Las Vegas Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

We Will Go the Distance for You

Discovering that your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse is devastating and highly emotional. Unfortunately, you are not alone. Nursing home abuse and neglect occur at an alarmingly high rate, due in part to the fact that nursing home residents are often fragile, vulnerable, and afraid or incapable of speaking up.

At Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen, our Las Vegas nursing home abuse attorneys understand the emotional trauma associated with these types of cases. We provide the compassion and commitment it takes to help victims and their families recover compensation.

We have devoted our practice to helping the injured and fight aggressively to ensure that all nursing home workers and facilities that engage in any form of abuse or neglect are held accountable and financially responsible for the harm they cause.

To speak privately with one of our lawyers, contact us at (702) 505-8115 today. We will listen to your story and help you learn how you can file a nursing home abuse lawsuit. No fees unless we win.

Reasons to Hire a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

In many cases, it can be difficult to prove that nursing home neglect or abuse is occurring. This is especially true among those who suffer from dementia or other disorders, as the signs of nursing home neglect and abuse often mimic symptoms of these conditions.

This can make it very difficult for a victim or their family members to speak up.

If you suspect that something may not be right at your loved one’s nursing home or long-term care facility, it is important to turn to a Las Vegas nursing home abuse lawyer who can thoroughly investigate the situation and help determine what is really going on.

At Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen, we use cutting-edge technologies and strategies to dig deep beneath the surface to find out exactly what is happening.

Some of the benefits of working with our attorneys include:

• Access to a team of medical and administrative experts who can help conduct a thorough investigation of any key evidence regarding a facility’s management
• Experience in knowing what to look for when looking at signs and symptoms of nursing home abuse and neglect
• Compassionate, yet aggressive legal counsel and representation tailored to your unique situation, needs, and goals

Our team can build a strong case on your behalf or on behalf of your loved one and seek the maximum compensation you are owed for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more.

The Process of a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit

If you or a loved one has experienced nursing home abuse or neglect, you may be entitled to compensation. Filing a lawsuit can be a complicated and emotional process, but our team of Las Vegas nursing home abuse attorneys can guide you through every step.

Here is what you can expect during a nursing home abuse lawsuit:

• Consultation: During your initial consultation with our team, we will listen to your story and assess the details of your case to determine if you have a viable claim.
• Investigation: We will conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations of abuse or neglect, gathering evidence and consulting with medical experts if necessary.
• Settlement Negotiations: We will negotiate with the nursing home and their insurance company to reach a fair settlement that compensates you for your damages.
• Trial: If a settlement cannot be reached, we will take your case to trial and fight for your rights in court.
• Compensation: If we are successful in your case, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages.

At Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen, we are committed to seeking justice and compensation for victims of nursing home abuse. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Sadly, nursing home abuse occurs every day. While many people think of nursing home abuse as being only physical in nature, there are actually many different types of abuse and neglect.

Different types of nursing home abuse include:

• Physical elder abuse: Physical abuse involves use of physical force that may result in bodily injuries, impairments, and pain.
• Emotional elder abuse: Emotional abuse may involve verbal assaults, threats, insults, isolating or ignoring a nursing home resident, harassment, intimidation, and humiliation.
• Sexual abuse: Elder sexual abuse involves any unwanted sexual touching and/or harassment, including sexual assault, rape, and non-consensual touching.
• Negligence: Nursing home neglect occurs when a worker refuses or fails to provide adequate care for a resident. This typically involves failure to provide necessities including water, food, clothing, medication, personal hygiene, safety, and comfort.
• Abandonment: Abandonment typically occurs when a care provider deserts a person after agreeing to take care of them.
• Financial exploitation: Financial exploitation involves the use of a nursing home resident’s funds, assets, or property. For instance, cashing a nursing home resident’s checks without permission, stealing a resident’s property or money, and coercing a resident into signing a will or other contracts are all forms of financial exploitation.

Signs of Nursing Home/Elder Abuse & Neglect

When our loved one’s physical, emotional, or psychological make-up begins to change, we often brush it off as part of the aging process. When they suffer from dementia or other serious conditions, it may be even harder to identify when or if something has gone wrong with their care.

Other times, changes in behavior could be caused by the mistreatment of our loved one by nursing home staff members. Because all forms of nursing home abuse may not be physical, some are harder to detect. However, if you begin to notice any behavior that is abnormal or out of character, you should start looking out for possible signs that abuse or neglect may be occurring.

Some of these signs may include:

• A sudden change in behavior
• Acting agitated or upset, lashing out at staff
• Refusing to take visitors
• Acting withdrawn and unresponsive or acting more attached or sad than usual when you are leaving
• Signs of depression such as being down or sad
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Poor personal hygiene
• Not talking or wanting to make eye contact
• Unsanitary living conditions
• The nursing home refusing to allow you to be alone with the resident
• Unexplained bruises, welts, lacerations, broken bones, and other injuries
• Falls and other accidents
• Untreated injuries or bedsores
• Unusual behavior usually attributed to dementia (rocking, biting, sucking, etc.)
• Acting scared or frightened when certain staff members are around
• Acting more edgy or jumpy than usual
• Not wanting to be left alone with the staff
• Slurring speech or showing signs that he or she is heavily medicated or sedated
• Crying for no reason

It’s also important to look for signs of financial exploitation, such as unusual withdrawals from bank accounts, changes to a will or trust, changes to a power of attorney or healthcare directive, and more.

While these may just be symptoms of aging, they could also be signs that something may be seriously wrong. If you see changes in your loved one’s behavior while they are in another’s care, do not ignore the signs of abuse - trust your instincts!

Take Care of Your Loved Ones

Nursing home visitors often keep their heads down and walk directly to their loved ones’ rooms, avoiding contact with other residents out of respect for their privacy.

However, simply taking a look around common areas like the lobby, cafeteria, and hallways can tell visitors a lot about the overall condition of the facility.

Further inspection of your loved one’s room, including the bedding and sheets, clothing, and overall environment can speak volumes about the cleanliness and care they are receiving.

If you have questions about items that are in the hallways or concerns about your loved one’s safety, do not be afraid to ask the staff about it. Be sure to document the conditions, the date and time, and the name of the caregiver or administrator you spoke to about your concerns.

If your loved one is under the care of a nursing home, there are certain things you can do to make sure he or she is being taken care of:

• Visit often and at different times of the day so the staff doesn’t know you’re schedule.
• Pay attention to the way the staff interacts with your loved one while you are there.
• Keep an eye out for signs of mistreatment such as unexplained weight loss, dirty clothes or sheets, uncombed hair, bed sores or unexplained bruises.
• Pay attention to changes in your loved one’s behavior. Is he or she less talkative? Does he or she turn away visitors or act scared? Is he or she heavily medicated?
• Keep an eye on the staff’s behavior. Are they reluctant to leave you alone with your loved one? Are they frequently stopping by the room to check in? Do they seem suspicious?
• Pay attention to how the staff treats other patients at the facility. Do they ignore patients that are calling for help? Do they yell or talk down to the patients?

Typically, nursing home residents are made up of individuals who are part of our aging community.

With age and illnesses can come confusion, which makes it easier to brush off comments they make about their living conditions, the staff, or their doctors. Don’t.

While some comments may be harmless, others can uncover negligent behavior that exists throughout the nursing home.

Ask your loved ones about:

• How often their rooms are cleaned
• When they are bathed and changed
• Who responds when they ring for help, and how long it takes for them to arrive
• How they are treated by the staff
• Unexplained injuries, bruises, medical exams, or doctor visits
• Why they are sad, depressed, or emotional, when applicable

Each of their answers can provide insight into the facility’s operations and may highlight negligent circumstances or behavior from the staff or medical providers.

If you have a feeling that something is wrong and you suspect that your loved one is being mistreated, you should contact a nursing home abuse attorney right away. Our attorneys have experience in nursing home abuse cases. We will listen to your concerns and investigate to determine if your suspicions are correct.

What Qualifies as Neglect in a Nevada Nursing Home?

Nursing home neglect is the failure to provide a resident with services essential to their health and safety, including food, shelter, clothing, supervision, and medical care.

Any time a nursing home or long-term care facility fails to provide a level of care that you could reasonably expect another competent home would have provided, this is neglect. Caregivers and nursing homes owe residents a duty of care, and when they fail to provide this duty of care, they can be held legally liable.

Our Las Vegas nursing home abuse lawyers can help determine whether these failures are intentional or careless, which will dictate how we present your case against a nursing home—either as negligent or abusive.

Why Does Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Happen?

Each nursing home neglect or abuse case is unique, but there are several common factors as to why these situations occur.

Some of the common causes of nursing home abuse and neglect include:

• Nursing homes hiring poorly qualified and inadequately trained staff
• An inadequate number of staff members for the number of residents
• Employing staff members with a history of violence/failing to conduct background checks
• Wrongful practices enacted by the nursing home/facility

What Happens When a Nevada Nursing Home Resident Reports Neglect or Abuse?

Each state has a system for reporting allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly, as well as a separate process for investigating such allegations.

The investigation will begin with an interview. The resident, his or her family members, and the nursing home staff and management will all be questioned regarding the alleged abuse or neglect. Adult protective services and the staff or management of the nursing home may try to remedy the complaints on their own. This, however, may not be an adequate resolution to the complaint.

If your loved one has suffered from neglect or abuse in a nursing home, contact our attorneys today to pursue a more comprehensive civil action for damages against the nursing home. We can answer your questions and address any concerns you may have.

Call Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen

If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you should know that you have rights. For compassionate and highly-skilled legal representation, please contact our Las Vegas nursing home abuse attorneys.

We provide a completely free and confidential consultation, as well as contingency fees. This means that you do not have to pay any attorneys’ fees unless we are successful in your case. Our firm offers services in both English and Spanish and can travel to meet with you in your home or at the hospital if necessary.

Contact us online or call (702) 505-8115 to get started with your free initial consultation.