Abuse, neglect and exploitation in nursing homes are many families’ worst nightmare. It’s hard enough to trust a vulnerable loved one to strangers; it can be devastating when that trust is betrayed. Through greed, disinterest or incompetence, some nursing homes fail their residents in the worst ways possible, harming the people they were supposed to keep safe. And to make matters worse, abuses may go unnoticed for months because residents are too impaired or too afraid to speak up. By the time the abuser is caught, it may be too late to prevent serious or even permanent harm. Families may be forced to turn to a Fort Lauderdale nursing home negligence attorney to punish the abusers and ensure that they never have access to another vulnerable patient.

Most people think of physical abuse when they think of nursing home abuse -- and physical abuse, including hitting, restraints and intentional over- or under-medication, is a serious problem. However, abuse at nursing homes can also include verbal and, less commonly, sexual abuse. In some cases, nursing homes and their staffs may also take advantage of a resident’s lifetime of thrift to exploit him or her financially, stealing money and valuables or getting access to bank accounts, property and credit. But unfortunately, studies show that neglect is by far the most common form of negligence at a nursing home. This can range from small oversights to major, life-threatening failure to provide life’s basics. Types of negligence include:

• Failure to provide enough food and water, or proper nutrition
• Allowing bedsores (pressure sores) to form in bed-bound or wheelchair-bound patients
• Not monitoring irrational patients closely enough, allowing them to harm themselves or escape
• Allowing infections to spread
• Failing to treat clear health problems in a timely manner
• Mistakes with medication

Nursing home neglect, exploitation and abuse violate the dignity of the resident and represent a serious lapse of the staff’s professional ethics. But the harm from nursing home negligence goes beyond abstract ethical objections. In many cases, it can have lasting negative effects on the resident’s health. Physical and emotional harm can actually send patients into a potentially fatal health decline, especially if they were already fighting another health problem. Patients may need to be hospitalized for weeks to recover from the effects of the abuse, as families scramble to find them a healthier long-term home. The bills may come to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, including emergency care and lost income from time off work.

Families can and should report nursing home negligence to the Florida state agencies responsible for shutting down bad homes. In serious cases, staff members may be subject to criminal prosecution in addition to fines or license revocation from regulators. But even if the state takes quick action, families are stuck with the bills for all of the effects of nursing home negligence, including hospital bills, time off work and the cost of finding new care. To recover these costs, families should call Balliro about pursuing a Sarasota nursing home negligence lawsuit. These lawsuits allow families to recover all of the costs of the abuse, as well as compensation for the loss of the resident’s health and dignity. Just as importantly, they allow families to call public attention to dangerously negligent nursing homes, even if regulators can’t or won’t take action.

Balliro  has taken hundreds of cases to trial in over a decade of practicing law in Florida. All of our partners are experienced trial attorneys, which means we are not afraid to take our cases to court. We will never broker a quick, easy settlement when we believe our clients can do better. In every case, our Miami and Fort Lauderdale nursing home abuse attorneys work hard to get clients full compensation for their physical, emotional and financial injuries, allowing them to place their loved ones in quality care without worrying about the huge costs of moving and treating their injuries. And because we know legal problems happen at all times, not just during our business hours, we are available to clients and potential clients 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

If someone you love has suffered abuse, neglect or exploitation at a nursing home in Florida and you’re ready to take action, you should call  Balliro today. For a free, confidential consultation, you can reach us anytime through our Web site or call toll-free from anywhere within Florida at 1-866-INJURED.