Theisen & Roche Recognized for 2017 Top 40 Verdicts in the Nation
$54 Million, Denton v. Univ. Am-Can, Ill. 2017
$54 Million, Denton v. Univ. Am-Can, Ill. 2017
Unfortunately, cases of nursing home abuse and negligence are on the rise as seniors or disabled individuals are physically, emotionally, and financially abused while under supposed safe care. We combine investigative and legal resources to fight against cases of nursing home abuse or neglect.
With a growing population of elderly individuals in the United States, the nursing home industry is alive and well. These homes ideally offer rest and comfort to those who need special care in their later years or due to physical disability, but this isn’t always the case. Horror stories abound from nursing homes, and reports of physical abuse make the news more often than we’d like. Our parents, grandparents, elderly friends, and special needs friends and relatives, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. No one should have to experience the horrible treatment conditions administered by malicious or negligent nursing home staff. We believe in the sanctity of life, and we encourage you to contact our staff today if you suspect that your loved one is being abused by a nursing home.
Illinois has a strong pro-patient law, The Nursing Home Care Act, which protects to injured, abused, or neglected patients. At Theisen & Roche, we are very familiar with this law and know how it can protect you or your loved ones.
Approximately 10% of people over the age of 60 are likely to be abused due to their declining mental and physical health. Elder abuse can take many forms. For example, yelling at, saying mean things to, or scapegoating an older person is a form of mental abuse. Taking control of a senior citizen’s bank account for a caregiver’s personal use, as opposed to paying that person’s bills, is financial abuse. There are legal remedies that could require the caregiver to repay the money or relinquish control of those accounts. An older person could be subject to physical abuse or neglect as well, such as being hit, falling when it could have been avoided, or lack of hygienic practices.
One clue that an elderly person may be neglected or abused is a fear of standing up or getting out of bed. It may result from a fall that could cause serious injury including bone fractures and possibly death. While not all falls can be prevented, an elderly person who is not attended to properly by staff could be left to fend on his or her own unnecessarily. To figure out if a fall could have been prevented, look at how the staff interacts with patients and whether rehabilitation and other wellness services are offered to residents.
If a grandmother of suddenly stops taking joy in seeing her grandchildren or has cuts or scars on her body that weren’t there before she moved into a given facility, that could be a sure sign that she is being abused. If a grandfather has lost weight or isn’t eating as much as he did before, this could be a sign of mental or physical abuse. When a person is abused mentally, they may lose hope and start to think that there is no reason to enjoy or want to continue living. As these are all signs of a serious problem, it may be best to remove your loved one from such a facility as soon as possible.
While it may be easy to brush off claims of abuse as signs of mental degradation, it is important to listen to what they have to say. By taking claims of abuse seriously, you can at least be on the lookout for signs that anything is amiss. Although it may not be responsible to initially assume that an elder is being abused, you may want to stop by for random visits or take other action as a follow-up to any abuse claim.
If you suspect that a loved one has experienced nursing home abuse or neglect, call us today for a free case review. Our attorneys are proud to serve Wheaton, Aurora, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Naperville, Glen Ellyn all of the surrounding areas in Chicago.