South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nursing home abuse is a serious crime committed against society’s most vulnerable members. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home or assisted living facility, you may have legal options to hold the appropriate parties accountable for their misconduct.
At Anastopoulo Law Firm, our lawyers have more than 25 years of experience handling complex personal injury and wrongful death claims in South Carolina, including claims involving nursing home abuse and neglect. Our South Carolina nursing home abuse lawyer will help fight for compensation for the damages you or your loved one experienced, which we can discuss in a free consultation.
Who is Liable for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in South Carolina Facilities?
Cases that involve abuse or neglect toward an elder adult can get complex, as liability can vary depending on who holds supervision over the elder adult’s care. For example, a caregiver may be the sole liable party if they were contracted to work in the victim’s private home. However, if the victim lived in a nursing home, the facility may also be held liable since it employs staff to take care of residents.
If you believe that you or an elderly loved one is a victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home or a related facility, you may be entitled to file a claim against multiple parties, including:
- Medical and health care providers
- Nursing home attendants
- Employed caregivers
- The institutions and facilities who employ such parties
- Landlords and other residence providers
- Other residents in the nursing home or living facility
Our legal team can investigate who contributed to your or a loved one’s abuse and advise you on how to take action against them. You may be able to recover compensation for the resulting damages through a claim or lawsuit.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer serving South Carolina, call (800) 777-7777
What Kind of Damages Can You Claim in a Nursing Home Abuse Case?
Victims of nursing home abuse or neglect may be entitled to collect compensation for multiple types of damages, such as:
- Medical expenses: This may include costs for prescription medications, emergency treatment, diagnostic tests, imaging exams (e.g., X-rays), hospice care, and doctor’s appointments, among other types of medical care.
- Property damage or theft: If the abuse involved financial exploitation or theft, you may be able to recover the value of stolen items. Alternatively, if the abuse led to damage to your or a loved one’s property, you may be able to recover the costs to repair or replace these items.
- Pain and suffering: Abuse can take on many forms and lead to various physical and mental injuries, including emotional suffering. We aim to factor in the overall impact of the abuse or neglect when calculating your damages.
- Income loss: In some cases, either the victim or a family member may lose income as a result of the abuse. The victim might lose benefits due to financial abuse from a caregiver or staff member at the nursing home, or they might continue to ask for money from family to ward off threats from their abuser. If you had to leave work to care for your loved one after discovering the abuse, you may be compensated for this income loss as well.
Other types of damages consider whether the abuse or neglect caused irreparable damage that now affects the victim’s quality of life, such as a long-term or permanent disability. Our team will discuss these potential damages and their values with you as we build the case.
If the Abuse or Neglect Led to Your Loved One’s Death
Unfortunately, without proper supervision or intervention, an elder adult is at risk of suffering a fatal injury when experiencing abuse or neglect. Our hearts go out to you if you lost a loved one as a result of improper care in a nursing home, and we want to help you seek justice against their caretakers.
Through a wrongful death claim or lawsuit, you may be able to pursue additional damages related to their death, such as:
- Costs to arrange their funeral
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional losses related to the love, affection, and guidance they provided
- Loss of inheritance
South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (800) 777-7777
How Can a Lawyer Help a Plaintiff Build Their Nursing Home Abuse Case?
If you decide to work with a lawyer from Anastopoulo Law Firm, our legal team can work to help you build a nursing home abuse case in South Carolina. Some of our services include:
- Investigating the case to identify who may be held responsible for the abuse or neglect in your loved one’s South Carolina nursing home
- Gathering evidence that establishes the abuse or neglect took place, you or a loved one suffered damage, and the opposing party should be held liable
- Handling communications between all involved parties to protect you from releasing statements that can be used against you
- Working toward a settlement deal if possible
- Representing you at trial if settlement negotiations are not fruitful
- Advising you on which legal moves to take in pursuit of compensation
Should you ever have questions about the claims or litigation process, our team is also available to explain this information to you.
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How Long Does a Plaintiff have to File Their Nursing Home Abuse Case?
The filing deadline for a case involving nursing home abuse or neglect can vary. Generally, nursing home abuse cases in South Carolina fall under personal injury law, which is outlined in S.C. Ann. § 15-3-530. This means you generally have three years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit.
However, if a medical care provider (e.g., a doctor, nurse, or hospital) inflicted the abuse or neglect, then your case might fall under medical malpractice. Per S.C. Ann. § 15-3-545, you have three years from the date of malpractice or discovery of malpractice to file.
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What are Some Signs that Nursing Home Abuse is Taking Place?
Nursing home abuse involves neglect and criminal acts committed against those who reside in nursing homes, as well as those in assisted living and extended care facilities.
This term typically refers to crimes committed against the elderly. However, it also encompasses abuse of others who reside in facilities that provide medical care and treatment for people who cannot provide for themselves.
Nursing home abuse can take a wide variety of forms, including:
- Sexual abuse
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Psychological abuse
- Healthcare fraud and abuse
- Abandonment
- Theft
- Material and financial exploitation
- Neglect
If you or a loved one is a victim of any of the above, you should take steps to remove yourself or your family member from the nursing home or care facility to ensure safety.
Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Some of the signs of nursing home abuse include:
- Bruises, welts, lacerations, and black eyes
- Sprains, dislocations, fractures, and broken bones
- Medication overdoses
- Physical signs of restraints and punishment
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Unexplained venereal diseases
- Untreated bedsores
- Neglected personal hygiene
- Unsafe and otherwise hazardous living conditions
- Forged signatures
- Unexplained disappearance of funds from bank accounts
If possible, try to document these signs through photos, videos, or digital records, so that they may be used as evidence for your case.
Call Anastopoulo Law Firm to Build a South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Case
Nursing home abuse is a grievous and serious matter. If you believe you or a loved one has been the victim of such abuse at a South Carolina facility, don’t face this challenge alone.
Contact Anastopoulo Law Firm today at (800) 777-7777 and let us work on your behalf. We can have a lawyer from our team start working on your case right away.
Call or text (800) 777-7777 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
