Aging comes with a lot of vulnerability, which is why so much trust is placed on those who care for our older adults. Unfortunately, in many cases, these caregivers take advantage of the physical and mental conditions of seniors to abuse and neglect them.
This is quite tragic, and it gets worse as numbers by the World Health Organization and the National Center for Elder Abuse show that there is a high level of under-reporting of abuse/neglect, as most victims and their loved ones never take any action.
At The Finn Law Firm, we know how humiliating and frustrating it is for your elderly loved ones to suffer at the hands of those who are responsible for their care. To help bring an end to this and ensure justice is served, our team of experienced attorneys has committed themselves to defending and protecting the rights of every elderly person who has been abused or neglected.
If you suspect nursing home abuse or elderly abuse, you need to take action as fast as possible. Contact us today for swift legal action to defend the rights of your loved ones and ensure they receive fair compensation for the injuries and harm caused.
Elder abuse refers to a negligent act or action that leads to the physical or mental harm of an older adult. This covers a broad range of single or repeated acts that generally fall into these categories as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Neglect refers to any direct and indirect action that causes a nursing home resident or elderly family member to suffer or be at serious risk due to inadequate care and attention to physical, mental, and medical needs.
Elder physical abuse refers to any act that leads to bodily harm or personal injuries to the victim. These acts include the use of physical restraints, hitting, pinching, kicking, and pushing a senior citizen.
Sexual abuse refers to all direct and indirect sexual acts forced on older adults in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or at home. These include forced sex or rape, forced nudity, inappropriate touching, and exposure to pornographic material.
Emotional or mental abuse refers to all kinds of non-physical elder abuse which impact the victim’s mental state. This kind of abuse is quite common, and many Illinois nursing home residents suffer from these acts that include caregivers yelling, shouting, insulting, intimidating, or embarrassing the victim.
Elder financial abuse refers to any act where a family member, caregiver, or nursing home staff member exploits a senior citizen’s finances or assets. These acts of financial exploitation include identity theft, altering or signature forgery on personal documents, coercion to give up assets/property, unauthorized access & misuse of funds in bank accounts, and theft of valuables.
Elder abuse and neglect can happen anywhere, be it in a home setting or nursing home facilities. Regardless, the impacts are the same as these acts greatly diminish the dignity and quality of life for our elderly loved ones.
For example, elderly abuse, which is quite common in Chicago, is known to cause a lot of suffering to elderly residents as it leads to, among others, skin ulcers or bed sores, dehydration & malnutrition, poor hygiene, depression, and potentially life-threatening injuries from falls or other accidents.
Most of our elderly loved ones are unable to live independently due to their physical and mental states. As a result, they depend on their caregivers or nursing home staff members to take care of most of their needs.
Naturally, this mandate gives caregivers an upper hand over family members or friends of senior citizens who do not actively live with them. It is, therefore, essential that you are always extra keen on the condition of your loved one besides educating yourself on the warning signs of abuse and neglect victims.
Remember, due to medical conditions or cases of mental illness, senior citizens are often not in a position to speak up for themselves and will experience mistreatment, neglect, or abuse without anyone noticing. Therefore, when a caregiver or nursing home fails to offer adequate care, it is crucial to gather and have enough evidence to support your case.
Next, you should report elder abuse to the relevant authorities. In Chicago, this means reaching out to the police, the local adult protective services, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Illinois long-term care ombudsman program. Most importantly, you’ll need to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit with a law firm specializing in elder abuse and Chicago nursing home abuse cases.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers have over 25 years of experience and have successfully handled over 200 nursing home abuse cases. This will be a massive plus for you, as you’ll receive legal counsel, support, and guidance from a team with a good grasp of elder law.
Our legal team also understands how Chicago nursing homes operate. Once you report abuse, we’ll take action to ensure that thorough investigations are conducted and the wrongdoers are held accountable.
We want to ensure all elderly adults who have been neglected or abused at home or in nursing facilities get to receive justice. Because of this, we do not charge any legal fees unless we win and recover compensation for you.
The aftermath of Chicago nursing home abuse or neglect can be quite severe, and your elderly loved one will most likely require adequate medical treatment and better personal care. Our priority will be to ensure you and your loved ones have peace of mind and that all medical expenses and damages are recovered.
Your search for an elderly abuse lawyer Chicago comes to an end here at The Finn Law Firm. We know how crucial it is to speak up and take legal action against nursing home negligence and abuse, which is why we are willing to fight for you to the end.
Protect your loved ones’ rights. Contact The Finn Law Firm for a free consultation today.