San Rafael Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Nursing home abuse is taken seriously in California, and there are many state laws that protect nursing home residents. Unfortunately, nursing home owners and staff members do not always comply with these laws, and when that is the case, it is society’s most vulnerable members who are harmed. Victims of nursing home abuse can suffer physically, mentally, and emotionally when they have received improper care. A San Rafael nursing home abuse lawyer can ensure victims receive the compensation they need to recover from these losses.

Nursing Home Abuse Defined

California has many laws that govern nursing home abuse and make it a criminal act. The Penal Code and the Welfare and Institutions Code both prohibit nursing home abuse and neglect and define it as a criminal act for which guilty parties can also be held civilly liable. These legal statutes define nursing home abuse as not only physical abuse, but also psychological, mental, sexual, and financial abuse. These codes also categorize the neglect, isolation, or abandonment of nursing home residents as a crime.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

It is important that loved ones can recognize the signs of nursing home abuse because residents do not always come forward and admit the abuse is occurring. The most common signs of nursing home abuse include:

• Untreated bedsores
• Personal items that are torn or broken
• Open welts, wounds, bruises, or cuts
• Bruising in areas that indicate restraints, such as the ankles or wrists
• Strange weight loss, such as when it happens suddenly or is excessive
• Unsanitary conditions, such as fleas or lice in the resident’s room
• Odors of feces or urine
• Poor personal hygiene

Although these are signs that you may notice on the resident or in their room, there are other signs that could indicate carelessness among staff members. These include:

• Improper heating or air conditioning in the nursing home
• An inability among staff members to explain a resident’s condition or injury
• Refusals to allow family members and other visitors to be alone with the resident
• Staff members that allow residents to wander off of the property
• Unexplained changes in the resident’s medication

When these signs are visible, it is important to speak to a nursing home abuse attorney in San Rafael.

Reporting Nursing Home Abuse

If you feel as though your loved one is in immediate danger in the nursing home, you should call 911 for assistance with removing them from the home. Regardless of whether or not the situation is an emergency, you should also report the situation to the Adult Protective Services department of Marin Health & Human Services.

A San Rafael Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer can Help with Your Case

No one should ever be the victim of nursing home abuse but tragically, it happens all too often. If your loved one has been hurt in a nursing home, a nursing home abuse attorney in San Rafael at Brod Law Firm can help. Call us today at (800) 427-7020 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation and to learn more about how we can help with your case.

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