When an elderly family member moves into a nursing home or long-term care facility in Detroit, Michigan, we trust that these facilities will provide the highest level of care. Unfortunately, this expectation is not always met. Behind closed doors, some nursing homes offer improper care, leaving residents vulnerable to bodily harm, psychological abuse, and even wrongful death.
At the Lee Steinberg Law Firm, we know how distressing it can be to learn that your loved one has been mistreated in a place meant to offer safety and comfort. If you suspect abuse or neglect, our team of experienced Detroit nursing home abuse lawyers is here to help. We are committed to holding nursing homes accountable for their actions and advocating for the rights of vulnerable residents.
Why Hire Us for Your Detroit Nursing Home Abuse Claim?
The Lee Steinberg Law Firm has a long history of successfully handling nursing home abuse claims in Detroit. When you work with our compassionate and experienced lawyers, you benefit from the following:
- Caring Approach to Sensitive Cases: When your trust in a nursing home facility is broken, it can be devastating. Our Detroit nursing home negligence lawyers will listen to your concerns, respect your needs, and work tirelessly to help bring justice to your loved one.
- Extensive Experience in Nursing Home Abuse Cases: With years of experience handling nursing home abuse claims, our personal injury lawyers know how to identify patterns of abuse, gather the right evidence, and create strong legal strategies that hold negligent living facilities accountable.
- We Hold All Parties Accountable: Nursing home abuse cases often involve multiple parties, including caregivers, facility administrators, and even third-party contractors. We don’t just focus on the individuals directly involved in the abuse – we also pursue claims against those who allowed it to happen through negligence, lack of oversight, or failure to properly train and supervise medical staff.
- Negotiation Skills That Maximize Compensation: Nursing facilities and their insurance companies often try to minimize the severity of abuse cases and offer settlements that don’t reflect the true harm suffered by your loved one. Our nursing home injury lawyers are skilled negotiators who will not accept lowball offers. If the facility refuses to offer a fair settlement, we are prepared to take your case to court.
We believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality legal representation, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why our nursing home negligence lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. We take on the financial risk so you can have peace of mind. If you suspect that your loved one has been abused or neglected in a Detroit nursing home, contact us today for a free consultation.
Nursing Home Abuse in Detroit
Nursing homes in Detroit and across Michigan have a legal duty to provide adequate care and ensure the safety of their residents. This responsibility includes meeting basic needs like food, personal hygiene, and medical attention. Unfortunately, some negligent facilities fail in this duty, leading to instances of nursing home neglect, physical harm, emotional abuse, and more.
Common types of neglect and abuse include:
- Physical Abuse: This involves any intentional use of force that causes harm, including hitting, pushing, improper restraint, and even failure to provide proper medication. This type of abuse can be especially dangerous for elderly individuals, whose bodies are more fragile and susceptible to physical injury.
- Emotional Abuse: Examples include verbal abuse, threats, humiliation, or isolation that causes psychological harm. Emotional abuse can be harder to detect than physical abuse, but its effects can be just as damaging.
- Sexual Abuse: This is any non-consensual sexual contact or exploitation, especially of those unable to give consent due to cognitive impairment. Watch for behavioral changes such as agitation, unexplained pelvic pain, or physical signs of trauma.
- Neglect: Failing to provide essential care such as food, medical assistance, or hygiene, leaves nursing home residents at risk for serious physical health issues and reduced quality of life. Neglect can occur intentionally or unintentionally (e.g. giving the wrong medication), but both forms are dangerous.
- Financial Exploitation: This includes unauthorized use of a resident’s money, personal belongings, or property. Financial abuse is often committed by those in positions of trust, including caregivers or even family members.
Recognizing the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Identifying abuse or neglect in a nursing home can be challenging, especially if your loved one is unable or unwilling to speak up. However, there are several warning signs you can look for during visits:
- Physical Indicators: Unexplained bruises, cuts, broken bones, bed sores and pressure sores, sudden weight loss, or signs of over-medication. Even minor nursing home injuries may signal a bigger problem, so it’s important not to dismiss any physical symptoms as mere accidents.
- Emotional Changes: Sudden withdrawal from social interactions, fear of certain nursing staff members, depression, or unusual changes in behavior. If your loved one has become more anxious or fearful around certain caregivers, it could be a sign of emotional or physical abuse.
- Neglect Symptoms: Poor hygiene, dirty living conditions, malnutrition, dehydration, or medication errors. Visiting your loved one unexpectedly or at different times of the day can give you a more accurate picture of the conditions in which they are living.
- Financial Irregularities: Unexplained financial transactions, missing belongings, or changes to legal documents like wills or powers of attorney. If your loved one has experienced sudden financial harm or changes in their financial accounts, it may be worth investigating further.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to trust your instincts. The personal injury attorneys at our experienced law firm can help you investigate your concerns and pursue legal action to protect your loved one.
Steps to Take if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse in Detroit
If you suspect that your family member is being abused or neglected in a Detroit nursing home, it’s crucial to take immediate action. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Document Your Concerns: Keep a record of the signs and symptoms you’ve observed, including dates, times, and specific details. This documentation can be invaluable in building a case against the nursing home.
- Talk to Your Loved One: If possible, speak with your family member privately about their experiences. While they may be hesitant to share why they are so fearful or are covered in pressure ulcers, expressing concern and offering reassurance can encourage them to open up. Be gentle but persistent, as they may be afraid to speak out.
- Request Medical Records: If there are unexplained injuries or health issues, request access to your loved one’s medical records. This can provide insight into their care and reveal any concerning patterns of neglect.
- File a Complaint: In Michigan, you can file a complaint with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), which oversees nursing homes. This may prompt an investigation into the facility’s practices and help protect your loved one from further harm.
- Contact a Detroit Nursing Home Lawyer: An experienced attorney can help you hold the nursing home accountable and pursue compensation for your loved one’s suffering. Legal action can not only provide justice for your family but can also help prevent other elderly residents from experiencing similar mistreatment.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for Nursing Home Abuse?
There are various parties that may be held accountable for abuse or neglect in a nursing home setting. Depending on the circumstances, the following individuals or entities may be liable:
- Nursing Home Staff: Caregivers, nurses, and other nursing home employees who directly interact with residents have a duty to provide proper care. If they intentionally or negligently cause harm, they can be held responsible for their actions.
- Nursing Home Management: Nursing home administrators are responsible for hiring qualified staff, maintaining a safe environment, and ensuring proper training. If poor management practices (e.g. negligent hiring) contribute to elder abuse or neglect, they may be held liable for nursing home negligence.
- Visitors or Other Residents: In some cases, harm may be caused by outside visitors or fellow residents. If the nursing home provides inadequate supervision or security, they may also share liability.
- Third-Party Contractors: Some facilities rely on third-party contractors for services like food delivery, cleaning, or medical care. If a contractor’s negligence contributes to harm, they may also be held accountable.
What Compensation Can You Seek in a Nursing Home Abuse Case?
If your loved one has suffered elder abuse or neglect in a Detroit nursing home, you may be entitled to seek compensation for a wide range of economic and non-economic damages. While no amount of money can undo the harm done, compensation can help cover the costs of medical care, relocation to a safer assisted living facility, and treatment for emotional suffering.
Forms of compensation you may be able to recover include:
- Medical Bills: Medical costs related to injuries sustained due to physical violence or neglect, including hospital bills, physical therapy, and ongoing medical care.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical and emotional distress and mental anguish caused by abuse or neglect. This accounts for the psychological toll that abuse can have on the victim and their family.
- Relocation Costs: If your loved one must be moved to a new facility, you may be able to recover the costs of relocating. This ensures they can transition to a safer, healthier environment.
The Legal Process for Nursing Home Abuse Cases
Pursuing a nursing home abuse case involves several key steps, from gathering evidence to presenting a case in court. Here’s an overview of what you can expect when working with the Lee Steinberg Law Firm:
- Free Legal Consultation: We’ll start by discussing your concerns and reviewing any evidence you’ve collected. This initial consultation is an opportunity for us to evaluate the case and determine the best course of action.
- Investigation: Our team will conduct a thorough investigation, which may involve taking witness statements, reviewing medical records, and examining the nursing home’s policies and procedures.
- Filing a Nursing Home Lawsuit: If we determine that your loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect, our nursing home neglect attorneys will file a lawsuit against the responsible parties. This is the formal legal action that initiates the case.
- Negotiation: In many cases, nursing homes and their insurance companies will attempt to settle the case before it goes to trial. We will negotiate on your behalf to ensure that any settlement offer fully addresses the harm your loved one has experienced.
- Trial: If a fair settlement can’t be negotiated, we are prepared to take your case to trial. Our nursing home abuse attorneys will present the evidence, call expert witnesses, and make a compelling argument for why your loved one deserves compensation for their financial losses and loss of quality of life.
What Should You Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse But Don’t Have Proof?
If you suspect abuse but don’t have concrete evidence, it’s still important to take action. Begin by documenting any signs of mistreatment, such as changes in behavior or unexplained severe injuries. Keep track of dates, times, and the names of any nursing home staff members involved. You should also speak to your loved one privately to see if they will share their experiences.
Even if they are unable or unwilling to talk, your observations can be enough to start an investigation. Contact an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer to discuss your concerns and learn more about how to gather evidence. We can help you by conducting an investigation and uncovering any hidden abuse or neglect.
How Long Do You Have To File A Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit In Michigan?
In Michigan, the statute of limitations for filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit is typically two years from the date of the injury or the discovery of the abuse. However, certain circumstances may extend or shorten this timeframe, so it’s important to consult with a nursing home attorney as soon as possible. Failing to file within the statute of limitations may result in losing your right to seek compensation for your loved one’s suffering.
Questions? Speak to a Detroit Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Discovering that a loved one has suffered abuse or neglect in a nursing home is heart-wrenching and often leaves families feeling powerless. At the Lee Steinberg Law Firm, we understand the emotional toll that these situations can take. Nursing home abuse is not just a violation of trust; it’s a violation of basic human rights. From investigating claims to building a strong case, our experienced team will provide the support you need.
If you suspect that your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse in Detroit, contact the Lee Steinberg Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation. There are no fees unless we win your case, so you can take action with confidence. For more information, please call 313-513-7230 or contact us online today.
