Every time you or your relative faces abuse in a nursing home, you need to seek legal advice and justice. Your North Carolina nursing home abuse lawyer may not seek payment unless you win your case. This means that you will not have to pay out of pocket for legal representation, and you can be sure that an attorney will only take up your case if it is viable.
What is a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
A nursing home abuse lawyer is a personal injury attorney specializing in providing legal help for elders who have suffered mental abuse, physical abuse, or neglect while obtaining care in an elder home facility.
What Does a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Do?
A nursing home abuse attorney helps an elderly person get justice and compensation in the case of abuse and neglect while living in nursing home facilities. Elderly citizens in long-term care facilities entirely depend on their caregivers to attend to their needs and well-being. Yet they are sometimes subjected to intentional abuse or neglect causing physical and mental harm.
The attorney will work to prove that:
- The facility has a standard duty of care toward the resident. To show a duty of care, the attorney may interrogate the care plan for the resident in question.
- Relevant staff harmed the resident in question either intentionally or resulting from negligence by failing to act in line with the care plan for the resident.
- The actions of the nursing home staff members directly caused the physical and psychological harm suffered by the resident.
- Compensation for treatment is needed for the resident to recover.
When to Hire a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in North Carolina
If you or your loved one in a nursing home shows the following symptoms, seek immediate medical attention and consult with the best nursing home abuse lawyer in North Carolina. The symptoms include:
- Bedsores, sepsis, and infections
- Being withdrawn, upset, and irritable, especially around the staff
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain and poor wound healing may be signs of malnutrition
- Dry skin or mouth and other symptoms that may indicate dehydration
- Poor hygiene
- Unexplained serious injuries such as cuts or bruises
The above are the usual symptoms of negligence and may result in wrongful death in extreme cases. Other signs to look out for include:
- Evidence of financial exploitation includes the use of residents' funds through force or fraud or without their knowledge and consent
- When residents have specific staff members from whom they do not want to receive care
- High staff turnover may be an indication of dissatisfaction with a poor system and work culture
- Unexplained shifts to the negative in the emotions and physical appearance of the resident
- Discordance among staff and with residents
- Use of excessive force when restraining residents
- Errors in the administration of medication
- Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
How Do I Choose a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in North Carolina?
When choosing a North Carolina nursing home abuse attorney, determine their success rate with handling cases similar to yours. Perform a quick google search of the attorney’s name and see if the results surface any accolades or complaints. Also, during the initial consultation, ask a legal professional to provide a track record.
How Much Does the Average Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Cost North Carolina?
Most lawyers for nursing home abuse in North Carolina and law firms work on a contingency basis for nursing home neglect cases. With a contingency fee, the attorney will take care of the costs of the case, including investigations, filing fees, and expert witnesses, and only recover from the settlement after successful litigation.
The lawyer will likely charge 30% - 45% of the settlement amount. Ensure the contingency fee percentage is precise and agreed in writing with no other hidden fees.
Do Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Usually Charge for Consultations?
An experienced lawyer for nursing home abuse in North Carolina usually does not charge for the initial consultation. During the initial consultation, the lawyer will listen to the facts of your case and determine its outcome if it goes to trial. It is also a suitable time to ask questions about the lawyer’s qualifications, experience, and reviews.
