Pittston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

With over decades of experience handling nursing home negligence lawsuits across Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Pittston nursing home abuse lawyer at Caputo & Mariotti understands what your family must be going through. Seeing a loved one in pain at the hands of another person can cause sorrow, anger, and frustration. That's why we fight for those who have been injured by another person or organization's negligence. We will make sure you and your loved one are protected from further abuse and you get the compensation that you deserve.

What Is Considered Nursing Home Abuse?

According to the Nursing Home Abuse Justice website, recent studies found that as many as 85% of assisted living facilities reported at least one case of abuse or neglect. However, this number may be on the low end -- some studies have shown that a little more than half of the incidents nursing home abuse or neglect are reported to the facility.

Why is this so? Many believe residents are either embarrassed or ashamed of what’s happening. It could be that many don’t understand what’s happening to them.

There are five main types of nursing home abuse:

Physical Abuse

The most noticeable type of abuse, nursing home staff members are willingly committing physical harm to the residents. Common examples include pushing, kicking, slapping, and hitting.

Financial Abuse

If residents have trouble managing their finances, they are at risk of financial exploitation. Common examples include staff members stealing money from patients’ bank accounts, changing power of attorney, or their wills.

Sexual Abuse

According to a report by CNN, over 1,000 nursing home facilities across the U.S. had received citations for mismanaging sexual abuse cases. These cases include any form of unwanted sexual activity, such as grouping, inappropriate touching, and rape.

Emotional Abuse

Those this type of abuse may not be as visible as physical or financial abuse, it still can be just as painful. Not only is the resident isolated from friend and family, but can suffer from anxiety and depression. Examples include verbal abuse, belittling, and berating the resident.

Neglect or Abandonment

With staff members overworked and assistant living facilities understaffed, neglect or abandonment of residents can happen on a regular basis. Older adults may suffer from malnutrition, infections, and bedsores, among other issues.

What Causes Nursing Home Abuse in Pittston?

There could be multiple parties held responsible for abuse or neglect, start with the facility itself for allowing the abuse to occur. Not only the facility but those who are committing acts of abuse or turning a blind eye, such as employees, supervisors, managers, and the administration.

It’s no secret that many nursing homes in the Pittston area are understaffed. This means staff members are expected to work long, brutal hours where they could easily become overwhelmed.

Some causes of nursing home abuse include:

• Failure of the facility to properly train, hire, or monitor its staff
• Failure by the staff to report or repair any dangerous conditions
• Failure to provide the proper necessities such as food, shelter, or medical care
• Failure to discipline staff for violating health and safety policies

How to Help Your Loved One

If you suspect your loved one is the subject of abuse, there are warning signs you should be watching out for such as unexplained cuts or bruises, unexplained weight loss, personality changes, or unexplained diseases. Try to talk with your loved one to see if you can learn more about these signs and how they occurred. Ask if the resident is being harmed or feels unsafe living in the home. They might not acknowledge any abuse so it’s best to trust your instincts.

Next, bring up your concerns with the nursing home administration. Make sure you have evidence of your loved one’s injuries. Ask the administration what can be done to keep your loved one safe. The facility should have a grievance procedure you can follow.

If you suspect the abuse is continuing after you voiced your concerns, your next step is to report the nursing home to the Department of Agency and contacting a Pittston nursing home abuse lawyer at Caputo & Mariotti. We will get straight to work, making sure your loved one is safe and gets justice for the pain they have endured.

Why Choose a Pittston Nursing Home Lawyer At Caputo & Mariotti?

The Pittston nursing home abuse attorneys at Caputo & Mariotti provide aggressive representation of our clients regardless of the case they are handling. We pride ourselves on the personal relationships the principals develop with each and every client.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don't have to pay anything if we fail to get you the compensation that you deserve following an accident. With only two years to file your personal injury claim, your time may be running out. The sooner you call us, the quicker we can get to work, gathering and protecting evidence.

If you suspect or know that your loved one is experiencing abuse in a nursing home or long-term care facility in Pittston or anywhere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, now is the time to act. Contact Caputo & Mariotti today to schedule a free consultation.