If you or a loved one were a victim of nursing home abuse in Waynesboro, GA, it’s important to understand your legal rights. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. An experienced Waynesboro nursing home abuse lawyer at Hawk Law Group can help you fight to hold the responsible parties accountable for your losses.
Our lawyers have over 71 years of experience between us. Since we opened our personal injury law firm, we’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars for our injured clients.
If you suspect your loved one is being abused, take legal action today. Contact our law offices in Waynesboro, Georgia at (706)-437-9122 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Hawk Law Group Can Help With a Nursing Home Abuse Claim in Waynesboro
It’s never easy to put a loved one in a nursing home. Finding out that your loved one was abused by trusted caregivers can be devastating. You may not realize that you could be entitled to seek compensation from the nursing home and other responsible parties.
An experienced Waynesboro personal injury lawyer can help you recover full compensation. It’s important to hire a lawyer with personal injury experience rather than one who specializes in estate planning or criminal defense.
At Hawk Law Group, our lawyers have achieved some of the highest personal injury verdicts in the area. We’re known for providing the dedicated legal support clients deserve.
Hire us, and you’ll have an attorney to:
- Investigate and gather evidence to prove that your loved one was abused
- Identify all responsible parties
- Calculate the fair value of your personal injury claim
- Hire experts and specialists in various fields
- Handle negotiations with the insurance companies
- Fight to protect your family in court if necessary
Our Waynesboro personal injury attorneys will do everything in our power to recover the maximum compensation available. Just give us a call to learn more about our legal services.
What is My Waynesboro Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
Nursing home abuse cases are handled in civil court. Even if the abuser is facing criminal charges, you can seek compensation from the responsible party.
Our lawyers will examine many different factors, including:
- The nature of the abuse
- The harm your loved one has suffered
- The emotional and psychological toll your loved one suffered
- The financial losses you’ve incurred
It’s important to understand your case value before taking a settlement. Every personal injury claim is different. Give us a call to learn more about our legal services today.
What Types of Damages Are Available To Victims of Nursing Home Abuse?
Injured victims of nursing home abuse may be entitled to compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- The cost of relocating to a safe nursing facility
- Your lost wages while you assist your loved one
- Rehabilitation costs
- Counseling
- Restitution in cases involving financial abuse
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement or scarring
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Damages for wrongful death
Every client’s case is different. The types of damages in your case will be different than in any other case. You don’t have to rely on a lawyer directory. Our lawyers can help you prove your case, so call our Waynesboro nursing home abuse attorneys for a free consultation today.
We Handle All Types of Nursing Home Abuse Cases in Waynesboro
Most people think of physical violence when abuse is mentioned. In reality, there are many different types of nursing home abuse.
Our lawyers at Hawk Law Group handle all types of nursing home abuse cases, including those involving:
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is any type of physical contact that can cause bodily harm. Hitting, slapping, kicking, shoving, and shaking are all types of physical abuse. Physical abuse is never acceptable at any level.
Emotional Abuse
Humiliation and emotional abuse can cause severe damage to a nursing home resident’s mental health and well-being.
Emotional abuse can take on many forms, including:
- Humiliation
- Making belittling comments
- Yelling and swearing
- Intimidation
- Intentional isolation
- Threatening
Emotional abuse can also be extremely embarrassing. Your loved one may be reluctant to report the abuse to even the closest family members.
Sexual Abuse
It can be difficult to imagine your loved one accepting sexual abuse without reporting it. Unfortunately, many vulnerable nursing home residents are abused sexually. Some suffer from mental health disorders and may not even realize they’re being abused.
Whether your loved one was a victim of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or unwanted sexual comments, it’s important to stop the abuse quickly. Our lawyers are here to help in any way we can. Call today to learn more about how we can help.
Financial Abuse
Nursing home residents are often victims of financial exploitation.
Financial abuse can include:
- Theft of personal property
- Identity theft
- Opening credit cards in the resident’s name
- Convincing the resident to change a will or beneficiary designation
It’s important to pay close attention to unexplained or unusual financial transactions. Financial exploitation can quickly put your loved one in a difficult position.
Nursing Home Neglect
Staff members often neglect residents in long-term care facilities. Neglect can be active or passive. In extreme cases, nursing home staff may actively withhold food, water, and medications. In others, the nursing home itself may be understaffed, so staff members don’t have the time to provide adequate care.
You may be entitled to compensation if your loved one is suffering due to nursing home neglect.
What Are the Signs and Signals of Nursing Home Abuse?
Different types of abuse will have different signals. It’s important to pay close attention to any signs that your loved one has been abused.
Some common signs that your loved one may be suffering include:
- Unexplained injuries, including broken bones
- Physical marks, including bruises around the ankles or wrists
- Frequent falls
- Unexplained weight loss
- Dehydration or malnutrition
- Personality changes, including becoming withdrawn or non-communicative
- Self-hugging or rocking
- Fear of speaking with a nursing home staff member present
- Bed sores and infections
- Changes in hygiene
- Pelvic injuries
- Unsanitary conditions in the nursing home
- Unexplained financial transactions
- STDs and genital infections
- Untreated medical conditions
If you suspect nursing home abuse is occurring, you can report the abuse to Adult Protective Services in Georgia. You should also consult an experienced Waynesboro nursing home abuse attorney who can help protect your legal rights.
Long-Term Consequences of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing abuse can be devastating. Your strong and proud family member may never fully recover. Our lawyers in Waynesboro are here to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Some of the most common long-term consequences of nursing home abuse include:
- Worsened medical conditions
- A need for more painful and extensive medical care
- Infections
- Physical injuries, including brain injuries and broken bones
- Depression, self-hatred, and other mental health disorders
- Reduced life expectancy
- Damage to the victim’s quality of life
- Fear and shame
- Financial insecurity
- Wrongful death
These types of injuries can haunt the victim for a lifetime. While money can’t erase these and other injuries, recovering fair compensation is often the only way to get justice.
Why Does Nursing Home Abuse Happen in Waynesboro, Georgia?
There are many different reasons why nursing home abuse occurs. While there are reasons, those reasons should not serve as justification for the abuse.
Some of the most common causes of nursing home abuse include:
- Negligent hiring practices, including failure to screen nursing home staff
- Failure to train and supervise nursing home staff
- Understaffing
- Failure to provide adequate medical treatment or equipment
- Medical malpractice
- Failure to provide sanitary living conditions
- Failure to supervise nursing home residents
- Negligent security
Regardless of why the nursing home abuse happened, you may be entitled to compensation. Our lawyers in Waynesboro are here to help, so give us a call to learn more about this area of law.
How Do I Prove Liability If My Loved One Was a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse in Georgia?
Nursing home liability is usually based on the nursing home’s negligence.
To prove negligence, you must establish:
- The nursing home’s legal duty of care
- Breach of duty
- The breach allowed the abuse to occur, or causation
- The damages you suffered
Most likely, a nursing home staff member is the person who abused your loved one. While the staff member can be held liable for their intentional actions, the assisted living facility itself may be legally obligated to pay your damages. That’s because employers can be held liable for the acts of their employees. They can also be liable if their own acts or omissions allowed the abuse to occur.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit Based on Nursing Home Abuse in Georgia?
The statute of limitations in Georgia typically only gives injured parties two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. If you wait longer, you’ll lose your right to sue for damages.
Contact a Waynesboro Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Has your loved one been a victim of nursing home abuse? Call a Waynesboro nursing home abuse lawyer at Hawk Law Group to schedule a free consultation today. We’ll fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
