Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Serving West Virginia and Ohio, including Parkersburg, Charleston, Morgantown, Huntington, Wheeling, Belpre, and Athens

As your love ones age the task of caring for them by yourself may become too difficult. In these circumstances, it is common to seek out professional assistance from a nursing home. Although you take great care in choosing the appropriate nursing home for your loved one, there is no way to guarantee against abuse and neglect from the nursing home staff.

When this terrible situation occurs, West Virginia nursing home abuse attorneys Jan Dils and Jim Leach are there to help your family recover from your losses, and protect your loved one from future abuses.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Abuse of the elderly can take many forms. The best way to spot abuse is by making frequent, unannounced visits to your loved one’s nursing home, taking time to listen carefully to their experiences. Obvious physical signs of abuse may include:

• Unexplained bruising, or bruises in strange places like the wrists, ankles, or throat
• Cuts, scratches, or burn injuries
• Signs of overmedication like vacant staring, dry or cracked lips, and drooling
• Sudden, unexplained death

Physical violence may also include sexual assault, most often noticeable by bleeding around or from the genitals.

Emotional abuse and neglect are often times much harder to recognize. Signs of emotional abuse include:

• Anger or agitation
• Fear or anxiousness around nursing home staff
• Confusion

Neglect can be noticed by both physical signs like unclean bed sheets, poor personal hygiene, bed sores, or a rapid loss of weight. It can also take on the less obvious signs of emotional abuse.

What to do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse

The first step to take when you suspect nursing home abuse is to get outside medical help. If abuse or neglect is suspected, you will need to file a report with both the state agency responsible for nursing homes and the nursing home’s administrator. Police reports may need to be filed depending on the severity of the case, and an experienced Ohio or West Virginia nursing home abuse attorney should be contacted.

Removing your loved one from the home is also highly recommended. Finding a new care facility or tending to them in-home for a short period will remove them from the immediate danger of the abuse, and help prevent retaliatory action from the nursing home staff.

If you suspect your loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse or neglect in West Virginia or Ohio, please contact the nursing home abuse lawyers at Jan Dils & Jim Leach Attorneys at Law, PLLC for more information on how you can ensure your loved one’s safety and receive compensation for their suffering.