Denton Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

One of the hardest things to experience is putting your elderly parents or grandparents in a nursing home. Even though it’s difficult to do, we rely upon the notion that our loved ones will be better off and better cared for at the nursing home.

We trust the nursing home administrators and staff with the health and well-being of our parents and grandparents. When that trust is violated, and our loved ones are subjected to nursing home neglect or abuse, many families don’t know what they can do. Sometimes, they suspect that abuse is happening, but they aren’t sure. Just know that you’re not alone, and there is help for you and your family members in the nursing home. 

At the Hartley Law Firm, we focus our practice on nursing home neglect and abuse cases. Even though many nursing homes do a great job taking care of our loved ones, many do not. Approximately 70% of Texas nursing homes consistently fail to receive an above-average rating score during health inspections. Nursing homes in Texas consistently ranked as the worst in the entire United States. An overwhelming majority (almost 95%) of all nursing homes in the state have committed some violation of either state or federal safety regulations.

Your loved ones deserve to have someone fighting for their rights. We are only a quick phone call away. You can trust our Denton nursing home abuse lawyers to help protect your loved ones who have suffered abuse and neglect. Contact us today.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

The signs of nursing home abuse or neglect can be blatant or subtle and difficult to detect. One difficulty in detecting the signs of abuse or neglect is that they can oftentimes appear to be symptoms of dementia or signs of the individual’s frailty, mental deterioration, or disease process. Many nursing home residents have difficulty communicating what is happening to them. Here is a list of things to look out for that include signs of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation:

  • Unexplained injuries;
  • Broken bones;
  • Medication issues;
  • Isolation of the patient or visitor refusals by the caregiver;
  • Extremely controlling caregiver;
  • Odd behavior from the caregiver, the resident, or both;
  • Bruises;
  • Sexually transmitted diseases:
  • Bleeding;
  • Weight loss;
  • Bedsores;
  • Long or soiled fingernails or toenails;
  • Unsanitary living conditions;
  • Unsuitable or dirty clothing;
  • Unsafe living conditions;
  • Matted or dirty hair;
  • Unwashed;
  • Significant and unexpected withdrawals in communication or personality that don’t have a medical explanation;
  • Sudden changes in financial condition; and
  • Missing items.

Some of these signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect will be obvious, but some will be more challenging to see and discover.  Typically, we recommend that a “nanny cam” be placed in your loved one’s room. We suggest simply purchasing a ring doorbell camera that records audio in addition to video. 

Slip-and-Falls in Denton Nursing Homes

One common way for residents of nursing homes to be injured is when they suffer a slip and fall in a nursing home. A bad slip and fall that causes a serious injury can be a major medical issue for an elderly person. A broken leg or hip could completely end the mobility and freedom of movement that someone enjoys. In some cases, a serious hip break can cause an elder’s overall health to take a significant downward spiral. Many nursing home residents are at risk if they fall. There are rules and regulations that nursing homes should follow when it comes to residents who are subject to falls. If these fall protections aren’t properly used, patients become endangered. Here are some of the common causes of falls at nursing homes that we see in our practice:

  • Inadequate or no lighting in common walkways;
  • Wet or slippery floors or outside walkways;
  • Improper bed height and lack of adequate bed rails;
  • Blocked or cluttered walkways;
  • Medications that affect balance and coordination;
  • Inadequate or improperly trained staff;
  • Lack of supervision;
  • Poor foot care or footwear;
  • Lack of anti-slip devices on slippery surfaces such as tiled bathrooms, showers, and baths;
  • Restraint abuse; and
  • Weakness that’s linked to malnutrition or dehydration.

If the nursing home or its staff were negligent and your parent or loved one was injured in a fall, then the nursing home can be held responsible for the injuries. However, this is not something that you should attempt to handle yourself. The best course of action is to hire a law firm that has the knowledge, skills, and resources to fight for your loved one’s rights.

Contact Denton Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

The Denton nursing home abuse attorneys at the Hartley Law Firm know what it takes to represent a nursing home abuse or neglect victim successfully. We are only a quick phone call away. Contact us today, call us or submit our online form to schedule a free in-person consultation.

Our experienced legal team also handles other types of cases, including:

PRACTICE AREAS
Go Back