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Cherry Hill Nursing Home Physical Abuse Lawyers
Cherry Hill nursing home physical abuse attorneys advocating for seniors in South Jersey
Nursing homes in New Jersey need to take proactive steps to stop physical abuse before it occurs and respond promptly when it does happen. Seniors who are physically abused deserve compensation for their physical injuries and their emotional suffering. At Ferrara & Gable, our Cherry Hill nursing home physical abuse lawyers understand the safety measures nursing homes should take to protect their residents from physical harm. We work with nursing home administrators who understand the best practices nursing homes and long-term care facilities should use to vet their employees, educate their staff, and protect their residents. We file personal injury claims against abusers and nursing homes on your loved one’s behalf. We file wrongful death claims if a loved one tragically dies due to physical abuse.
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How can we help?
- What is physical abuse?
- What factors indicate physical abuse of the elderly in Cherry Hill?
- Why does physical abuse of the elderly happen in Cherry Hill?
- What types of injuries do physically abused seniors suffer in Cherry Hill?
- Who is accountable for the physical abuse of the elderly in Cherry Hill?
- How much is my senior physical abuse claim worth in New Jersey?
- Are there time limits for filing my elder abuse claim in New Jersey?
- Do you have a Cherry Hill nursing home physical abuse lawyer near me?
What is physical abuse?
The National Institutes of Health states that physical abuse “involves injury or harm to a person carried out with the intention of causing suffering, pain, or impairment.” The Administration on Aging defines abuse as “The willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or cruel punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish or deprivation by a person, including a caregiver, of goods or services that are necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness.”
Physical abuse in a nursing home includes:
- Pushing, hitting, slapping, and pushing a senior
- Intentionally inflecting pain, anguish, or distress
- The improper use of chemical or physical restraints
- Rough handling of residents during exams, while helping them dress, etc.
- Force-feeding residents
- Sexual abuse
- Not providing medical or dental care
- Not redressing residents after incontinence episodes
- Not prescribing wound care
- Not providing the resident’s medications
- Not helping with bowel and bladder functions
- Not providing food and liquids
- Not responding to call lights
NJ.com reported that the head of the New Jersey Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman said that abuse complaints in New Jersey rose from 249 in 2021 to 456 in 2022. Many incidents of abuse are not reported. The perpetrators often include staff members. Residents may also abuse other residents.
What factors indicate physical abuse of the elderly?
Family, friends, and members of the nursing home staff need to observe the health of Cherry Hill nursing home residents routinely. Many seniors can’t speak for themselves. Seniors who are cognizant are often too frightened to speak for themselves.
Some of the signs of physical abuse of long-term care residents include:
- Bleeding
- Bruises
- Scars
- Cuts
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Difficulty sleeping
- Loss of weight or weight gains
- Not socializing with friends or participating in nursing home activities
- Unresponsiveness
- Injuries that don’t heal or those that reoccur
- Unexpected death
Why are Cherry Hill nursing home residents subject to physical abuse?
The people who abuse your loved one may be other staff members, contractors, other residents, and anyone who comes into contact with the senior during the day.
Physical abuse may occur for the following reasons:
- A staff member lacks the experience and training to help and care for residents with physical, cognitive, or emotional difficulties
- Understaffing
- Overworking
- Substance abuse
- Worker burnout
Cherry Hill nursing homes may be responsible if anyone physically abuses a resident if the nursing home:
- Fails to conduct background checks on their employees and staff
- Fails to respond to complaints about physical abuse by an employee, staff member, resident, or anyone else who regularly uses or visits the nursing home
- Fails to monitor and regularly meet with each resident
- Fails to rotate who cares and meets with each resident
- Fails to have a sign-up sheet or some way of monitoring who can enter a nursing home and who that visitor can see
- Fails to have policies and procedures in place to prevent and respond to physical abuse
Effective policies can prevent many types of physical abuse of nursing home residents.
What injuries are caused by physical abuse in Cherry Hill nursing homes?
Nursing home residents are likely to suffer severe injuries and require more treatment from physical abuse than younger people because of their advanced years. Physical abuse may result in spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, burns, malnutrition, dehydration, harm due to receiving the wrong medications or not receiving the proper medications, and many other types of physical harm.
Victims of physical abuse often need to be treated by ER doctors, surgeons, specialists, physical therapists, and other types of healthcare providers. Some types of physical abuse may be fatal.
Physical abuse often causes fear, anxiety, stress, depression, and other types of emotional injuries that require mental health care.
Who is accountable for the physical abuse of the elderly in Cherry Hill?
At Ferrara & Gable, our Cherry Hill nursing home abuse lawyers hold the abusers and nursing homes accountable for personal injuries and the wrongful death of a loved one.
An abuser who intentionally causes physical abuse may be charged with a criminal offense. We file civil claims against abusers and work to coordinate your loved one’s claim with any claims brought by the police and the prosecution.
We file claims against nursing homes, long-term care facilities, managers, administrators, supervisors, and anyone else who owes your loved one a duty of care and whose negligence or incompetence causes physical harm. Nursing homes are generally liable for the conduct of their employees. Nursing homes may also be liable if they fail to take the proper safety measures to protect your loved one from harm.
How much is my senior physical abuse claim worth in New Jersey?
At Ferrara & Gable, our Cherry Hill nursing home lawyers understand how critical it is for seniors to assert their rights and receive full compensation in a timely manner so they can enjoy their remaining years.
We demand compensation for the following damages:
- The senior’s pain and suffering
- The senior’s medical bills
- Any loss of bodily function
- Any lost income
In any case where the physical abuse was intentional or especially egregious, we also seek punitive damages.
Our Cherry Hill physical abuse lawyers also file wrongful death actions if a loved one died due to physical abuse in a New Jersey nursing home.
Are there time limits for filing an abuse claim against a long-term care facility in NJ?
It’s critical that seniors seek legal help for abuse immediately – to protect themselves and other nursing home residents. Physical abuse should be reported to the police and to the New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
Civil complaints in New Jersey must be filed within two years from the date of the abuse. We’ll help you understand the precise starting date since the abuse may occur over time. Again, don’t wait. Contact us immediately.
Do you have a Cherry Hill nursing home physical abuse lawyer near me?
Ferrara & Gable meets clients are our office which is located at 601 Longwood Avenue in Cherry Hill, NJ. There is parking nearby. The Rt. 38 bus stops near our office. We also schedule phone or video consultations.
Our lawyers guide loved ones and families through each step of the claims process.
If your loved one was physically abused in a nursing home in South Jersey, call today
Physical abuse is unconscionable. Seniors who reside in long-term care facilities in New Jersey deserve to be treated with respect. They deserve to be protected. They have the right to hold wrongdoers accountable. At Ferrara & Gable, our Cherry Hill nursing home physical abuse lawyers are seasoned trial lawyers and insurance negotiators. If you were hurt or a loved one tragically died due to physical abuse in an elder care facility, call us or complete our contact form today to schedule a free consultation.