Call Us atWashington is home to over 700 assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, the vast majority of which provide careful and compassionate service to every resident living there. Unfortunately, there are some retirement communities that not only fail to provide the requisite level of care to the people they are responsible for, but sometimes even actively mistreat and abuse their residents with catastrophic consequences.
If your loved one has experienced any form of maltreatment inside an assisted living facility, you should discuss your legal options with a Lynnwood nursing home abuse lawyer. Beyond just ensuring that your family member is safe from any further harm, your dedicated personal injury attorney could tirelessly demand financial restitution from the responsible parties.
What Does Abuse and Neglect in Retirement Homes Look Like?
Unfortunately, nursing facility mistreatment both comes in numerous forms and can be difficult for even family and friends of residents to identify. Even in scenarios where a resident is experiencing overt physical, emotional, financial, or sexual abuse, concrete evidence of a staff member’s malicious actions can be hard to come by. Because of this, impacted residents may be unwilling or cognitively unable to clearly express what is happening to them.
Unintentional neglect can make for complicated civil litigation in different ways. It is often challenging to establish what specific forms negligence takes, who within that facility bears fault, and what effects it has on various residents. For example, a resident living with unclean linens and clothes for several weeks constitutes neglectful care, but an ensuing claim could proceed in different directions depending on where the fault lies.
With all that in mind, it is important for concerned loved ones to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms that could possibly indicate mistreatment, such as:
- Unexplained bruises and cuts
- Abnormally frequent injuries from falls or other accidents
- Sudden changes in a resident’s appetite, mood, or personality
- Skittishness around particular staff members
- Rapid weight loss or gain
- Any symptoms of dehydration or malnutrition
- Unclean living conditions anywhere in a facility
- Lack of social opportunities and engagement
A Lynnwood nursing home maltreatment attorney could help take effective action in response to any of these potential indicators of neglect or abuse.
Recovering for Specific Compensable Losses in Lynnwood
If a retirement home resident is experiencing mistreatment from the people entrusted with caring for them, the priority should always be making sure the resident is safe from further harm. This might require reporting concerns to facility administrators or state authorities, immediately removing the resident from a problematic facility, or even enlisting help from law enforcement. Once that is done, an assisted living community neglect attorney in Lynnwood could help demand financial restitution for all of an impacted resident’s ensuing damages.
Like other personal injury claims, assisted living communities maltreatment cases can seek compensation for specific economic losses like:
- Additional medical bills
- Property damage or loss
- Impacts on personal finances or estate plans
- Funeral costs if a wrongful death occured
- Physical pain
- Psychological suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life
Contact a Lynnwood Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today
Retirement facility abuse and neglect causes unacceptable harm to far too many Washington State residents every year. Any time someone takes advantage of a uniquely vulnerable elderly person in this way, prompt legal action may be the best way to hold them accountable for their misconduct and preserve an impacted individual’s future wellbeing.
A Lynnwood nursing home abuse lawyer could discuss possible next steps in detail during a private consultation. Schedule yours by calling our office today.
