It’s a heart wrenching decision to have to put someone we love in a nursing home, but it’s sometimes necessary when they become too ill or infirm for us to take care of them ourselves. When that happens, a nursing home can be a godsend, and indeed, good nursing homes or assisted living facilities give our loved ones the care they need.

However, while most of these are upstanding institutions, fully 25% are cited for causing some kind of injury or even for causing death to a resident. In these cases, a personal injury attorney in Suffolk County can assisted nursing home residents and their families in court, making sure that these institutions pay for their crimes of neglect, incompetence, or abuse.

What does abuse look like?

Classical abuse symptoms can be bruises or broken bones, but other types of abuse or neglect can take place as well. For example, perhaps your loved one needs assistance with bathing and with personal hygiene, and he or she is suddenly looking unkempt because staff is refusing to assist. Staff may refuse to give the correct medications, or may give your loved one too much medication, so that he or she becomes drowsy and compliant. Staff may refuse to feed or even starve and withhold liquids from your loved one; they may also be emotionally abusive to your loved one, such that he or she becomes fearful and withdrawn.

If you notice this is happening, of course you feel helpless, but you don’t just have to stand by and watch it happen. You can get help. Contact a New York personal injury attorney for assistance, and get your case the attention it deserves.

When dementia exists

It’s also important to note that if your loved one is suffering from dementia so that communication is limited, it may be more difficult determine that something is happening, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue action. It’s often true that even if your loved one is fully capable of communicating, he or she may be fearful of retaliation and will say that everything is fine even if it’s not. In either case, it’s imperative that you get help with the situation right away so that it doesn’t become worse.

Getting help with nursing home abuse

If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse in Brooklyn, Queens or nearby areas, contact nursing home administration right away and make sure they put a stop to it. If necessary, move your loved one to another facility so that his or her safety is assured.

Contact a Brooklyn or Queens personal injury lawyer right away and discuss your case. Your lawyer is an expert in nursing home abuse and neglect; he or she will help you file for compensation for pain and suffering, so that you get the justice you deserve. You should be able to trust that those who care for your loved one are professional, attentive, and caring. Elder abuse is never okay. If a loved one of yours has been a victim, you deserve justice, today. Contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in nursing home and elder abuse; he or she will review your case to see that it has merit, and then will usually take your case on contingency. If the case is decided in your favor, your lawyer will receive a portion of your judgment (usually about a third) as compensation for services rendered.

If your loved one has been abused or neglected in a New York nursing home, the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe handles abuse and neglect claims throughout Nassau, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Suffolk.  We have collected millions for our clients and we can do the same for you.  We invite you to contact us  at (516) 358-6900 so that we can evaluate your nursing home abuse claim.