If a member of your family has been abused in a nursing home, the attorneys at Plevin & Gallucci can help you. Our experienced attorneys are committed to holding nursing homes accountable for the care – or lack of care – at their facilities. We will use our legal experience to help your family fight nursing home abuse.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

About one in three nursing homes in the U.S. was cited for violating federal standards during a three-year span examined by the National Center on Elder Abuse. Almost one in 10 nursing homes was cited for violations that placed residents in danger of death or serious injury.

Abuse can take many forms, including:

• Physical abuse, such as hitting, pushing or slapping;
• Financial exploitation;
• Emotional abuse;
• Neglecting medical duties;
• Sexual abuse.

Nursing Home Abuse Warning Signs

The abuse of a nursing home patient is unlikely to happen when there are visitors, so it’s not always obvious that your loved one is being victimized. Sadly, not all residents at a nursing home are capable of communicating that they are being mistreated.

Here are warning signs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services encourages you to watch for to spot nursing home abuse:

• Bruises, abrasions or burns;
• Bedsores;
• Poor hygiene;
• Unattended medical needs;
• Depression or social isolation. 

The Rights of Ohio Nursing Home Residents

Federal law requires all nursing homes that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding to abide by a list of regulations designed to protect nursing home residents. Ohio also has its own set of laws to prevent abuse in nursing facilities.

These include:

• Promoting each resident’s quality of life;
• Treating each resident with dignity and respect;
• Ensuring that nursing staff is “sufficient;”
• Preventing the deterioration of a resident’s ability to communicate, walk, bathe, dress and use the bathroom.

When nursing homes fail to live up to these regulations, it means more than a citation. It means that someone’s elderly spouse, mother, father, brother or sister was mistreated or injured when they were most vulnerable. That is morally wrong.

By taking legal action, you are demanding accountability from the facility that allegedly abused your loved one. By filing a lawsuit, you send the message that abusive behavior will not be tolerated.

Your actions may also prevent another family from going through what your family has suffered.

Our Attorneys Fight Abuse & Neglect in Ohio Nursing Homes

Plevin & Gallucci stands up for Ohio residents who have been injured through no fault of their own in medical facilities, workplaces and accidents of all kinds. As attorneys, it is our job to protect the vulnerable. This includes the elderly who have suffered due to neglect and abuse in a nursing home. We have represented nursing home neglect victims throughout greater Cleveland, Columbus and the entire state of Ohio.

If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse, we will talk with you without obligation about your options and tell you how we can help.