Many of us rely on nursing homes to provide attentive and responsible care for our aging loved ones. We trust these facilities and their staff members to keep our loved ones safe, provide the medical care they need, and help them enjoy their remaining years with dignity. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect are heartbreakingly common in communities throughout North Carolina, including Wilmington and Wadesboro. If you believe your loved one was abused or neglected in a North Carolina nursing home, you may have grounds for legal action.
At Poisson, Poisson & Bower, PLLC, our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers will fight tirelessly to protect your loved one’s rights and dignity. With more than 40 years of experience, our family-run law firm has earned a reputation as compassionate advocate for victims of abuse and neglect. We can help your family demand answers and justice.
Contact our nursing home abuse lawyers today for a free consultation to learn more.
What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse
If you suspect that your loved one may be suffering from nursing home abuse or neglect, it’s important to act right away. To protect your loved one’s health, safety, and legal rights:
- Evaluate whether your loved one is in immediate danger. Call 911 and remove them from the facility, if necessary.
- If possible, talk to your loved one directly to ask about your suspicions. Trust your instincts if you feel they may be too uncomfortable, afraid, or otherwise unable to discuss what’s happening.
- Raise your concerns with the administrators of the nursing home facility. Discuss what the administration can do to ensure the well-being of your loved one. Document this discussion.
- Document any events or abnormalities that seem suspicious or concerning. Take photographs of any visible injuries on your loved one. Write down everything you remember, and keep any medical records or other relevant documents.
- File a complaint. If you believe your loved one’s rights have been violated, or you feel the nursing home administration’s response was insufficient, file a complaint by contacting North Carolina’s Adult Protective Services agency or Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
- Contact a nursing home abuse attorney. An experienced lawyer at Poisson, Poisson & Bower, PLLC can help protect your loved one’s rights and demand compensation to help them recover.
Demanding Justice for Your Loved One
With a successful nursing home abuse or neglect claim, your loved one could be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical expenses – The costs of any medical attention your loved one requires due to nursing home neglect or abuse. This could include hospital bills, surgery or therapy costs, prescription co-pays, and even transportation costs.
- Pain and suffering – Compensation awarded for any physical pain, emotional distress, or mental anguish your loved one suffered due to nursing home abuse or neglect.
- Loss in quality of life – If you can demonstrate that nursing home abuse or neglect directly affected your loved one’s quality of life, he or she could receive compensation for subjective losses in quality of life.
- Punitive damages – If your loved one was deliberately or maliciously abused by nursing home staff, he or she may be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish intentionally malicious or egregiously negligent wrongdoers.
If your loved one died due to nursing home neglect or abuse, your family may be able to pursue justice through a wrongful death claim. Although no amount of money can make up for your loss, a wrongful death claim can help you hold the negligent nursing home accountable.
