Santa Ana Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Santa Ana Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

When you have to place a family member in a nursing home, you expect the facility to provide them with trusted medical support, attention, and the dignity they deserve. Nevertheless, nursing home abuse concerns remain a problem in California and across the United States. A Santa Ana nursing home abuse lawyer from Hunter Law can hold nursing homes accountable for the abuse or neglect of your family member.

Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse refers to any intentional act of harm or distress caused to elderly residents. Negligence involves the failure to provide essential care and services. Abuse and neglect can be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial in nature. Often, these violations go unreported due to the resident’s fear of repercussions or confusion. Sometimes, there is a lack of awareness among both residents and family members alike.

Hunter Law handles a wide range of nursing home abuse cases. These include:

• Physical abuse. Hitting, pushing, restraining, or improperly medicating a resident are all forms of physical abuse.
• Emotional or psychological abuse. Verbal harassment, threats, isolation, intimidation, or humiliation harm the psyche of residents.
• Neglect. Failing to provide basic needs, such as food, water, hygiene, medication, and mobility assistance, constitutes nursing home neglect.
• Sexual abuse. Non-consensual sexual contact, especially involving vulnerable or cognitively impaired residents, may occur due to insufficient hiring policies.
• Financial exploitation. Theft, forgery, coercion, or unauthorized use of a resident’s finances or property can deplete a resident’s finances.

Nearly 110,000 Californians live in 1,300 licensed nursing homes in the state. About 150,000 more people live in residential care facilities. As Baby Boomers age, so does the need for nursing home care facilities and services.

If you suspect any of these forms of mistreatment, you owe it to your loved one to take legal action. Reporting suspected abuse is critical. Experienced legal representation can hold the responsible party accountable for their unthinkable actions.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Recognizing the warning signs of abuse is the first step toward protecting those you love. Family members need to remain vigilant and watch for physical, emotional, and behavioral changes or indicators. These can include:

• Unexplained injuries. Bruises, cuts, burns, and fractures begin appearing.
• Poor hygiene. This is evidenced by dirty clothes, foul odors, and unwashed hair and body.
• Bedsores. Also called pressure sores, these are preventable injuries that suggest neglect.
• Sudden weight loss or dehydration. These are indicators of malnutrition or the failure to monitor a proper diet.
• Withdrawal or depression. Unusual silence, anxiety, or fear around certain staff members is a clear sign of abuse.
• Frequent infections or illnesses. These are potential signs of neglect or unsanitary living conditions.
• Unusual financial transactions. Missing funds or unauthorized charges to financial documents can be evidence of financial abuse.

Any of these signs should alert you to further investigate your loved one’s living conditions. This is also the time to seek help from a Santa Ana nursing home abuse lawyer.

California Laws Protecting Nursing Home Residents

In California, elder abuse is a criminal offense. Multiple statutes protect nursing home residents. Some of these include:

• California’s Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act. This provides legal remedies for physical abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
• California Penal Code Section 368. This makes elder abuse a punishable crime, with varying penalties based on severity.
• Federal Nursing Home Reform Act. This sets national standards for nursing home care, including residents’ rights to dignity and freedom from abuse.

What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse

If your loved one might be abused or neglected in a Santa Ana facility, start by ensuring their immediate safety. If possible, remove them from the facility immediately, especially if you believe them to be in serious danger.

Document everything. Take pictures of any injuries or conditions you’re observing. Collect medical records and record witness statements.

Report abuse to Orange County Adult Protective Services or the California Department of Public Health to initiate an investigation. Then, contact a skilled nursing home attorney to begin taking legal action to stop the abuse, recover damages, and hold the facility accountable.

Why Choose Hunter Law?

With decades of experience, Hunter Law offers comprehensive support with nursing home abuse cases. We can guide and represent you through every step of the legal process. We can thoroughly investigate your case, interview eyewitnesses, and review facility records. Gathering and preserving evidence is critical to establishing patterns of abuse within a nursing home facility.

With compassion and ongoing communication, we can work hard to get you through this emotionally charged process with clarity. A strong nursing home abuse claim can restore the dignity your loved one deserves.

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Contact a Santa Ana Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

For legal help with a Santa Ana nursing home claim, contact Hunter Law today to schedule a consultation and discuss your legal options.