The risk of abuse exists behind the calm exterior of Boston’s nursing homes. Although many facilities provide excellent care, mistreatment may happen from time to time.
Some vulnerable seniors may face nursing home negligence and abuse — physical, emotional, or financial. And when it does take place, taking quick legal action is absolutely necessary.
The road to getting justice, however, can be complicated. Nursing facilities and their insurance companies can aggressively protect themselves.
That’s why it’s important to have a skilled Boston nursing home abuse lawyer helping you defend your rights, not less aggressively. They will collect evidence, identify liable parties, and fight for just compensation for your family.
- What Is Considered Nursing Home Abuse in Boston?
- Meet our team!
- Signs of Nursing Home Negligence
- Nursing Home Abuse Cases We Handle
- How Much Is My Boston Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
- Client Reviews
- What Types of Compensation Are Available for Massachusetts Nursing Home Abuse Victims?
- Statue of Limitation for Elder Abuse Cases in Massachusetts
- Why Do You Need a Boston Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer?
- Contact Our Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Today!
- Get a Free Case Evaluation
- 30-Day, Risk-Free Guarantee
What Is Considered Nursing Home Abuse in Boston?
Nursing home abuse involves a range of harmful actions or careless behaviors that can affect the health, mental well-being, and finances of elderly residents and disabled people in nursing homes. It’s often kept out of sight of the public.
It isn’t always done on purpose. Sometimes, it happens because nurses and other employees aren’t well-trained or due to inadequate staffing. No matter the reason, any action or inaction that negatively impacts a resident may be considered abuse.
Meet our team!
Signs of Nursing Home Negligence
Recognizing signs of abuse is critical. You may notice various forms of negligence, like unexplained injuries, sudden shifts in behavior, poor hygiene, strange financial transactions, and more. Let’s take a look at these signs in more detail:
- Physical indicators: If you encounter bruises, cuts, or fractures that don’t have a clear explanation, they should definitely be investigated. Pressure sores, which are often quiet signs of long-term neglect, are also worrying signs.
- Behavioral changes: If a once friendly elder becomes silent and closed or a calm person suddenly gets agitated, these shifts might tell us a lot about their emotional state, which undoubtedly has a reason behind it.
- Hygiene issues: Nursing home negligence is often evident in someone’s appearance. Unwashed hair, dirty clothes, or bad odors indicate that basic care is insufficient.
- Unexplained weight loss: Sudden weight loss can be a clear sign of malnutrition and dehydration or even psychological trauma.
- Financial discrepancies: Unauthorized withdrawals and missing personal items require thorough investigation, as they may indicate financial abuse.
- Nursing home facilities: The appearance of a care home says a lot about the care its residents receive. If the place is dirty or there is no climate control, this may also show nursing neglect.
- Recurring health issues: Frequent infections, particularly those associated with poor hygiene, can suggest ongoing deficiencies in medical care.
Nursing Home Abuse Cases We Handle
Our nursing home abuse lawyers will make sure negligent facilities and abusive staff are held responsible for their actions. If you suspect any of these types of abuse take place, our attorneys are ready to offer legal help and strong support:
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Physical abuse
We look into cases of personal injuries, like bruises and fractures, that might reflect ongoing physical mistreatment of the nursing home resident.
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Emotional abuse
This kind of abuse might not always be obvious, but it can be just as damaging. It involves verbal harassment, intimidation, humiliation, or isolation of the nursing home residents. We aim to find patterns in behavior that cause emotional pain or psychological harm to seniors or disabled individuals.
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Neglect
Our law firm also addresses cases where neglect has caused bed sores, malnutrition, dehydration, or health deterioration.
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Financial exploitation
This type of abuse is about improper use of a resident’s financial assets, like stealing personal belongings. Our team can also investigate more complicated schemes.
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Medical malpractice
This occurs when healthcare professionals don’t provide proper medical care. Medical malpractice can involve medication errors, misdiagnosis, or ignoring existing conditions. Our personal injury attorneys collaborate with medical experts to build solid elder abuse cases in these situations.
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Falls
Our nursing home abuse lawyers investigate incidents where a lack of proper precautions or inattentiveness from staff has led to serious injuries from falls or other avoidable accidents.
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Wandering and elopement
When residents with cognitive issues are allowed to wander around without supervision or leave the facility, it can lead to serious harm. Our law firm works with cases where a lack of proper monitoring has resulted in injuries or even death due to wandering or elopement.
We encourage family members and caregivers to stay aware and take action. If you have doubts about the care being given, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Your awareness can make a big difference in stopping abuse, holding the responsible parties accountable, and making sure your loved one and other residents get the quality care and respect they totally deserve.
How Much Is My Boston Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
The answer to this question depends on a range of connected factors, with each one adding to the bigger picture. The nursing home abuse case worth depends on a few key things: the extent of the physical and emotional abuse, the medical costs involved, and the nursing home’s track record.
Even details like the victim’s age and the financial situation of the facility play a role. Our lawyers for nursing home neglect in Boston can analyze all these factors to provide you with a better understanding of what your particular case is worth.
Check out our testimonials and recent settlements to see examples of the results we’ve achieved for our clients. Although each case has its own specifics, our goal is to obtain the highest compensation possible to help injury victims and their families recover.
Client Reviews
Attorney Sam took such great care of me and kept me well informed. Please consider their practice if you need a personal injury attorney.
Stacy Martin
What Types of Compensation Are Available for Massachusetts Nursing Home Abuse Victims?
Medical expenses typically form the core of recoverable damages. This includes immediate treatment costs and long-term care needs. That’s why all medical records, from emergency room visits to ongoing therapy, must be kept.
Pain and suffering damages aim to provide compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress experienced. This can be anxiety, depression, or PTSD that may persist even after physical recovery.
However, the challenge is that pain and suffering damages aren’t tangible, which means that it’s not so easy to determine their monetary value. An experienced attorney can help you calculate these damages correctly.
In the most heartbreaking situations, where abuse results in wrongful death cases, families of neglect victims can be entitled to financial compensation for lost companionship and funeral costs. With professional legal assistance, you’ll be able to determine the full range of damages in your case and advocate effectively for the highest possible compensation.
Statue of Limitation for Elder Abuse Cases in Massachusetts
Time matters when it comes to nursing home neglect cases. The law sets a deadline, known as the statute of limitations, for injury victims and family members to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit. For most situations, this deadline is three years from when the abuse occurred or was discovered.
However, personal injury cases can be complicated. Sometimes, it’s difficult to determine exactly when the abuse began. That’s why Massachusetts has incorporated a discovery rule.
This rule states that the three-year period can start from the date the abuse is recognized. This provides more time to take action. Still, it’s better to act fast once you find out or suspect that abuse is happening.
Why Do You Need a Boston Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer?
Massachusetts nursing home abuse cases include complicated medical and legal matters that can leave families confused. Sometimes, identifying nursing home abuse is hard — it might come off as regular care or just an accident.
If your loved one has difficulty communicating, it’s even harder to determine what’s actually happening. Furthermore, nursing homes and insurance companies might try to pressure families into quick yet unfair settlements.
Our personal injury lawyer team can help you overcome these challenges. They’re well-versed in the various laws governing elder care and have the expertise to assess all damages incurred — not just medical expenses but also non-economic factors like pain and suffering.
They will communicate with the nursing home and their insurance company and lawyers, so you don’t have to worry about potential manipulation and pressure from their side. If the nursing home doesn’t offer a fair deal, your Boston nursing home abuse lawyer can take them to court.
Perhaps most importantly, your Boston nursing home lawyer will support you through this period. They can clarify each concept, introduce all legal options, and help you make the right choice.
Contact Our Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Today!
Although there are strict regulations that ensure nursing home residents’ safety, abuse and neglect can still happen. If your relative has become a victim of nursing home abuse, Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers can be your allies in the fight for your family’s legal rights.
We have significant experience dealing with nursing home abuse. Our lawyers will strive to get you fair compensation that helps your family while also sending a clear message to the nursing home to protect other vulnerable residents.
Contact us today for a free consultation, and Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers will be in touch 24/7, without exaggeration — that’s how we operate.
