Some nursing homes in Peabody, Massachusetts, base their names on nature, beautiful places, or admirable qualities. What a nursing home calls itself may inspire confidence that your loved one will be well-taken care of in a pleasant atmosphere.
Yet, we are sad that not every Massachusetts nursing home lives up to its name. Nursing home abuse is far too common. If you have doubts about a nursing home, you Better Phone Stone® to speak with a Peabody nursing home abuse lawyer.
Our law firm, Jason Stone Injury Lawyers, has over 20 years of experience in resolving legal issues and recovering damages for personal injuries, abuse, and wrongful death. Call or complete our online contact form for help from a Peabody personal injury lawyer.
How We Help With Peabody Nursing Home Abuse Cases
Since 2004, our lawyers have addressed the needs of people affected by different types of personal injury in Massachusetts, including nursing home abuse.
We can help you document injuries and gather evidence of what happened. Next, we can help you pursue financial relief for your family’s:
Medical Expenses
Medical bills add up fast, but with the help of a Peabody nursing home abuse lawyer, you can get back the money to meet your medical expenses. We can help you file a claim with the nursing home’s insurance provider.
Any nursing home in Massachusetts is likely to carry personal injury insurance, which may cover accidents and sometimes medical bills associated with nursing home abuse. Keep documentation of medical expenses, including:
- Changing homes
- Transportation
- Prescriptions
- Rehabilitation
We know that finding out about the abuse of a loved one can make you sad, angry, and frustrated. And money can never make up for nursing home abuse. Still, getting compensation for medical bills can relieve your family’s financial burden while you focus on recovery from physical abuse.
Pain and Suffering
Massachusetts state law allows you to seek non-economic damages in nursing home abuse cases. The court doesn’t use this compensation to offset financial losses. Instead, it covers the emotional pain and anguish your loved one may feel.
Our team understands that nursing home abuse damages more than a person’s finances. Your dear loved one may be traumatized, confused, and mistrustful after a nursing home abuse incident involving financial abuse, emotional abuse, or sexual abuse.
With this in mind, Massachusetts civil courts might order the responsible party to pay money to the abuse victim. The State of Massachusetts may also charge the abusers with a crime. If found guilty, they might be required to pay money to acknowledge your family’s losses.
Losses After a Wrongful Death
Losing a loved one is never easy, but it can be especially painful when it is due to neglect or abuse. Our abuse lawyers have learned the best way to help our clients regain peace of mind. We use Massachusetts laws to identify injustices and impose punitive damages on those who abuse older adults.
You can count on a Peabody nursing home abuse attorney to treat you with the care your family needs after an instance of abuse.
For a free legal consultation
Better Phone Stone
800-577-5188
Why Contact Us After an Act of Nursing Home Abuse?
We understand that the discovery of nursing home abuse or neglect can have devastating effects on families, and we’re here to help you through this difficult time.
If you believe your loved one was a victim of abuse in their long-term care facility, our legal team at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers can give you the help and personalized support you need. That is the Stone Cold Guarantee®.
We have over 20 years of legal experience handling claims in Massachusetts and recently brought a family $490,000 in compensation after a deadly instance of nursing home neglect. Find out more about how we can help with our verdicts and settlements.
Peabody Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me 800-577-5188
START MY NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATIONShould You Worry About Nursing Home Abuse in Peabody?
Always pay attention to your loved one’s condition and emotional state. An estimated 22 percent of Medicare beneficiaries sustained injuries in skilled nursing facilities. The study determined that many accidents and adverse events are “preventable,” confirming the need to pay closer attention to nursing home safety.
Nursing home abuse is a real danger to Massachusetts residents who depend on caregivers. Elder abuse encompasses physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. About 10% of adults aged 60 or older have been the victim of some type of abuse.
The Older Americans Act, arranged by the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC), aims to preserve the rights of older adults and protect those who cannot defend themselves. The Administration for Community Living urges family members to “learn to spot the red flags” of abuse.
What Are Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
When you visit your loved one in a nursing home, be on the lookout for abuse warning signs. Ask yourself:
- Does my loved one seem uncharacteristically depressed, confused, or withdrawn?
- Is he or she isolated from others for non-medical reasons?
- Are there unexplained bruises, burns, scars, or welts on their skin?
- Does my loved one look dirty, underfed, or dehydrated?
- Is my loved one off their meds or overmedicated?
- Is medical care delayed or absent when my loved one has a health concern?
- Do they suffer from bed sores or other preventable conditions?
If you have noticed one or more of the above warning signs, your family member may be experiencing abuse at the hands of the ones you hired to protect them. The nursing home abuse lawyers on our team work relentlessly to help Massachusetts victims of nursing home abuse and their families.
The last thing you may want to do is hire a lawyer or go to court, but negligent and abusive assisted living facilities may leave you little choice. If your loved one is facing abuse, the situation is unlikely to resolve itself.
We are here to help. Our Massachusetts wrongful death and personal injury lawyers want you to feel comfortable telling us your story. Contact us for a free consultation in any way that works best for you: By phone, video call, email, or in person.
Are Nursing Homes Responsible for Neglect and Abuse?
According to Harvard Business Review, accountability is not about blame. Accountability is about delivering on a commitment. When a nursing home accepts a new resident, they become responsible for the person’s well-being.
To the best of their ability, nursing home personnel must deliver according to their duty. The consequences of abuse and neglect are clear. Local agencies assess the quality of care provided by Massachusetts care homes.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers can also support existing systems by using civil laws to identify negligent homes and bring them to justice.
How do Nursing Homes React to Abuse Accusations?
Eldercare homes sometimes make immediate changes to improve conditions when they learn of existing issues. Unfortunately, some facilities need stronger motivation to rectify long-standing abuse concerns. In those cases, our competent abuse attorneys use legal processes to protect the elderly.
How Will a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Resolve Your Claim?
More often than not, Massachusetts personal injury cases settle out of court. Yet, if you do need to pursue a lawsuit, our attorneys have the experience and the knowledge to protect your nursing home abuse claim.
Our personal injury law firm can negotiate with insurance companies and representatives from the nursing facility on your behalf. We collect evidence to build strong claims for clients like you and may focus on the following:
- Questioning any eyewitnesses
- Going over reports from the care facility
- Looking for photos or videos that show the incident
- Working with nursing home abuse specialists
We can help your family file a lawsuit if the facility refuses to agree to a fair settlement after a family member experiences any type of abuse.
How Long do You Have to File a Legal Claim?
Massachusetts law allows you only a limited window of time to pursue an abuse settlement.
This deadline is called the statute of limitations. In Peabody, you have up to three years to file for nursing home abuse claims. A lawyer has an easier time building a solid case when the evidence is fresh, so consider contacting our abuse attorneys this week.
Nursing home abuse is a critical public health issue, but we know it may be tough to talk about it. Our law firm offers free Massachusetts nursing home abuse consultations. Our team of empathetic personal injury attorneys familiar with all laws in Peabody can build your claim.
What does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Law Firm?
Are you apprehensive about the costs of an attorney? Don’t be – we review nursing home abuse cases for free to help you determine if we can build a case to prove your claim.
We handle these cases on a contingency fee basis, so you will only owe us attorney’s fees if we recover compensation on your behalf. With our Stone Cold Guarantee, you can count on us to put you first, get back to you promptly, and always answer all of your questions.
Your Loved One Deserves Compassion and Respect
Abuse is inexcusable. Massachusetts nursing homes are required to provide caring, skilled, and compassionate care for their residents.
Federal law states, “Each resident must receive…the necessary care and services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial wellbeing, in accordance with the comprehensive assessment and plan of care.”
Your loved one, therefore, has the right to:
- Good hygiene and grooming, performed as independently as possible
- Support for daily living activities if unable to carry them out alone
- Accurate medication management
- Social interaction to promote mental and psychosocial health
- An environment as free of accident hazards as possible
What can you do if you suspect your loved one is not receiving dignified treatment? Contact our experienced legal team to investigate.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers can help ensure Peabody nursing facilities follow state requirements by taking legal action against negligent facilities. At times, getting abuse attorneys involved is enough to motivate nursing home staff to take better care of its residents.
Why You Can Be Confident in Massachusetts Nursing Home Regulations
Administrators and staff may try to justify neglect and abuse, but federal law is clear. Massachusetts nursing home nursing services must meet the following specific standards of reasonable care.
Staffing
Enough staff must be on hand to provide services detailed in Massachusetts resident care plans. Being busy is no excuse for neglect or abuse. Each shift should assign care workers to check in with residents and care for their needs.
The facility must provide registered nursing services for at least eight consecutive hours daily.
Each day, a Massachusetts nursing home must display nurse staffing information. Notices may include the facility name, current date, and nursing shift hours. They should hang in a public area accessible to residents and visitors.
Dietary Services
The dietary services provided must comprise nourishing, well-balanced meals. Homes must prepare and follow menus that meet individual needs. The facility should serve food regularly at least three times a day.
There can’t be more than a 14-hour gap between the evening meal and breakfast. If residents are unable to feed themselves, qualified assistants should assist. Withholding food as punishment is considered to be abuse.
Medical Attention
All individuals must remain under the care of a physician. A doctor must be available around the clock in case of emergencies. Besides routine dental hygiene, a Massachusetts nursing home must provide access to dental care. Some homes must give rehabilitative services (e.g., physical or occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, or mental health services).
Professionals must supervise pharmacy services to ensure the accurate dispensing of drugs. Giving unnecessary or unprescribed medicine to control unwanted behaviors is abuse.
Sanitation
Massachusetts residential care facilities must have a sanitary environment. Thus, they must establish infection control programs for residents and guests. Also, they should not let contagious employees contact residents or handle food.
To prevent the transmission of disease, a nursing home is allowed to isolate residents, but prolonged isolation should not serve as a method of discipline. Unexplained voluntary or involuntary isolation is a warning sign of abuse.
Premises Management
The nursing home should maintain a safe physical environment. To this end, it must respect Massachusetts health, fire, and safety codes. The common areas must be neat and free from slip-and-fall obstacles.
A nursing home facility must be licensed under local Massachusetts law and follow applicable federal regulations. Administrators must have professional credentials to manage a nursing home.
Since exceptions and special provisions exist, with regulations depending on the needs of each Massachusetts nursing home and the size of its live-in population, there is much to consider.
Can You Get Legal Assistance With Complicated Claims?
We know the process of getting financial compensation sounds complicated. Fortunately, we can take on the task of figuring out which rules apply to which place. All you have to do is let us know you welcome our support.
We know you love your family members and want to ensure they receive the best possible care. Our experienced nursing home abuse team can investigate if you suspect a nursing home neglects its duties to your loved one or if abuse may be taking place.
Stop by our office in Boston, Massachusetts, or call us toll-free to arrange for us to meet you or talk with you by phone or video conference.
Speak to a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Peabody, MA
You can become exasperated when it seems like nobody wants to listen to you. When you’re hurt, this neglect adds insult to injury.
Our clients are important to us. We’ll take the time to hear you out — your unique problems, timeline, specific needs, and compensation goals. Our team is big enough to provide the expertise you need but small enough to make you feel like family.
Contact us online or call us anytime. Start working with a Peabody nursing home abuse lawyer now.
Not Trusting What You’re Being Told?
Better Phone Stone
800-577-5188