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Kentucky Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Our dedicated team of Kentucky nursing home abuse lawyers to help you recognize and stop the abuse, and help you select a nursing home where your loved one will be treated with the respect and care deserved.

When you entrust a loved one to a nursing home’s care, you expect compassionate, respectful treatment. Federal law and most state laws require nursing homes to maintain residents’ highest possible physical, mental, and social well-being. Sadly, reports of nursing home residents suffering from accidental injuries, malnutrition, dehydration, bedsores, and medication errors are common.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect in a Kentucky nursing home, it's important to know that you have legal options. Kentucky nursing home abuse lawyers specialize in representing individuals and their families in cases of mistreatment in long-term care facilities. These lawyers can help you understand your rights and guide you through the legal process of seeking justice and compensation for the harm that you or your loved one has suffered. They can also help ensure that the nursing home is held accountable for its actions and that steps are taken to prevent future abuse.

The 7 Red Flags of Elder Abuse

The National Center of Elder Abuse (NCEA) defines elder abuse as the intentional act, mistreatment, or failure to act by a caregiver which causes a risk of harm to a senior citizen. The common forms of abuse include neglect, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, abandonment as well as financial exploitation. Push On Each Red Flag to Learn More

Neglect involves a lack of care or duty to an elder.

  • Bedsores, sometimes referred to as “pressure sores” – These are skin injuries that can result from prolonged pressure. They are a special problem with an immobile patient, whether in a wheelchair or in a bed, who cannot or will not move frequently on his/her own.
  • Malnutrition or dehydration – Nursing home residents can get malnourished when they do not absorb enough nutrients from food, either because of a lack of food or lack of the ability to eat or draw nutrition from food consumed.
  • Lack of basic personal hygiene – Signs of poor hygiene include dirty clothing or bedding. Additionally, the most egregious signs of abuse may comprise of untreated dental problems and irregular bathing schedule.
  • Untreated medical problems, lack of medical aids, medication errors, or missed medications – Administering incorrect medicines, incorrect dosages, or medication at incorrect intervals can cause an array of serious medical problems.
  • Open Wounds – Wounds can become infected if not treated carefully. Untreated infections can progress rapidly and lead to blood disease (sepsis), shock, pulmonary arrest, and death.
  • Falls – Residents can fall because of illness or frailty. Dangerous hazards around residents could also be a sign of mistreatment.
  • Unclean living conditions.

Physical abuse refers to physical force that can take the form of hitting, slapping, shoving, or rough handling while moving, bathing, feeding, or administering medication.

  • Unexplained or frequent bruises, burns, black eyes, broken bones, or other injuries – Staff and management should always be prepared to explain exactly what happened if a resident has bruises, wounds, sprains, broken bones, or infections. An inability to do so would be a severe red flag.
  • Grip marks around the arms or neck
  • Elderly restraints
  • Dismissive attitude about injuries
  • Appears sleepy or sedated
  • Confined to a bed, chair, or room

Emotional abuse refers to use of psychological manipulation and non-physical acts to cause an elderly person pain, distress, and mental anguish. Can involve intimidation, threats, ridicule, or manipulation.

  • Appears isolated, withdrawn, depressed, or non-communicative
  • Dramatic swings in mood/behavior – Red flags that indicate that residents may have experienced abuse include fear of nursing home staff, agitation, or signs of depression.
  • Lack of eye contact
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Resident not permitted by a caregiver to speak for him- or herself

  • Desertion of an elderly person by a nursing home staff especially when in their professional care. This occurs when the party responsible for providing care for an elder deserts the person in a medical facility or public location, especially those who have mental impairments like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Sexual abuse is in the form of non-consensual sexual contact with an elderly person. This could occur due to manipulation, deceit, or physical force.

  • Unexplained genital bleeding
  • Bruised breasts or buttocks
  • Torn, stained, or bloody undergarments
  • Evidence of unexplained sexually transmitted disease
  • Acts upset when bathed or changed.

Financial abuse can involve staff members stealing a resident’s possessions or money. It also may involve withdrawing funds from a resident’s accounts without consent or having the resident make large withdrawals.

  • Missing valuables or changes in finances.

  • Self neglect occurs when an elderly person puts his or her health and safety at risk.

9 Risk Factors for Seniors Falling Out of Bed

Falling out of bed is a common and potentially serious problem for seniors. It's important for seniors and their caregivers to be aware of these risk factors and take steps to reduce the risk of falling out of bed, such as ensuring a safe sleeping environment, reviewing medications, and addressing any underlying medical conditions. Some of the risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a senior falling out of bed include:

1. Diabetes
2. Recent Medical Event or Hospitalization
3. New or Changes to Prescription Drugs
4. Changes in the Sleeping Environment
5. Incontinence
6. Sundowning
7. BPPV (Vertigo)
8. Worsening Eyesight
9. REM Behavior Disorder

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Free Nursing Home Abuse eBook

Becker Law Office is committed to providing legal support to those who believe they – or their loved ones – are victims of abuse or neglect. Download our free eBook today for details on residents’ rights in a nursing home. Learn how you or a loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse and may be owed compensation.

Download Your Free eBook

(We value your privacy. We will not share your data, and no one will contact you after you download this eBook.)

Try the Nursing Home Comparison Tool

Use this tool and void the bad ones.

48% of Nursing Homes in Kentucky are Below Average or Far Below. You can compare nursing homes certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through the 5-star  ratings assigned by CMS. Also, you can reach these CMS Star Ratings by clicking HERE: Nursing Home Compare tool. The tool is designed to give an overall rating of 1 star (far below average) to 5 stars (far above average) based on three criteria:

  • Health inspections by state agencies – the only source of objective information from trained inspectors
  • Staffing – the number of staff compared to residents, and how many of the staff are trained nurses
  • Quality measures – how well each nursing home performs on each aspect of care

An overall rating is given for each facility, as well as a rating for health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. You can find a Kentucky nursing home by ZIP code, by city, or by name. To qualify for federal funding – which provides the lion’s share of nursing home care income – facilities must submit to inspections by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”). Trained state inspectors in Kentucky carry out the health and fire safety investigations in nursing homes as part of an agreement between the states and the federal government. The inspection process evaluates all major aspects of care in a nursing home. The inspections also identify safety requirement deficiencies, such as protection from fire hazards.

Seek Compensation for Nursing Home Abuse

In Kentucky, YOU HAVE 1 YEAR from the time you discover abuse to act. Becker Law can tell you FOR FREE whether you have a case. CALL US NOW. There is no downside and you and your loved one may need help. If a valid nursing home negligence claim is established, the victim and his or her family may recover damages that compensate for the costs of medical treatment, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Individuals may also be eligible to recover compensation for wrongful death and punitive damages.

Nursing home residents depend on the facility’s staff for care and services. Their frailty makes them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Neglect can range from failing to provide the proper nourishment and hygiene to failure to care properly for wounds or bedsores.

In Kentucky, victims generally have one year from the discovery of an injury to bring a nursing home neglect or abuse lawsuit. Our Kentucky nursing home neglect lawyers are experienced in preparing cases thoroughly for settlement and seeking a full recovery on behalf of the loved one and family. They prepare each case as if it is heading to court to improve leverage in negotiations.

Medical Treatment

Neglect and abuse can leave a victim physically and mentally traumatized. A nursing home neglect claim can seek compensation for the medical treatment the victim needs as a result of the neglect or trauma he or she suffered. The expenses can include medication, surgery, rehabilitation, therapy, and any other treatment necessary to help the victim recover.

Punitive Damages

When a nursing home resident suffers due to abuse or misconduct by a staff member, the victim may have a right to seek punitive damages. This compensation is meant to punish the wrongdoer and should send a clear message to others to not engage in that behavior. Punitive damages only apply is special situations. An attorney can review your case and let you know if punitive damages may be appropriate to seek.

Pain and Suffering

A nursing home neglect claim can include compensation for the pain and suffering of a victim. When a victim is neglected, the quality of his or her life may be seriously reduced. The victim may also experience significant pain from the ordeal, both physically and mentally. These problems can have a negative impact on every aspect of a victim’s life.

TIME IS CRITICAL.

Kentucky Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

You need legal intervention to stop the abuse. You need our attorneys. For over 30 years our office has represented people like you who were wronged by the negligence of others. If you think that your loved one has been abused or neglected in an assisted living facility, contact our Kentucky nursing home abuse lawyers.

Get Your Free Case Review - Because We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Do.

You need someone who can work quickly to protect your loved one from further harm, fight to hold the right parties accountable, pursue the compensation your family needs, and get the justice your loved one deserves. You get advice for free and we get paid only when we recover compensation for you and your loved one.

We will move quickly to protect your loved one and their rights. To schedule a free discussion of your suspected nursing home neglect case, call (502) 333-3333 or contact us online today.

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Over $740 Million Recovered for Our Clients

With over THREE DECADES of experience representing clients, Becker Law Office is committed to providing real results for clients. Your personal injury claim will get personalized, attentive legal advocacy with our firm. Below are some results our recent clients have realized while working with Becker Law Office:

$24 Million

Defective Product Settlement

$16.95 Million

Premises Liability Verdict

$10 Million

Medical Malpractice Settlement

$5.77 Million

Drug Product Verdict

$3.925 Million

Auto Accident Settlement

Locations
9300 Shelbyville Rd
Suite 215A

Louisville, 

KY  40222
5225 Dixie Hwy
Suite 100

Louisville, 

KY  40216
7310 Turfway Road
Suite 550A

Florence, 

KY  41042
201 East Main St
Suite 300

Lexington, 

KY  40507
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