Memphis Attorney for Nursing Home Resident Abuse

In recent years, resident-on-resident abuse in nursing homes rose significantly. While families have fought for information, most of America remains unaware of the issue. But it’s a major problem, and one our nursing home abuse lawyers work on every day at Darrell Castle & Associates.

Abuse on the Rise: Why Is This Happening?

Across the country, more residents in nursing homes are experiencing abuse from their fellow residents. This includes assault and violent outbursts. In fact, one state agency reported numbers nearly doubled in the last year.

In the rare case that they admit the problem, nursing homes blame the increase on changes in the types of patients. They claim an aging boomer population means more patients with late-stage dementia. As a result, more patients can and will have unpredictable responses and difficulty managing outbursts. 

In my opinion, families should also blame the nursing homes for a systemic lack of accountability over many years. 

 

A Lack of Accountability / Oversight

There’s no real regulation for how nursing homes handle resident-on-resident violence. Families have to depend on self-reporting. 

But just as you would never let a child run their own math exams, we can’t depend on these companies’ word for it.

Our office has seen decades of systemic abuse by nursing home staff. And in these recent cases of resident-on-resident abuse, we’re seeing the same reaction from the companies: lie to families, downplay the injuries, and never accept fault.

For example, as the above article shows, in some cases the nursing home will call a family member to inform them their loved one is in the hospital. They’ll claim a slip and fall accident caused mild injuries. Families report arriving to find severe injuries consistent with a physical attack.

When we let them get out of responsibility over and over, we allow a culture of abuse to continue.

The Nursing Home Company’s Responsibility

The nursing home may not want to accept it, but they do have a responsibility to their patients and their families. They are obligated to:

  • prevent violence
  • treat the injuries
  • communicate honestly with families about every incident
  • stop it from happening again

Some nursing homes will claim this is impossible because they’re understaffed and short on funds. That’s no excuse for allowing horrible things to happen. But it also may not even be the truth.

These companies are often huge and run a few different facilities. When our nursing home abuse attorneys get into the legal side of things, we find out they’re sitting on millions and millions of dollars.

They could pay for upgrades and better staffing. They just don’t want to.

Memphis Attorney for Resident-on-Resident Abuse in Nursing Homes

If your loved one has suffered from abuse in a nursing home, you need to speak with a lawyer. Whether it was staff or another resident, you deserve answers and justice. You deserve compensation for the medical costs, psychological pain, and expenses in finding a safer place for your family.

What’s more, the home should be held accountable. This probably happened before your loved one, and it will continue if no one stops them.

You need a qualified, experienced nursing home lawyer to help with your case. Our Memphis firm has taken on some of the biggest nursing home companies in the world, and won. We can help you, too. And we don’t make a penny until you do.

To get started, fill out the form on this page or call us at 901-327-2100.

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