Elder Abuse and Patient Abuse from Nursing Home, Home Health, and Drug Rehabilitation Facilities
Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside & Orange Counties
It is heartbreaking to hear that elders or rehabilitation patients just looking for compassionate medical care can be met with neglect which does just the opposite—cause insurmountable harm.
What is Abuse in the Setting of Nursing Homes, Home Health and Drug Rehabilitation and Detoxification Facility?
According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 6 people aged 60+ experience some form of abuse in community setting sin the past year.
Abuse in nursing homes can manifest in several ways and can be categorized by physical, emotional, and financial abuse.
Physical abuse might involve hitting, slapping, or improper use of restraints, leading to injuries such as bruises, fractures, or worse. Medication errors—overmedication and undermedication—can lead to adverse reactions, overdoses and even death. Even sexual abuse is a concern accounting for 8% of elder abuse complaints in 2022.
Emotional abuse includes verbal assaults, threats, and humiliation, often resulting in psychological distress for the resident.
Home Health Care Abuse
In home health care settings, abuse can occur through neglect or direct harm by caregivers resulting in the client’s death. Neglect can include failing to provide necessary medical care, inadequate nutrition and hydration, and poor hygiene, which can lead to serious health complications such as infections, dehydration, and malnutrition.
Physical abuse in home health care might involve rough handling during transfers, inappropriate use of medical equipment, or even outright physical assaults. Emotional abuse is also a concern, with caregivers potentially isolating patients, verbally abusing them, or manipulating them psychologically. The isolation inherent in-home health care can make it particularly difficult to detect and address these abuses.
DEXTOX CENTER/REHAB AND NURSING HOME NEGLECT LAWYER
We want to hear your story
If you are reading this, it is likely that you or a loved one was a victim of abuse or neglect from a caregiver.
When It’s Time to Call a Wrongful Death Lawyer
Losing a loved one due a facility’s neglect is unimaginably difficult but what is worse is when you know the death could have been prevented—even if it was suicide. Our Lawyers specialize in helping families seek justice against unscrupulous organizations who put profits before patient care causing abuse and neglect to their patients. The importance of acting now cannot be understated as there is a Statute of Limitations in California—this means there’s a time limit on when you can sue.
More questions? Contact us or read our FAQs.
Is Your Loved One a Victim of Abuse?
Abuse and Neglect in Drug Rehabilitation and Detox Centers
Drug rehab centers can also be sites of abuse, where patients are especially vulnerable due to their conditions. Physical abuse might include excessive force in restraining patients or physical assaults by staff or other residents. Psychological abuse, such as verbal humiliation, threats, and emotional manipulation, can severely impact a patient’s mental health and recovery prospects. Additionally, there is the risk of medical neglect, such as improper management of withdrawal symptoms or overmedication, which can have dire consequences. Financial exploitation can occur when staff take advantage of patients’ impaired judgment to misappropriate their funds.
In any of these settings, these abuses not only hinder recovery but can lead to severe, long-term health impacts or even death (and suicide).
What Does an Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Wrongful Death Lawyer Do?
We help you sue the facility where your loved one suffered abuse. We will examine every piece of evidence—statements, photos, death record, medication records, complaints and history of the facility—to build a solid case. Sometimes, other family members of victims will have similar cases against the same facility and a class-action lawsuit may emerge.
Our wrongful death attorneys help you find justice and compensation for damages: medical expenses, funeral costs, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship (loss of consortium). The negligent facility could be imposed monetary punitive damages and face legal and regular consequences such as the suspension or revocation of their license to operate. In severe cases, the facility may face criminal charges.