Overview
Have you or a loved one been a victim of abuse or neglect at a nursing home, hospital, or private care facility? If so, the state of Arizona allows you to pursue both criminal and civil legal action against the liable parties. You and your family may be entitled to compensation for any damages suffered.
Where Nursing Home Abuse Can Occur
Arizona offers a wide variety of long-term care facilities that accept elderly residents. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse can occur in many different kinds of facilities – even those highly rated & reviewed. These facilities include:
- Nursing Homes
- Independent Living Communities
- Assisted Living Facilities
- Residential Care Homes
- Adult Rehabilitation Facilities
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities
- Adult Day Cares
- Alzheimer Facilities
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
In a study conducted by the National Center on Elder Abuse, between 7.6% and 10% of elderly people in nursing homes nationwide. Types of nursing home abuse include:
- Emotional Abuse
- Physical Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Financial Abuse
- Neglect
Causes of Abuse
Some facilities have access to more resources and funding, which allows them to provide better care, hire background-checked, experienced staff, and respond to violations swiftly.
However, nursing home abuse can still occur in the most elite facilities. Reasons nursing home abuse may occur include:
Understaffing – This is one of the most common forms of negligence in nursing homes. Understaffing makes it difficult or impossible for the staff members who are there to provide the care and attention residents need and are entitled under the law. Staff members in these facilities are often overworked, leading them to lash out at unruly or uncooperative residents. If your loved one was neglected, there is a good chance it was caused by understaffing.
Unqualified staff members – This includes staff members who lack the necessary education for their position or do not satisfy state or federal requirements. Shockingly, some facilities hire staff members who did not pass a background check or that have a documented history of abusing residents.
Poorly-trained staff members – This can be almost as important as reviewing staff members’ qualifications. Even if someone has the right degrees and passed a background check, they still need to be trained on the different aspects of their job. When this does not happen, it opens the door to many forms of abuse and neglect, such as improperly administering medications or physical abuse of disabled or disorderly residents.
Pursuing a Nursing Home Abuse Case
If you believe your loved one has experienced nursing home abuse, contact Arizona Attorney Lawyers as soon as possible. Nursing home abuse lawsuits fall under a two-year statute of limitations, so it’s best to start building your case immediately.
The goal of a nursing home abuse case is to obtain compensation by proving that your loved one was abused or neglected because of some form of negligence. Arizona Attorney Lawyers will fight for your loved one’s rights and prove that staff members failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent your loved one from being hurt.
Call Arizona Attorney Lawyers today to consult with a lawyer about your nursing home abuse case.
Recent Comments