Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Little Rock, AR

Nursing home abuse refers to any act or omission by caregivers or other individuals that causes harm to elderly residents. Abuse can take multiple forms, including neglect and physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse. 

• Physical Abuse involves the use of force, such as slapping, pushing, and hitting. Signs include unexplained injuries, bruises, burns, restraint and grip marks on wrists, withdrawal, and fear. 
• Psychological abuse involves verbal and non-verbal conduct that causes mental and emotional distress. Insults, threats, unfair treatment, and isolation are common forms of psychological abuse.
• Sexual abuse involves unwanted, non-consensual sexual contact in a nursing home, including improper touching, groping, rape, and sexual remarks. Notably, incapacitated patients and individuals with cognitive disorders cannot provide consent. Common perpetrators include staff, visitors, and other residents. Some signs include unexplained sexually transmitted infections, pain when sitting or walking, discomfort around certain staff and residents, withdrawal, and behavioral changes.
• Financial abuse typically occurs when a staff member, visitor, or family member tricks or coerces a nursing home resident to give them their money or property. Warning signs include unexplained financial transactions or expenses, missing belongings, unpaid bills, and unauthorized changes in powers of attorney or wills. 
• Neglect occurs when caregivers and facilities fail to provide a sufficient standard of care to a nursing home resident. Neglect causes preventable diseases, injuries, psychological stress, and wrongful deaths. Signs of neglect include injuries from falls, bedsores, elopement, dehydration, poor hygiene, and unsanitary living conditions.

Nursing homes have a legal obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents. Among other things, they must maintain their facilities to prevent unsafe conditions, staff it adequately to ensure residents receive adequate care, and properly screen employees. 

When nursing homes fail to protect their residents from abuse and neglect and uphold the appropriate standard of care, they can be liable for the abuse their residents have suffered.