Evansville, IN Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Nursing home abuse is a global problem. Even in Evansville, seniors might be abused as residents of long-term care facilities, giving them reason to file claims against at-fault parties.

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse happens at a high frequency. In Indiana, the most common types of nursing home abuse are gross neglect, financial abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Signs of abuse vary but often include depression, decline in overall health, and visible injuries. When abuse is suspected, victims should be removed from senior living facilities immediately. Abuse should then be reported to nursing homes and law enforcement agencies. Families should ensure that senior victims get medical treatment to confirm their injuries and abuse. Once that is accomplished, you can bring your claim. You will have two years to do this in Evansville. Because the impact of abuse can be severe, holding nursing home facilities responsible for their negligence is important.

For help with your case from our Evansville, IN nursing home abuse lawyers, call Wruck Paupore now at (219) 322-1166.

Frequency of Nursing Home Abuse Cases in Evansville, IN

Because instances of nursing home abuse are not always reported, and because reports of abuse are not always addressed properly, it is challenging to determine exactly how many cases of nursing home abuse there are each year in Evansville.

There are many nursing homes and assisted living facilities in and around Evansville. Even reputable facilities might see cases of nursing home abuse, especially if they do not properly vet employees during the hiring process.

Estimates of nursing home abuse cases vary from study to study. Often, victims are intimidated or threatened by abusers, causing cases to go unreported.

According to a recent review of various studies, it is estimated that about 64% of nursing home staff members admitted to abusing residents. Because self-reporting is rarer for seniors in nursing homes, it is unclear how many instances there are annually.

The true prevalence of nursing home abuse is likely to be higher than what is reported. As few as one in 24 cases might be reported to the authorities, meaning many victims go without ever speaking out against their abusers.

While there have been studies into the prevalence of nursing home abuse, there are also agencies, like the Indiana Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP), dedicated to servicing complaints for nursing home victims. According to the 2021 report from the LTCOP, there were 198 reports filed because of abuse, neglect, or exploitation across all of Indiana. Of those cases, the LTCOP was able to verify 146 complaints of nursing home abuse. Of those verified cases, 70 were due to gross neglect, 32 were due to financial exploitation, 26 were due to psychological abuse, 16 were due to physical abuse, and two were due to sexual abuse.

Even though abused nursing home residents are encouraged to report issues to the LTCOP in Indiana, not all do, meaning the LTCOP’s data might not fully show the severity of this issue in Evansville.

Indications of Nursing Home Abuse in Evansville, IN

If your loved one is currently a resident of a senior living facility or nursing home in Evansville, learning about common signs and indications of abuse can allow you to get your loved one the help they need if they are in danger.

Abuse, whether it is sexual, physical, emotional, verbal, or financial abuse, often comes with warning signs. The senior in your life might be being abused by nursing home staff if they have suddenly become withdrawn, depressed, or frightened. A steep decline in their physical or mental health might also be a sign that your loved one is being abused.

Visible bruising, injuries, and actual reports of abuse should all be taken seriously. Seniors more at risk of abuse include those with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and who are physically disabled.

If you believe that your loved one is being victimized by a staff member of their nursing home or the facility itself, approach them with your concerns. Even if your suspicions are not confirmed by the senior in your life, that does not mean they are not in danger. It can be exceptionally difficult for all abuse victims, including adults, to speak out about their experiences. You can take your loved one to a trusted medical professional or mental health professional who can discuss the situation with them and get them the care and support they need.

How to Respond to Nursing Home Abuse in Evansville, IN

The way you respond to nursing home abuse as the loved one of a victim will be extremely important. Our attorneys can help you and your family take the proper steps so that the victim has the best chance of recovery in Evansville.

Removing the Victim from the Facility

As soon as your loved one confides in you about the abuse they are experiencing, take the necessary steps to remove them from the at-fault facility. If the victim remains a resident of the negligent nursing home, especially if they are in danger by staying there, their future case might become impacted. It will be important to establish that, after reporting their abuse, the victim left the nursing home. The longer a victim remains in a nursing home when their family has been informed of abuse, the harder it can be for them to recover compensation for their damages.

Reporting the Abuse to the Authorities

Once the victim is out of harm’s way and has been removed from the nursing home facility, you can contact the authorities. Typically, it is wise to get law enforcement involved in abuse cases. If the nursing home or staff member responsible for your loved one’s abuse is held criminally responsible for their actions, that will be separate from the civil abuse claim. In addition to reporting abuse to the authorities, you should inform the nursing home facility. Our nursing home abuse lawyers can help you do this in writing, explaining the abuse your loved one has experienced and your reasons for removing them from the facility’s care.

Reporting nursing home abuse can also alert other residents and their family members of the possible dangers they face remaining in a specific facility in Evansville.

Verifying the Victim’s Injuries from the Abuse

Sexual and physical abuse can leave victims with serious injuries. Most often, it will be important for victims to get medical care for these injuries so that they can begin to heal and verify that the abuse they experienced left them with physical injuries. To do this, take your loved one to the hospital when they have informed you of their abuse. Getting victims seen by the medical staff at the nursing home might not be wise, especially if they are employed by the facility. In addition to physical and sexual abuse causing injuries, other types of abuse, like psychological abuse and neglect, require care from medical specialists. Nursing home neglect can lead to a wide variety of hygienic issues and other complications, such as bed sores and poor oral health. Victims of psychological abuse might require care and diagnoses from mental health professionals.

Evidence Used in Nursing Home Abuse Claims in Evansville, IN

Navigating abuse cases involving nursing homes can be complicated as evidence might be hard to come by. Negligent facilities might even attempt to destroy or cover up evidence that proves their liability for a senior’s abuse, which is why bringing your claim immediately will be important.

When investigating a claim for nursing home abuse in Evansville, our lawyers might rely heavily on a victim’s medical records. Because such abuse often happens covertly so that others will remain ignorant of a victim’s suffering, witness statements might be hard to come by. However, if a victim confided in others about their abuse, statements from such individuals can be helpful. As can statements from medical experts and other professionals familiar with these types of cases.

Cases involving nursing home facilities might require looking into a facility’s hiring practices and whether they properly vetted and trained the individual responsible for your loved one’s abuse. If the nursing home does not have pathways for resident reporting of abuse, that might also help your case. Similarly, suppose your loved one reported the abuse to the nursing home, and the nursing home did not investigate the report or address the situation as it should have. In that case, it will be important to obtain records of reports and subsequent actions taken.

Statute of Limitations for Nursing Home Abuse Claims in Evansville, IN

Victims do not have an unlimited amount of time to bring a nursing home abuse claim in Evansville. The statute of limitations can work against victims in these circumstances, so it is crucial to act fast.

Victims of nursing home abuse and their families should be made aware that the statute of limitations for such cases is two years in Evansville. There is a very narrow exception to the statute of limitations for seniors who are legally incompetent when abused. According to I.C. § 34-11-6-1, the two-year filing statute of limitations will commence once the abused senior’s legal disability is removed. This rule can sometimes apply to nursing home abuse victims who were incapacitated or otherwise unable to recognize abuse and the harm it caused them for some time.

If your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse in Evansville, you should not assume that the exception mentioned above will apply to their case. It is therefore important to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible if you suspect possible elder abuse.

The Impact of Nursing Home Abuse on Victims in Evansville, IN

When seniors move into nursing homes, they do so under the impression that they will receive the care and support they need. When that trust is broken, and seniors are abused in Evansville, the impact can be disastrous.

Abuse can have similar impacts on all victims, regardless of their age and circumstances. That said, abuse can be significantly more harmful to children and seniors living in nursing homes, as they might be unable to speak out against authority figures or identify abuse. Seniors living in nursing homes might be prevented from contacting their loved ones or be otherwise isolated by their abusers.

This can lead to a wide variety of issues for abused seniors. Sexual abuse can cause victims to become anxious, depressed, or develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Such abuse can also cause victims to contract sexually transmitted diseases or infections, which might require various medical treatments. Physical and sexual abuse can cause injuries such as broken bones, bruising, and other injuries. Neglect can cause victims to withdraw and develop poor hygiene, which might worsen their other medical conditions.

Financial abuse can cause victims to lose their savings and valuable possessions. Mental and emotional abuse might lead to long-term mental health conditions and issues for seniors in Evansville. The impact of nursing home abuse is not only felt by victims but by their families as well. Because of this, seriously considering bringing a claim is important if you or your loved one has experienced abuse in a nursing home.

Call Our Evansville, IN Lawyers About Your Nursing Home Abuse Case

Call our nursing home abuse lawyers at (219) 322-1166 to schedule a free and confidential case assessment from Wruck Paupore today.