Is your loved one among the many victims of nursing home abuse in Savannah, GA? An experienced Savannah nursing home abuse lawyer can help you fight for justice. Our team at Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers can help you hold the nursing home liable for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and more.
Our lawyers have years of experience handling personal injury cases. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars by using that experience to benefit injury victims and their families.
Call our law offices in Savannah, Georgia, at (912) 335-1909 to schedule a free consultation and discuss your options. There’s never any obligation.
Why Hire Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers for Help With a Nursing Home Abuse Claim in Savannah?
Nursing home abuse cases can be incredibly difficult–and heartbreaking for a family. At Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers, we’re passionate about helping families like yours get justice.
Our Savannah personal injury attorneys bring over 10 years of experience to the table. We use proven strategies to help clients get top results when it matters most. Unlike other firms, we keep our caseload small. That way, we can provide personal attention and remain in constant communication with our clients–so you know where you stand at every step.
In a nursing home abuse case, you’ll likely be dealing with a major insurance company. We stand up to powerful corporations on a daily basis–and we have a 95% track record of success.
We’re ready to start fighting for you today. Call for a free consultation with a Savannah personal injury lawyer who can help.
What Counts as Nursing Home Abuse in Georgia?
Nursing home abuse occurs whenever a caregiver does something to harm a resident. Many different kinds of nursing home abuse exist. Some involve active and intentional abuse. Abuse can also be passive, in the form of neglect.
Our attorneys in Savannah handle all types of nursing home abuse cases, including:
Physical Abuse
Nursing home residents are often physically vulnerable. Caregivers abuse their position of power when they cause any type of physical harm. Hitting, kicking, slapping, or the improper use of restraints are all obvious forms of physical abuse.
Psychological or Emotional Abuse
Threats, humiliation, name-calling, belittling, and other types of verbal abuse can cause significant damage. Emotional abuse doesn’t always leave a physical mark, so it can be tough to identify. Unwelcome changes in your loved one’s demeanor, personality, and behavior can all be signs of mental abuse.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual assault does occur in nursing home settings. Both caregivers and other residents can be guilty of sexual abuse. Any type of unwanted sexual contact or communication is abusive and can give you the right to take legal action.
Nursing Home Neglect
Neglecting a resident can be just as harmful as outright abuse. Many residents enter homes because they need assistance to remain safe. Ignoring a resident’s needs by failure to provide basic necessities and assistance with daily activities can be extremely harmful.
Neglect can be active or passive. In other words, a caregiver may actively ignore their responsibilities. In other cases, the caregiver may be overworked or not have the resources to provide adequate care for residents.
Financial Abuse and Exploitation
Many nursing home residents maintain control over their own finances. They’re often vulnerable to predatory financial abuse at the hands of caregivers.
Financial abuse can include outright theft of property, opening credit cards in a resident’s name, or forgery. It can also involve situations where a caregiver coerces a resident into changing a will or beneficiary designation on financial accounts.
How Much Is My Savannah Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
Our lawyers will ask a number of questions as we’re assessing your case value, including:
- What types of physical harm did your loved one experience?
- How has your loved one’s mental health been impacted?
- How has your loved one’s quality of life changed?
- What types of financial expenses and losses have you incurred due to the abuse?
- How is your loved one’s prognosis for making a full recovery?
- What was the nature of the abuse?
- How long did the abuse continue?
By asking these and other questions, we’ll be able to learn how the abuse impacted your family’s life. All personal injury cases are different. It’s important to hire a lawyer who’s willing to put in the work and evaluate your unique circumstances.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Nursing Home Abuse in Savannah?
Like any car accident victim, victims of nursing home abuse can seek compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages reimburse you for any financial loss you have incurred, including:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical care
- Any income you lost while caring for your loved one
- Rehabilitation
- The cost of moving to a nursing home that’s safe
- Restitution and property damage in cases involving financial abuse
- Mental health treatment
Often, the non-economic consequences of abuse are even more extensive than the financial costs.
Your non-economic damages award should account for any:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Depression
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Humiliation
- Reduced quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Reduced life expectancy
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages are also available in Georgia. While punitive damages are rare, they’re appropriate in cases where the defendant’s acts were intentional or so shocking as to deserve punishment.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Your Personal Injury Lawyers in Georgia?
Our Savannah personal injury law firm operates on a contingency fee basis. Like most personal injury lawyers, we only charge attorneys’ fees if we recover compensation. You won’t have to pay any upfront fees to hire us.
We’ll Fight for Full Compensation for All of Your Nursing Home Abuse Injuries
Some examples of the consequences of nursing home abuse include:
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Infections
- Bed sores
- Malnutrition and dehydration
- Injuries caused by the improper use of restraints
- Internal injuries
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Development of new medical conditions due to improper care
- Burns
- Catastrophic injuries and wrongful death
At Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers, we know that nursing home abuse can have far-reaching impacts. Victims often suffer mentally, with many experiencing severe depression. Victims of financial abuse may experience financial instability that can haunt them for years to come.
You can count on us to pursue compensation to account for all of those consequences–physical, mental and financial.
Why Does Nursing Home Abuse Happen?
Some of the most commonly cited reasons for nursing home abuse include:
- Failure to conduct background checks and properly screen prospective employees
- Failure to supervise and train nursing home caregivers
- Understaffing
- Medical malpractice
- Failure to inspect the nursing home as required by law
- Failure to call a doctor to provide needed medical care
- Negligent security
- Negligent supervision
- Unsanitary conditions
It’s difficult to explain why anyone would want to abuse a vulnerable nursing home resident. It’s more useful to examine the reasons why the abuse was allowed to occur. Nursing homes themselves have a duty to provide safe conditions that are free from abuse. That includes an obligation to take steps to make sure abuse does not occur within the walls of the facility.
Who Is Responsible for Paying Compensation if My Family Member Was a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse in Georgia?
Depending on the facts, the responsible parties may include:
- The abusive party
- The nursing home
- Staffing agencies that are hired to screen nursing home employees
- A corporation that owns nursing homes
- Government authorities responsible for licensing and inspections
- Certified nursing aides (CNAs), nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals
- Nursing home administrators
Intentional abuse is a crime in most cases. In civil terms, abuse is an intentional tort. Proving the abuse occurred is enough to hold the perpetrator accountable.
Nursing homes can also be held responsible for the actions of their employees. When employees commit acts of abuse, the nursing home can be held responsible.
How Common Is Nursing Home Abuse?
One World Health Organization survey found that two out of every three nursing home caregivers admitted to committing some type of abuse in the past year.
There are 20 Medicare-certified nursing homes in the Savannah area. Unfortunately, seven are rated at “below average” or “much below average”.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit to Seek Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse in Georgia?
For most victims in Georgia, the personal injury statute of limitations is only two years.
The two-year clock starts to run on the date an injury occurs. When a pattern of abuse has occurred, the clock may start running on the date someone learns about the abuse.
Contact a Trusted Savannah Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If your family is struggling because of an abusive situation in a nursing home, call Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers for legal assistance today. An experienced Savannah nursing home abuse attorney can help your family fight for the full compensation you deserve.
