Maryland Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nursing homes are facilities that provide residential care for elderly and disabled people. Residents at nursing homes rely on their facilities’ staff for their well-being. Accordingly, when nursing home staff act negligently, serious injuries can occur.
You can sue for injuries you suffered as the result of nursing home abuse. However, the path to compensation can be complex. Our experienced attorneys can provide guidance and support through each step of the legal process.
If you or someone you know sustained injuries as the result of nursing home abuse in Maryland, then you should contact our team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras right away. Our Maryland nursing home abuse lawyers can help review your claim and explain the proper course of action. Call us at (410) 694-7291.
What is Nursing Home Abuse in Maryland?
Nursing home abuse occurs when residents are hurt because of the intentional or negligent actions committed by caretakers and other residents. In most cases, the abuse is perpetrated by staff in nursing homes. Victims of nursing home abuse can suffer both physical and psychological injuries.
Residents’ families trust that qualified caregivers will watch over their loved ones. Accordingly, when abuse occurs, the consequences can be devastating for victims and their loved ones. Fortunately, victims can recover financial compensation for damages they incurred.
There are many forms of intentional and negligent conduct that may constitute nursing home abuse. If you suspect that you or someone you know has suffered such abuse, then you should contact our Maryland nursing home abuse attorneys for help brining a claim against the liable party.
Why Does Nursing Home Abuse Occur in Maryland?
There are multiple potential sources of nursing home abuse. The following are common reasons why nursing home abuse occurs in Maryland:
Overworked Staff
Nursing home abuse regularly occurs because of overworked staff. When nursing home staff becomes overly tired, they are prone to making careless mistakes that cause injuries to residents. Furthermore, overworked staff may become exasperated and angry, causing them to take out their frustrations on the people they are supposed to be caring for. Our Maryland nursing home abuse lawyers can determine if the abuse committed in your case was caused by overworked staff.
Lack of Supervision
Lack of supervision for nursing home staff members is also common source of abuse in Maryland. When nursing home staff are not properly supervised, they can become inattentive and may cause injuries to residents.
Personal Greed
Furthermore, some staff members in nursing homes may commit abuse that is motivated by personal greed. For instance, a staff member may steal property away from residents or trick them into giving up their money. Our Maryland nursing home abuse attorneys can help victims of this abuse file claims against at-fault staff members.
Understaffed Facilities
Nursing home abuse also happens because facilities are understaffed. When nursing homes do not hire a proper number of nurses proportionate to their number of residents, serious injuries can be sustained by victims who do not receive the attention they require.
Corporate Negligence
Lastly, nursing home abuse can also be caused by negligent decisions made by corporations that run the nursing homes. For instance, an injury may occur because a facility hired a nurse that was not qualified to care for their residents. Furthermore, a corporation may cause injuries by failing to adequately train their nursing home staff. You can call our experienced Maryland nursing home abuse attorneys for help investigating whether abuse is related to corporate negligence.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse in Maryland
Nursing home abuse can present itself in several different forms. The following are various types of abuse that regularly occur in Maryland:
Financial Abuse
Many nursing home residents suffer forms of financial abuse. Financial abuse occurs when staff members take residents’ money or trick them into giving up access to their finances. For example, the following acts would all constitute financial abuse:
- Stealing credit cards, money, or other valuable items
- Inappropriately gaining access to residents’ financial records
- Restricting access to residents’ bank accounts
- Abusing their powers in order to change residents’ wills
People who suffer financial abuse may incur multiple forms of economic and non-economic damages. Our Maryland nursing home abuse lawyers can offer support and guidance to victims of this type of abuse.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is a type of nursing home abuse often endured by senior citizens in Maryland. This form of abuse may occur when staff members shove, kick, or punch residents. However, physical abuse may also occur when residents are inappropriately restrained.
Any nursing home resident can be subject to physical abuse. However, those who endure mental disabilities can have a higher propensity to suffer this type of harm. Thankfully, those who sustain physical abuse may reach out to our law firm for help pursing payment for their injuries.
Emotional Abuse
Furthermore, some nursing home abuse victims suffer from emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can arise from various forms of intentional and negligent conduct exhibited by staff. For example, the following actions could be considered a form of emotional abuse:
- Keeping residents from visiting with other residents, friends, or family.
- Controlling a resident’s schedule and activities without their consent
- Making threats to residents
- Making demeaning statements to residents
People who experience emotional abuse can develop many different types of mental health issues. Accordingly, if you or a loved one suffered emotional abuse while staying in a nursing home, call our lawyers as quickly as possible. Our experienced Maryland nursing home abuse attorneys will help plaintiffs build their claims.
Neglect
Lastly, neglect is a common type of nursing home abuse that occurs in Maryland. This form of abuse happens when nursing home staff do not provide required services for their residents. For instance, residents may develop harmful injuries and illnesses because their caretakers did not maintain their personal hygiene. Further, neglect can occur when staff members fail to provide a proper amount of water and food to their residents.
Victims of Nursing Home Abuse in Maryland Can Call Our Law Firm for Support
After you or someone you know experiences nursing home abuse, get help from our experienced Maryland nursing home abuse lawyers by dialing (410) 694-7291. Our team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras can offer a free review of your case.
