It is an unfortunate truth that the elderly community is a vulnerable population when it comes to abuse. This is because they sometimes do not fully comprehend that it is occurring, or they do not recall it for long enough to report it. Follow along to find out the different types of nursing home abuse and how a proficient Tampa medical malpractice lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you in identifying these incidents.
What is a nursing home?
Simply put, a nursing home is a type of residential care facility for senior citizens who do not need the full extent of health care a hospital offers but, at the same time, cannot be cared for at home. Instead, what is best suited for these individuals is daily health and personal care services offered by nurses and other staff members. Some examples of these care services include assistance with keeping up with hygiene, taking medications, eating meals, cleaning, and more.
What are the common types of nursing home abuse?
Mainly, the different types of nursing home abuse consist of physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse. Negligence is also a possibility in this residential care facility, especially if it is understaffed. Signs of each type of abuse include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Physical abuse:
- Your loved one has cuts, bruises, black eyes, or broken bones.
- Your loved one has appeared undermedicated or overmedicated on more than one occasion.
- Emotional abuse:
- Your loved one appears to be intimidated by certain nurses or staff members.
- Your loved one complains about being embarrassed in front of other patients.
- Sexual abuse:
- Your loved one has a sexually transmitted infection.
- Your loved one has rope burns or there are other signs of restraints being used.
- Financial abuse:
- Your loved one has missing personal possessions from their room.
- Your loved one has missing funds from their bank account.
- Negligence:
- Your loved one has bedsores.
- Your loved one has worn dirty clothing or undergarments on more than one occasion.
What is the deadline for an elder abuse claim?
If you pick up on any of the aforementioned signs of abuse, then you must consider taking legal action against the negligent nursing home nurse or staff member. Such legal action may be in the form of an elder abuse claim. In the state of Florida, the deadline for filing this type of claim is generally two years from the date of your loved one’s incident. Failure to meet this statute of limitations will ultimately bar you from pursuing a lawsuit at all.
In the end, a talented Hillsborough County personal injury lawyer is ready and willing to stand by your side when filing your claim. Contact Merricks Law Group, P.A. today.
