Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Fort Worth

Placing a loved family member in a nursing home is often the only option left. And even though it is often the only option, it can be a decision wrought with emotion and many questions. Will they get the care they need? Who will comfort them when I cannot be there? Will they be treated with dignity and respect? Will they be abused or neglected?

These are good questions that can often be answered by careful research and physical inspection of the nursing home itself. It is also advisable to meet with not only the administrators or the activity managers, but also the staff whenever possible. And when you do meet the staff, trust your gut instincts. Unfortunately many accidents and injuries that happen to our loved ones while in nursing homes happen at the hands of the staff. With ninety percent of nursing homes understaffed according to CNN, there is a lot of stress placed on the staff to care for more patients than is physically possible. Is it any wonder that residents can encounter abuse and neglect?

The most common injuries experienced in nursing home are bone fractures and bleeding into the brain (hemorrhage). These can happen from simple slips, falls from bed, directed attacks, abuse or neglect. Unfortunately, abuse and neglect often goes unreported with only one in every fourteen incidences reported to authorities.

The reasons for under-reporting injuries are numerous, including reluctance of the patient to get someone in trouble or the fear of alienating a caregiver or family member. Often, there is a real fear of retribution or further aggression. There are also practical problems in reporting abuse including the inability to travel to see a lawyer or the lack of a defined reporting structure within the nursing home itself. Lastly, human frailty makes it quite common to deny that abuse or neglect has been inflicted, or the desire to believe that the aggressor didn’t mean to do it. Lastly, victims of abuse may not recognize that they are being abused, they may be unable to communicate what happened, or they may lack the understanding that they have a right to legal assistance.

If your parent or loved one have been neglected or abused, or worse, died at the hands of their caretaker, then you may have a claim for wrongful death including loss of consortium. The term “loss of consortium” isn’t just applied to a loss of consortium in a marriage, it also includes loved ones with whom you suffer a loss of society and affection, comfort, care and love, solace, moral and emotional support, protection, financial assistance, and companionship. These are compensable rights and they can be addressed by bringing a wrongful death lawsuit.

Zinda Law Group Can Help You

If you have lost a loved one due to nursing home abuse or neglect, the attorneys at Zinda Law Group can help you recover economic losses and file a loss of consortium claim on behalf of you and your family. Call us today at (800) 863-5312 for a free no-fee consultation.