under the care of a nursing facility in Edgefield County, SC, call Hawk Law Group . Our Edgefield County nursing home abuse lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for your loved one’s injuries and suffering.
At Hawk Law Group, we’ve seen the catastrophic injuries and trauma that nursing home residents can experience when they’re not cared for properly. Our award-winning South Carolina litigators are here to help you hold abusive facilities fully accountable when your loved one gets hurt.
We’ve won tens of millions of dollars on behalf of deserving clients like you and your family member. Contact our law office in Edgefield County, South Carolina, to find out how we can help you get the results you deserve, too. Your first consultation is free, so contact us today.
How Hawk Law Group Can Help if Your Family Member Has Been Abused by an Edgefield County Nursing Facility
The nursing home won’t be quick to admit fault or acknowledge mistakes. In fact, they’ll probably dismiss your claims and hope that you give up your pursuit of compensation. To win your nursing home abuse case, you’ll need to show them that you’re serious about getting the compensation you deserve.
Level the playing field by putting our Edgefield County personal injury lawyers on your side.
We have decades of experience dealing with nursing homes in South Carolina and understand the lengths to which they’ll go to avoid making things right. Our top-rated litigators have the insight, resources, and skills needed to make your case a success.
You take this time to focus on your injured family member, and we’ll handle the rest:
- Investigate the allegations of abuse or neglect
- Identify which caretaker(s) contributed to your family member’s injury or death
- Gather evidence to document and prove allegations of abuse or neglect – including medical records, resident testimony and statements, photographs, video footage, and hiring records
- Determine if the nursing facility has been named in prior complaints or is subject to similar litigation
- Handle negotiations with the nursing facility and/or its insurance company
- Bring your case to a compassionate jury in Edgefield County, SC, if you don’t get a fair settlement offer
Money can be tight when you have a family member in a nursing home. Sudden injuries or illnesses can make things even more stressful. That’s why we work on contingency. You only pay our Edgefield County personal injury law firm to represent you if we win your nursing home abuse case.
Give us a call or reach out to our team online to learn more. We’re always available to answer – 24/7/365.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse refers to harm that’s inflicted on nursing home residents by the facility or its caretakers or staff.
This type of abuse can manifest in several different ways:
- Physical abuse (e.g., hitting, pushing, scratching)
- Sexual abuse (e.g., forced sexual contact between a caretaker and resident)
- Emotional abuse (e.g., yelling, belittling, name-calling, isolating a resident)
- Neglect (e.g., withholding food, water, or medication; failing to move a resident to prevent bedsores)
- Financial abuse (e.g., stealing a resident’s personal property, assets, or money; identity theft)
Nursing home abuse is more common than you might think. According to a study by the World Health Organization, two out of three caretakers admit to abusing a resident. Psychological/emotional abuse is the most common, accounting for about 11 percent of reported incidents.
In South Carolina, caretakers, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nursing home staff, physicians, and administrators can be liable for the abuse or neglect of a resident.
What Are Some Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
It can be difficult to know if a family member is being abused at a nursing facility in Edgefield County, South Carolina.
Here are some important signs to look out for if you suspect that your family member isn’t being treated appropriately:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained falls, bruising, or injuries
- Sudden illness or infection
- Refusing to see or speak with family
- Depression, anxiety, and other changes in mood and disposition
- Agitation
- Fearfulness
- Unexplained purchases or bills
- Broken glasses
- Signs of dehydration or malnutrition
If your loved one is being abused or neglected, you’ll want to make sure the behavior stops immediately. Report suspected abuse to the nursing home and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
What’s My Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
Every instance of nursing home abuse or neglect will be different. Each resident will have a unique experience and suffer in their own way. Ultimately, the value of your nursing home abuse case will depend on the specific details of your loved one’s situation.
However, certain factors will almost always be relevant in determining value:
- What type of nursing home abuse was your loved one subjected to?
- Did your loved one suffer physical injuries? If so, were they severe?
- What kind of medical treatment will your family member need to get better?
- Will they be left with a permanent impairment or disability?
- Will your family member relocate to a new nursing home or receive at-home care?
- To what extent has your family member been traumatized?
The more catastrophic your family member’s physical injuries, and the more pervasive their suffering, the more you can typically expect to secure in a nursing home injury lawsuit.
You can learn more about how much your specific nursing home abuse case is worth by reaching out to our Edgefield County personal injury attorneys for a free consultation.
What Damages Can Be Awarded to Victims of Nursing Home Abuse in Edgefield County, SC?
When a resident is abused by a caretaker in Edgefield County, they can pursue damages for their financial losses and costs, as well as the pain and suffering they endure.
In South Carolina, these compensatory awards are known as economic damages and non-economic damages, respectively.
You can potentially secure compensation for:
- Medical transportation, hospitalization, and current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- The cost of moving to a new nursing facility
- The value of stolen goods, assets, or money
- Mental anguish
- Reduced quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Embarrassment
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Punitive damages can also be awarded if a jury finds convincing evidence that a nursing facility or caretaker acted intentionally or displayed a conscious disregard for your family member’s health and safety.
What Are the Most Common Nursing Home Injuries?
While emotional nursing home abuse is the most common, thousands of elderly and disabled residents are physically abused every year, too.
Some of the most commonly reported physical injuries include:
- Fractures
- Head injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Burn injury
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Pressure ulcers (bedsores)
- Bruising, sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Nerve damage
Injuries should always receive prompt medical attention. If your loved one is not visited by the on-staff nursing home physician or taken to the closest emergency room in Edgefield County, make sure you get them there yourself. This simple step can help to limit complications and ensure that there’s a formal record of the trauma.
Is There a Time Limit To File a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in South Carolina?
Yes, you’ll have three years from the date of an injury or wrongful death to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit in South Carolina.
Once the statute of limitations expires, you’ll give up the opportunity to file a claim and demand compensation from those who are responsible for your loved one’s injuries and suffering.
Don’t let that happen. Reach out to a member of our experienced Edgefield County nursing home abuse attorneys to discuss your legal rights as soon as you can.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Edgefield County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Some nursing homes tend to believe that they’re above the law. Residents can be abused and neglected, and the facility will turn a blind eye. Don’t let a nursing home or caretaker off the hook for your family member’s devastating injuries. Call Hawk Law Group and ask our Edgefield County nursing home abuse lawyers for help.
We’ll be your most passionate advocate and work tirelessly to help your family secure the financial justice you not only need but deserve.
Our team has decades of experience and is ready to help you during your time of need. Please do not hesitate to call our law office in Edgefield County, South Carolina, to get started and schedule a free case evaluation today.
