When you suspect that your elderly loved one is being abused by staff in their nursing home, you must act quickly. In this scenario, many people have one question that immediately pops into their mind: do I need to hire a nursing home abuse lawyer? If you find yourself in this pickle, here are five reasons you should consider, as they may necessitate you to hire a quality nursing home abuse lawyer:
1. Having Professional Guidance
Let’s face it; nobody wants to find themselves in a situation where they discover that their elderly loved one is being abused (especially by nursing home staff members meant to protect and care for them). When this happens, knowing what to do to hold abusers accountable, and to protect your loved one, can feel overwhelming.
Without proper professional guidance and the ability to have someone in your corner rooting for you, overcoming the obstacles ahead can be difficult. For this reason, you must consider hiring a nursing home lawyer if you suspect (or know) that abuse is happening behind the scenes at your loved one’s home. Many steps will need to be taken in the wake of abuse allegations, and a professional, knowledgeable nursing home abuse lawyer will know how to guide you through this emotionally difficult process most effectively and successfully possible.
2. Avoiding Coercion by Nursing Home Staff
Unfortunately, the nursing home is unlikely to side with you when you allege that abuse is happening on their watch. If the abuse is happening on a systemic level in the nursing home, then the staff will be outright hostile to your inquiries and demands for justice. Due to this, you’ll need a lawyer in your corner when you begin your fight.
Doing so will help you from being manipulated and coerced into ineffective action by nursing home staff members. Nursing home abuse lawyers know all of the dirty tricks and loopholes nursing home directors and staff members may try to use, so you can rely on these lawyers to keep you and your elderly loved one protected. The fight ahead will not be easy, but with a professional helping you along the path ahead, you’ll be much more likely to come out with a successful outcome.
3. Getting a Proper Investigation Performed
Especially if the nursing home is hostile toward your accusations, you’ll need someone you can actually rely on to perform a proper investigation into the alleged abuse. Getting lawful authorities involved in this process is key; your lawyer can help you start this process.
Additionally, the lawyer can do some key investigative behavior on their own (or contract out someone to do this work on their behalf). The more vigilant you are about getting an investigation going, the more likely you’ll be to uncover concrete evidence of behind-the-scenes abuse promptly. Doing so is key for holding the abusers accountable and for getting your elderly loved one the restitution they deserve for the suffering they’ve had to endure at their nursing home.
4. Staying on the Right Side of the Law
When dealing with people abusing your elderly loved one, it’s easy to become heated and passionate. Unfortunately, this can lead some people to make legal mistakes that will not only jeopardize their loved one’s ability to receive justice but that can put them into legal trouble as well. By allowing your nursing home abuse lawyer to handle this emotionally exhausting work, you can ensure you stay on the right side of the law.
After all, you do not want to further your family’s woes by making yourself legally liable for behavior related to your elderly loved one’s abuse allegations. Stick with the guidance and strategies your nursing home abuse lawyer provides you with, and you’ll be sure to stay on the right side of the law effectively.
5. Preventing Future Abuse from Occurring
By taking abuse seriously and holding abusive nursing homes accountable, you’re not only protecting your elderly loved one but every other patient in their nursing home. Additionally, nursing homes across America will be pressured to do better, and take care of their patients properly, if more people come forward to hold abusive staff members responsible.
Elder abuse is much more commonplace in America’s nursing homes than we’d like to think, so speaking up is a civil duty for American citizens. A high-quality nursing home abuse lawyer can help you make nursing homes safer for all patients across America.
