Have you or someone you love been abused in a nursing home in Findlay, Ohio? Call the Law Office of Michael J. Tremoulis at (419) 404-4444 to schedule a free consultation today. An experienced Findlay nursing home abuse lawyer can help you fight for compensation to account for medical expenses, trauma, and any abuse-related damages you’ve sustained.
Our attorneys have over 150 years of combined experience fighting to protect the rights of injury victims and their families. Our results demonstrate our commitment to our clients. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars to help injury victims get back on their feet. There’s no charge to learn about your legal rights and options.
Why Choose the Law Office of Michael J. Tremoulis for Help With a Nursing Home Abuse Case in Findlay, OH?
We know this is a stressful time. You trusted the nursing home to keep your loved one safe. Instead, they violated your trust in the most unimaginable way.
Our Findlay personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of Michael J. Tremoulis can lead your family in the fight for justice. We’ve been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers, the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Best Lawyers for our success in obtaining top-dollar results for our clients.
Now, our Findlay personal injury lawyers are here to provide the quality legal representation and support you deserve. Legal help is just a phone call away, so contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Overview of the Types of Nursing Home Abuse Claims Our Firm in Findlay Handles
Broadly speaking, nursing home abuse is any mistreatment of a nursing home resident by their caregivers or the facility itself.
Any type of mistreatment may constitute abuse. Abuse often goes well beyond physically harming a resident. Abuse can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, or a combination of these behaviors. You may also have a valid claim based on nursing home neglect.
It’s important to understand your legal options.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse occurs when a caregiver physically harms a resident, whether by:
- Hitting or punching
- Shoving
- Slapping
- Improperly restraining the victim
- Hair-pulling
Potential signs of physical abuse can include unexplained injuries or “falls”, marks around the ankles or wrists, and fear when a caregiver is nearby.
Emotional and Psychological Abuse
Emotional abuse involves harming a resident through non-physical means.
Examples of emotional abuse may include:
- Name-calling and belittling
- Humiliation
- Refusing to allow a resident contact with a loved one
- Forced isolation
- Coercion and threatening
- Blaming a resident for problems that they haven’t caused
Victims of emotional abuse may become depressed or withdrawn. It’s important to take unexplained personality changes seriously–remembering that victims of abuse often fail to report it, especially when someone is not directly causing physical harm.
Sexual Abuse
Nursing home residents are vulnerable to sexual abuse. Many are unable to stand up for themselves. Some may not even understand that the abuse has occurred.
Any type of sexual contact or conduct can constitute sexual abuse. That includes touching, forced sexual intercourse or interactions, or even forcing a resident to witness sexual behavior.
Financial Abuse and Exploitation
Financial abuse can take any number of forms, including:
- Identity theft
- Stealing personal property
- Coercing a resident to change beneficiary designations or a will in the abusive party’s favor
- Forging the resident’s signature
Financial abuse can leave a victim struggling with long-term financial instability. This type of abuse can be difficult to spot. Any type of unexplained financial transaction can signify that your loved one is being exploited.
Nursing Home Neglect
Neglect in nursing home settings is unfortunately common. Neglect can be active or passive.
Whether the neglect is intentional or merely careless, neglect occurs when the nursing facility fails to provide the level of care that’s necessary to protect the resident.
Nursing home neglect can include:
- Failure to provide needed medications or medical care
- Failure to properly supervise patients with a history of wandering
- Withholding food or water, or failing to provide adequate nutrition
- Allowing unsanitary conditions to persist
- Neglecting a patient’s need for assistance
- Failure to protect a patient from threats to their safety
- Abandonment
Neglect can cause significant physical and mental harm. Bedsores, sudden weight loss, changes in hygiene, and unexplained injuries can all be signs of neglect.
What Is My Findlay Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
Victims of nursing home abuse can have vastly different experiences. It’s important to carefully evaluate the victim’s own personal experience. There is no standard settlement amount.
As we calculate the value of your personal injury case, our attorneys will evaluate:
- The nature of any physical injuries, and their severity
- The duration of the abuse
- The cost of necessary medical and rehabilitative care
- Damage to the victim’s quality of life and mental health
- Ongoing physical pain and distress
The more extensive the damage, the more likely it is to result in higher settlements or verdicts. Hiring an experienced Findlay nursing home abuse attorney is the best way to ensure your case is properly valued.
With an experienced attorney on your team, you’ll prevent the nursing home and its defense teams from taking advantage of your family’s situation.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Nursing Home Abuse in Findlay?
When you file a personal injury claim, you’re able to demand compensation for economic losses and non-economic losses.
Some key examples of the types of damages you may have experienced include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Relocation costs to move to a safe nursing facility
- Property damage
- Restitution when financial abuse has occurred
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Emotional distress and mental trauma
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Reduced life expectancy
- PTSD and fear
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Damage to families and personal relationships
Punitive damages may also be available. In Ohio, punitive damages are only awarded in cases involving intentional wrongdoing and shocking behavior. In appropriate cases involving intentional abuse or especially harmful conduct, our attorneys may pursue punitive damages.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Findlay Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
Like most personal injury law firms, our team at the Law Office of Michael J. Tremoulis works on a contingency fee basis.
With this arrangement, you won’t pay any initial fees. You’ll only pay attorneys’ fees once your attorney has succeeded and recovered compensation in your case. Your fees depend completely on how much money your attorney obtains.
What Are Common Injuries Resulting From Nursing Home Abuse in Findlay?
Our attorneys will work to secure a compensation award that accounts for any injury or loss your family has experienced.
Some examples of the harm caused by nursing home abuse include:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Infections
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Internal injuries
- Depression and other mental health issues
- Worsened underlying medical conditions
- Development of new medical problems
- Catastrophic injuries resulting in the wrongful death of a loved one
It’s important to account for the losses you’re experiencing, as well as anticipated future problems and complications.
What Are Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse in Findlay?
Understanding why nursing home abuse occurs can be difficult. It’s really difficult to imagine why someone would wish to harm a vulnerable adult.
Some potential causes of nursing home abuse include:
- Lack of oversight and failure to supervise caregivers
- Inadequate background checks
- Negligent hiring practices
- Understaffing, which can occur when a facility cuts corners to maximize profits
- High turnover rates due to low wages and caregiver burnout
Nursing home abuse is never okay. Regardless of why it occurred, the responsible parties should be held accountable. Our lawyers can help you make that happen. Call us today to learn more about your legal rights.
How Long Do I Have to Seek Compensation If I Was a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse in Ohio?
Ohio law generally gives victims two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. In some cases, the deadline may begin on the date the abuse was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered.
Because nursing home abuse is not always immediately obvious, determining the correct filing deadline can be complicated. Missing the statute of limitations can prevent you from recovering compensation entirely.
Speaking with an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible can help ensure your claim is filed on time and your rights are protected.
Contact Our Findlay Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Our team at the Law Office of Michael J. Tremoulis is passionate about holding people accountable for their actions. If someone harmed you or a loved one, count on our attorneys to fight for you. Call today to learn how an experienced Findlay nursing home abuse attorney can fight for you.
