You trusted a nursing home to take care of your aging family member. Now they’re struggling with painful injuries and have to live with the trauma of their abuse. The experienced Lancaster nursing home abuse lawyers at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you fight to hold the abusive facility accountable and secure the monetary award your family deserves.
Since 2008, Marzzacco Niven & Associates has been a leader in personal injury litigation in Lancaster and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Collectively, our attorneys have over 120 years of experience and have won tens of millions of dollars on behalf of clients like you.
Now we’re here to help you get through this incredibly difficult time in your life. Don’t hesitate to contact our law office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to arrange a time for a free consultation today at (717) 616-2954.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help If a Loved One Has Been Abused At a Lancaster, PA Nursing Home
You know that your family member has been abused or neglected, but how can you prove it? What happens if the nursing home or caretaker refuses to admit what they’ve done? How much money can you reasonably expect to recover when you file a nursing home abuse lawsuit?
The good news is that you don’t have to find the answers to these questions on your own. Our Lancaster personal injury lawyers have decades of experience navigating tough issues like these. We have the resources to match your most powerful adversaries – including nursing homes, insurance companies, and powerful corporations.
You should be spending this time with your family. While you focus on family, our nursing home abuse attorneys in Lancaster will take care of your fight for compensation.
We’ll:
- Conduct an independent investigation into the abusive conduct and nursing facility
- Report the abusive conduct to the Pennsylvania Department of Aging
- Interview and depose witnesses, including other residents and staff at the nursing home
- Gather evidence that can be used to build and strengthen your claim for damages
- Enlist the help of experts and specialists who may be able to provide insight into your case
- Negotiate with the nursing home and other interested parties on your behalf
- Be prepared to argue your case in front of a jury in Dauphin County if you are not offered a fair settlement
We offer a free case evaluation and work on a contingency fee basis. There’s no upfront cost to hire our law firm. You only pay if we win your case. Get in touch with our accomplished legal team in Lancaster, PA today to learn more.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse occurs when a caretaker at a nursing home, assisted living facility, or another long-term care facility harms a resident. This harm can be intentional or the result of pure negligence.
Nursing home abuse can involve:
- Physical abuse (e.g., hitting, pushing, or restraining a resident)
- Emotional abuse (e.g., abandonment, yelling or screaming at a resident, isolation, and emotional manipulation)
- Sexual abuse (e.g., non-consensual sex with a resident, forcing residents to engage in or watch sexual conduct)
- Financial abuse (e.g., stealing a resident’s property, misappropriating a resident’s funds, and identity theft)
- Neglect (e.g., failing to move a resident regularly to prevent bedsores, failing to bathe or feed a resident)
As you can see, nursing home abuse can manifest in a lot of different ways. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected, it’s important to speak with the facility and contact an attorney near you for advice.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
The signs of nursing home abuse can vary, depending on the type of abuse a resident is experiencing.
However, some of the more common indicators of nursing home abuse include:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, or other injuries
- Frequent hospitalizations or need for medical treatment
- Rapid, unexpected weight loss
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Unexplained falls, often repeatedly
- Poor personal hygiene
- Reluctance or unwillingness to visit with family members
- Unexplained charges on credit cards or bank accounts
- Changes in mood and behavior, including depression and anxiety
Any unexpected or unexplained changes in your loved one’s physical well-being, emotional state, finances, or health may be a cause for concern. Notify the facility, report the suspected abuse to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and reach out to our Lancaster nursing home abuse attorneys for immediate assistance.
How Common Is Nursing Home Abuse?
According to the World Health Organization, two out of three caretakers surveyed admitted to having abused or neglected a nursing home resident.
It’s estimated that about 15 percent of elderly residents in community settings – like nursing homes – experience abuse.
That’s one out of every six nursing home residents.
Research suggests that residents who suffer from chronic health conditions, mental health problems, a disability, and have limited family or social support are at a higher risk of being abused by a caretaker.
Who Can Be Liable in a Lancaster Nursing Home Abuse Case?
In Pennsylvania, any of the following parties could potentially be responsible for abuse or neglect at a nursing facility or assisted care center:
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Attending physician
- Nurse or nurse practitioner
- Nursing home staff
- Nursing home facility administration
- Nursing home facility owners
Ultimately, anyone who has a responsibility to keep your loved one safe could ultimately be liable for abuse or neglect. Our Lancaster nursing home abuse attorneys will carefully evaluate your case to determine who may have contributed to your family member’s unacceptable treatment. Once liability is established, we’ll actively pursue damages from anyone who is responsible.
Injuries Related to Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Abuse in a nursing facility can cause long-term trauma and debilitating injuries, including:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers
- Cuts and lacerations
- Soft tissue injury
- Puncture wounds
- Infection
- Dental injury
- Eye injury
- Concussion
- Burns
- Nerve damage
- Brain injury
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Wrongful death, and more.
If a family member is visibly injured or complains of pain or discomfort, request medical treatment or get them to the closest emergency room immediately. Prompt care can be the difference between life and death. It can also help to formally document the trauma and establish a causal link between your family member’s injuries and abusive conduct at the nursing home.
What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Case?
When you file a nursing home abuse lawsuit, your family can generally seek two types of damages: compensatory and punitive.
Compensatory damages are awarded to offset the financial costs and suffering related to nursing home abuse and neglect. They fall into two categories: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages include money for verifiable monetary losses, such as:
- Hospitalization and current medical expenses
- Ongoing treatment and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Relocation to a different nursing home or facility
Non-economic damages include money for consequences of abuse that are difficult to value, such as:
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Pain and suffering
Punitive damages are awarded to punish a nursing home facility, caretaker, or another responsible party for particularly reprehensible conduct. However, punitive damages can only be awarded in cases where there’s clear and convincing evidence that a nursing facility was grossly negligent or abused a resident intentionally.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates will actively pursue any and all damages that you are entitled to receive under Pennsylvania state law. Our team will enlist the help of experts and specialists as we identify and value your case. The insight they provide can help us better understand the scope and impact of the abusive conduct and how it affects your family member. The more we know, the better prepared we’ll be to leverage a meaningful settlement or win a verdict for you at trial.
Is There a Time Limit For Filing a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
Yes, Pennsylvania’s two-year statute of limitations will likely apply to your nursing home abuse lawsuit. The second anniversary of the abusive conduct or your family member’s wrongful death will serve as the deadline for filing a claim.
While there are limited exceptions, they are few and far between. And if you miss the deadline that applies to your case, you’ll give up the right to recover the money you need and deserve – and to hold the abusive facility fully accountable for the suffering they’ve inflicted.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With a Trusted Lancaster Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Has your aging or disabled family member experienced abuse or been neglected at a nursing home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania? Contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates. Our award-winning Lancaster nursing home abuse lawyers are ready to help you fight to secure the financial compensation your family needs and deserves.
Benefit from 120+ years of combined experience and a team that’s known for winning tough cases like yours. Our Lancaster law office provides a free, no-obligation case assessment, so please give us a call or connect online to schedule a time for yours today.
Visit Our Law Office in Lancaster,PA
Marzzacco Niven & Associates
2173 Embassy Dr Ste 123, Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 616-2954
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