New Haven Assisted Living Facility Abuse Attorneys
It’s a scary feeling to believe that your loved one is being abused in the assisted living facility home where they reside. The people that you have entrusted to provide quality care to your loved one have taken advantage of their role and are abusing someone you care about. If you believe that someone you care about is a victim of assisted living facility abuse in New Haven, it is important to contact a legal representative. Working with an experienced living facility abuse attorney can empower you and your family to seek justice for the harm done to your loved one and a chance to restore some degree of their dignity.
The New Haven personal injury attorneys at Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante have experience working nursing home abuse cases and have access to the medical and financial resources you may need to build your case and to help your loved one move forward. To learn more about how we can help you, contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.
Types of New Haven Assisted Living Facility Abuse
Assisted living facility abuse can take the form of physical, sexual, and/or emotional or psychological abuse. For instance, physical abuse includes acts of violence committed against a resident such as striking, slapping, kicking, pushing, shaking, etc. As well as, the unnecessary use of drugs, physical restraints, force-feeding, or physical punishment. Signs of physical abuse include:
- Cuts;
- Bruises;
- Broken skin
- Abrasions; as well as
- Malnutrition and dehydration.
Emotional or psychological abuse includes threats, humiliation, harassment, isolation, neglect, intimidation, and verbal assaults. Common signs of emotional or psychological abuse can be more difficult to recognize, and include:
- Unexplained withdrawal from social engagement or activities;
- A change in their alertness;
- Unusual depressions; and
- Irritability
Sometimes, assisted living facility residents fall victim to sexual abuse, including sexual assault, sexually explicit photography, and forced nudity. Signs that may indicate sexual abuse include:
- Unexplainable STDs;
- Bruises around the breasts, thighs, and genitalia;
- Increased difficulty walking or sitting;
- Withdrawal or depression;
- Excessive fear, anxiety, or agitation; and
- Sudden mood changes
It is also important to keep a close eye on your loved one’s financial accounts. A sudden change in your loved one’s financial situation may be an indication of financial abuse.
Many nursing home staff members have access to residents’ financial accounts to purchase personal items for them. If you suspect that something isn’t quite right with your loved one’s financial accounts, they may be a victim of financial abuse in the form of theft, coercion, or abuse of power of attorney.
No matter how your loved one is abused, it is not OK. What’s more, the perpetrator who has abused your loved one can both be sued in civil court for damages and tried for his/her crimes in criminal court.
Why You Need an Experienced New Haven Assisted Living Facility Abuse Lawyer
If you find out that you need surgery, chances are, you would search for the most qualified surgeon with experience in handling the particular surgical procedure that you need. The reason for this is simple: experience and familiarity with the particular procedure are critical keys to its success. This is true of most professions, and it’s certainly true with respect to finding the right lawyer to handle an assisted living facility abuse case.
This is a specialized type of personal injury case that is best handled by a lawyer with significant experience in prosecuting them. These cases require deep knowledge of the applicable “standard of care” for an assisted living facility and its staff (e.g. administrators, physicians, nurses, health care assistants, etc.).
In order to know whether the employee or physician was negligent, the lawyer must know what standard of care the assisted living facility was supposed to provide under the particular circumstances. This knowledge is not something that every attorney has.
In addition, an attorney who handles New Haven assisted living facility abuse cases must be qualified, experienced, and prepared to vigorously navigate the case through the various legal hurdles imposed upon professional negligence cases and take the matter to trial, if necessary. Not every attorney has this preparation and experience.
These specific abuse cases are also often complex and expensive for the attorney to pursue due to the need to hire medical experts to consult and assist with the case. Not every lawyer or law firm can adequately devote the resources necessary to vigorously prosecute an assisted living facility abuse case.
Choosing an Assisted Living Facility Abuse Attorney in New Haven
There are many lawyers, and many law firms that advertise that they’re “personal injury lawyers,” but that doesn’t mean they have the necessary experience and resources to successfully prosecute an abuse case. But, with so many lawyers out there that are inappropriate for your case, how can you find an attorney that has the experience and knowledge needed to successfully prosecute a Connecticut assisted living facility abuse case?
The first step is to find an attorney, like those at Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante, P.C, who specialize in these types of personal injury lawsuits. You shouldn’t trust that even the most experienced attorney will excel with your case if his or her experience is not in prosecuting assisted living facility abuse cases.
Also, remember that not everyone is awarded multi-million-dollar settlements, and it is important that you work with an attorney that provides you with realistic expectations. The New Haven assisted living facility abuse attorneys at Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante will help you determine whether your loved one is being mistreated, and if so, present you with the most reasonable options available to address the situation and a realistic expectation for the success of your case.
Finally, always ask the lawyers you are considering whether they’ve had experience prosecuting similar cases in Connecticut and how many claims they’ve prosecuted successfully. What you want is a knowledgeable attorney who has a significant amount of experience prosecuting comparable cases, and who can show you a proven track record of success.
Contact a Skilled and Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If you believe that your loved one is a victim of abuse in their assisted living facility, we would like the opportunity to meet with you and determine whether you have a case. Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which will allow you to retain our services without any upfront costs.
Only by holding the facility that allowed your loved one to suffer harm accountable for their negligence, can we obtain justice and prevent others from suffering the same forms of abuse in the future. Call Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante today at 203-800-7343, toll-free at 888-692-7403, or fill out our online contact form to arrange a free consultation with a skilled and experienced Connecticut nursing home abuse attorney.