According to statistics, 2.1 million senior citizens fall victim to some type of nursing home neglect or abuse in the U.S. each year. Additionally, experts believe that there are five unreported cases for every one reported case, suggesting that nursing home abuse and neglect is an epidemic throughout the country. Making the decision to place a loved one in a home is difficult enough without having to consider that they are being mistreated or neglected.
Abuse can take many forms, including financial, sexual, and physical abuse. Some of the signs include:
- Financial: forging signatures, unauthorized transfer, misusing the elder’s checks or credit cards, withdrawing money, and stolen identity, checks, money, or belongings
- Sexual: veneral disease, bruises or bleeding around the genital or anal area, and bloody or stained undergarments
- Physical: unexplainable cuts, bruises or broken bones, torn or bloody clothing
- Emotional: isolating the elder from group activities and other residents or mocking, terrorizing, ignoring, humiliating, or intimidating them
What happens behind closed doors may be far worse than the great care and respect that many family members expect. An Iowa nursing home abuse attorney can help families who believe their loved ones have been the victims of nursing home abuse. Victims and their families may be entitled to recover damages for medical treatments, emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and other damages, depending on the situation.
Additionally, an Iowa nursing home abuse attorney can speak to the facility, obtain medical experts, and work with other local law enforcement agencies, if applicable. The last thing family members need to worry about is the logistics of abuse; instead, allow an Iowa nursing home abuse attorney to handle the complex process of filing a lawsuit while you take the time to care for your loved one.
Contact an Iowa Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today
Whether a nursing home physically mistreats a loved one, fails to provide him or her with medication, covers up an accident, or is verbally abusive, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your loved one’s suffering. Contact Attorney Group for Iowa today if you or someone you love has shown the signs of nursing home abuse or neglect. We can answer your questions, address your concerns, and review your case in a free, no-obligation consultation to help you determine whether you are eligible to file a lawsuit. If you are, we can connect you with an affiliated Iowa nursing home abuse attorney. Call today.
