Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Hampton, SC
Discovering a loved one suffered harm while in the care of those you trusted to provide a warm, safe, and friendly environment can be devastating. If your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, we can help.
With over 25 years of experience managing complex cases, our nursing home abuse attorneys in Hampton, SC represent families and individuals harmed by misconduct in long-term care facilities. Our reputation for hard work, compassion, and dedication drive our focus to protect vulnerable people. Our priorities are obtaining rightful compensation for victims of nursing home abuse and ensuring this damaging, criminal behavior doesn’t happen again.
Helping You Protect Your Loved Ones and Preventing Further Abuse
You should be able to trust in the nursing home’s promise to look after your loved one by adhering to state and federal health and safety standards. Unfortunately, in some cases, this level of care drops below acceptable standards, resulting in harm to residents caused by negligent misconduct.
Under South Carolina law, you can hold a negligent person or organization responsible for the physical, emotional, and financial losses your loved one suffered due to nursing home abuse by filing a civil action. However, the legal process can be complex, and claims against negligent care facilities are typically well-defended. A nursing home abuse lawyer can make the process easier by:
- Investigating the cause of the abuse to identify liable parties.
- Gathering evidence for your case using medical records, witness statements, expert testimony, employee records, and other relevant data stored by the nursing home.
- Demonstrating how the responsible party (or parties) was negligent in their duty of care and treatment of your loved one.
- Assessing the financial damages related to the abuse, including how these losses may affect you or your loved one in the future.
- Managing all case administration and communications with the nursing home and its legal team.
- Entering settlement negotiations with a ‘trial-ready’ mindset in terms of preparation and attention to detail to show the strength of your case and the holes on the defendant’s side.
- Taking your case to trial if necessary.
Many people in elderly care settings have complex needs which can increase their exposure to abuse or neglect. Nursing home abuse can cause serious physical and psychological harm or even tragic and preventable death.
We are powerful allies and can fight for justice and restitution against the individual or organization that failed in their duty to care for your loved one.
For a free legal consultation, call 803-222-2222
How Compensation Helps Victims of Nursing Home Abuse and Their Families
We understand that no amount of money can make up for the harm your loved one suffered. However, pursuing legal action can help to bring a sense of closure for the victims and their families by holding abusers accountable for their actions and providing financial resources to those who were wronged. We can seek damages for:
- Medical bills and treatment costs
- Rehabilitation costs, such as counseling and physical rehabilitation
- Expenses involved with relocating to another nursing home
- Reimbursement of stolen or damaged property
- Pain and suffering from physical and emotional trauma
- Income loss if the victim or family member lost income due to the abuse
If the abuse or neglect caused a fatal injury, please accept our sincere condolences. We want to help you seek justice for what happened to your loved one by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against those responsible. In this type of civil action, we can seek financial damages related to funeral costs, loss of consortium, emotional loss, and loss of inheritance.
However, there is limited time to act under South Carolina laws. Per S.C. Ann. § 15-3-530, injured parties have three years to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit for financial damages. The same timeline applies to surviving families pursuing a wrongful death action. A nursing home abuse attorney can ensure your suit is filed on time and guide you through the legal process during this difficult time.
Signs Your Loved One Could Be At Risk
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around one in six older people has experienced abuse in community care settings. The WHO defines this type of abuse as “a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.”
Sadly, nursing home abuse can take many forms, and it can be easy to miss the hidden red flags, which can include:
- Sudden changes in personality, weight, mood, sleep patterns, and social or financial habits
- The occurrence or treatment of pressure sores (also known as bed sores), especially stage 4 bedsores
- Unexplained broken bones or fractures
- Poor personal hygiene or an unkempt appearance
- Withdrawal from social groups and activities
- Frequent falls
- Unexplained STDs
- Frequent infections
- Burns, bruises, or other skin injuries
- Unexplained loss or damage of personal property
- Unusual spending patterns (it is inappropriate for caregivers to accept gifts with significant monetary or emotional value. However, small tokens of gratitude, such as flowers or a card, are suitable)
- Stressed or frustrated staff (note their overall morale, how they speak to residents, and how they treat you when you visit your loved one)
- Nursing homes with high levels of staff turnover
- Overall poor cleanliness or constant foul odors in the care home
- Lack of essential items such as drinks and food, or necessary personal items such as walking aids, hearing aids, or glasses within easy reach in your loved one’s room
- Poor or incomplete clinical documentation regarding medication and patient care
Liable Parties in Nursing Home Abuse Cases
It’s important to establish liability if your loved one was harmed during their stay in a nursing home. In some cases, the at-fault party could be a single caregiver. In others, the nursing home and staff members may be to blame. It’s also possible for the abuse to come from other sources, such as fellow residents or frequent visitors to the care home.
Dealing with nursing home abuse can be difficult for families, but you do not have to cope with this alone. Our priority is the safety of your loved one, after which we can help you with the legal aspects of your case, such as identifying the party responsible for the abuse and building a case against them.
What To Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
As a family member, friend, caregiver, or visitor to a nursing home, if you suspect or witness nursing home abuse:
- Contact the South Carolina Department of Social Services to report nursing home abuse.
- Contact your local law enforcement if you believe your loved one is in immediate danger.
If you have any questions or concerns, a nursing home lawyer from our firm can help.
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Contact Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys for a Free and Confidential Consultation
The attorneys at the Anastopoulo Law Firm are proud to represent the families of adults who have suffered from nursing home abuse during their stay at a long-term care facility. Contact our team to schedule your free consultation. We can listen to your story, explain your legal options, and develop a plan to move forward.
We can handle all of the legal legwork while you focus on your loved one. To learn more about how we can help, call today.
Call or text 803-222-2222 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form