone you love has been the victim of nursing home abuse, enlisting the help of a dedicated personal injury attorney could be helpful. A Gainesville nursing home abuse lawyer could evaluate your case and help you recover compensation from an abusive facility or its staff members.
Understanding Nursing Home Abuse
Many incidents of nursing home abuse involve some form of physical assault, which can include hitting, kicking, or punching as well as the unnecessary or excessive use of restraints by nursing home staff.
Sexual abuse is unfortunately common in nursing homes. This and other types of mistreatment such as neglect are more likely to occur when a facility lacks an adequate number of staff members.
While the law allows nursing home residents to control their finances, many are susceptible to financial abuse in the form of fraud or extortion. This can involve theft of property from a resident’s room or even forcing them to amend their will or gift assets to the abuser.
Nursing home residents can be extremely vulnerable to emotional abuse, as well. This abuse can take many forms, including shouting, threats, or even the silent treatment. In any of these circumstances, an experienced Gainesville nursing home abuse attorney could help a resident and their family recover monetary compensation to offset their losses and damages.
Compensation Available in an Abuse Lawsuit
There are two types of compensation available in any nursing home abuse case: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are easily identifiable by their monetary value and can compensate a plaintiff for losses such as medical bills or property damage.
Furthermore, non-economic damages can be more difficult to calculate, as they lack an objective value. This form of damages is intended to compensate a plaintiff for physical and emotional losses like pain and suffering and are subjective and could differ greatly from one case to another. A Gainesville attorney familiar with nursing home abuse cases could help a plaintiff calculate their non-economic damages.
In rare cases, punitive damages may also be available. These damages are not designed to compensate a plaintiff but rather to punish an abuser for particularly egregious behavior. Punitive damages can be awarded in addition to any economic or non-economic compensation the jury awards to the claimant.
Speak with a Gainesville Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today
Identifying which parties are responsible for your loved one’s abuse can be challenging, especially without qualified legal counsel. A nursing home and its staff often close ranks after an abuse allegation, making it difficult to identify the culprit.
However, a seasoned attorney from our firm would have the skills and experience needed to determine what exactly happened. If your loved one was subjected to adverse treatment at an assisted living facility, a Gainesville nursing home abuse lawyer could help you hold the responsible party accountable in court, so call us today to get started.