Nursing Home Negligence

At Mancini Law Group P.C., our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers believe that our elderly population who has transitioned into long-term care facilities are some most vulnerable residents throughout Illinois — and they deserve top-notch legal protection.

The Centers for Disease Control lists 15,600 nursing homes throughout the country, totaling 1.7 million licensed beds that require oversight from both state and federal officials to ensure their residents are properly cared for and safe from harm.

Closer to home, the Illinois Department of Public Health is charged with overseeing the 1,200 long-term care facilities that serve more than 100,000 residents throughout the state. From that total, the department receives nearly 19,000 nursing home complaint calls each year — nearly 5,000 of which are viable enough to require a follow-up response. That is too many.

When anyone in our elderly communities is subjected to abuse, neglect, or improper living conditions while living in a nursing home, our Chicago elder abuse attorneys want to help pursue the justice they deserve for the mistreatment they have endured.

At Mancini Law Group P.C., we believe in Maximum Justice. Maximum Results.

A recent study by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reported that one in ten adults over the age of 60 is abused, neglected, or financially exploited throughout the country.

As more of our residents shift their dependence on assisted living facilities and nursing homes to help care for their elder family members, it is important to understand the different types of abuse that can occur in these managed accommodations, so families know which signs of trouble to look for to help keep their loved ones safe.

Nursing home abuse can come in many forms, including:

• Financial abuse, including unauthorized purchases or use of accounts
• Emotional or psychological abuse, including humiliation, isolation, intimidation, and threats
• Physical abuse, including any injurious behavior like pushing, slapping, or hitting
• Sexual abuse, including any contact with an elder without their consent

Neglect and abandonment are also incredibly common signs of nursing home abuse in Chicago and can lead to dangerous conditions that can significantly harm residents.

They may include:

• Failing to give a patient the right amount of medication at the right time
• Overmedicating a patient to avoid caring for their real-time needs
• Failing to clean the patient’s room and bathroom
• Leaving a patient in soiled clothes and sheets for long periods
• Not responding to patient requests and needs
• Failing to feed the patient proper meals
• Failing to treat bedsores

When neglect, abandonment, or abuse occurs in our Illinois nursing homes, our dedicated Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys will use our three decades of legal experience to hold the staff, the facility, and any other potentially liable parties accountable for their behavior, so we can pursue the financial recovery your family deserves.

At Mancini Law Group P.C., we believe in Maximum Justice. Maximum Results. Because your need for justice is our passion for justice.

Our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers believe in providing our Illinois residents with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their family’s futures.

The reality is, if you have entrusted a nursing home with your loved one’s care, the sooner you can identify any signs of nursing home abuse, the quicker you can get your family member help, and pursue the individual, staff, or facility for their wrongdoing, so no one else suffers from their abusive behavior.

Some of the most common signs of nursing home abuse, neglect, or mistreatment in Chicago may include, but is not limited to:

• Soiled bedding
• Trouble sleeping
• Depression or confusion
• Irritation or acts of violence
• Unkempt appearance, including dirty clothes or unwashed hair
• Unexplained weight loss, malnutrition, or dehydration
• No longer participates in activities that were once enjoyable
• Unexplained bruises, burns, or scars
• Broken personal property, including glasses or other everyday items they count on
• Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations
• Restraint marks
• Bedsores
• Showing signs of being scared or frightened of certain staff members
• Traumatized or withdrawn behavior, and a refusal to see visitors
• Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
• Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
• Inconsistencies in prescriptions, including signs of over-or underuse

While all nursing home residents are vulnerable to ill-treatment, if your loved one has a disability or suffers from medical issues like dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, it is important to pay special attention to their care and well-being, as they are often the target of abuse, simply because they may not be able to tell their story or alert someone to the abuse.

Ask your loved ones questions when you visit and pay attention to their behavior and overall physical appearance to see if anything has changed. Interact with the staff and ask questions about any oddities in your loved one’s care or actions, and demand answers from supervisors. The facility is responsible for your loved one’s well-being and must provide the regular updates you need to ensure that is true.

If you feel like something is amiss, listen to your gut and contact our experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers in Chicago today at 773-745-1909 or online to schedule a free, confidential consultation to discuss your concerns and to understand your legal rights and options to hold the negligent person, staff members, administrative officials, or another third party liable for the harm they have caused your loved one.

We will fully outline your case and provide the skilled legal representation you need to pursue the financial recovery your loved one deserves while ensuring the negligent or abusive behavior does not harm another Illinois family going forward.