Hartford Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Hartford and elsewhere in Connecticut have a responsibility. They provide aging adults — such as our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and lifelong friends — with a supportive and nurturing place. It’s here that they can receive medical care and supervision that their loved ones cannot often provide.

Unfortunately, nursing home and memory care facility residents are subject to abuse, neglect, exploitation, and theft from the people who should be protecting them. Vulnerable seniors cannot defend themselves in these situations, but we at D’Amico Pettinicchi are experienced in making sure that the people who took advantage of our elders are held accountable.

Unfortunately, nursing home and memory care facility residents are subject to abuse, neglect, exploitation, and theft from the people who should be protecting them. Vulnerable seniors cannot defend themselves in these situations, but we at D’Amico Pettinicchi are experienced in ensuring that those who take advantage of our elders are held accountable.

Why Choose Our Law Firm for Your Hartford Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit?

Although we’re a small law practice, we at D’Amico Pettinicchi have the resources of a big law firm. That means we can give you the personal attention you need, along with the resources your case deserves. Other lawyers frequently trust us with their referrals because of our reputation for successfully resolving complex lawsuits.

The following are some of the many reasons you should choose D’Amico Pettinicchi for your Hartford, CT, nursing home abuse lawsuit:

  • Our law firm has recovered millions of dollars at trial and through negotiated settlements.
  • We’ve received national and statewide recognition for our success in personal injury law.
  • Super Lawyers has listed us among the Top 10 Connecticut personal injury attorneys for over 10 years.
  • The National Board of Trial Advocacy has granted us dual board certification in civil trial advocacy and civil pretrial practice.
  • If you hire D’Amico Pettinicchi for your nursing home abuse case, we will charge you nothing unless we succeed in collecting compensation for you.

We care about ending elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and we believe that holding abusers accountable is the most effective way to do that.

How a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Help Your Family

How can a Hartford nursing home abuse attorney help your family? At D’Amico Pettinicchi, we can do the following for you:

  • Investigate the nursing home to find evidence of abuse.
  • Interview nursing home residents and staff
  • Obtain your loved one’s medical records and other nursing home documents, examining them for evidence of neglect or abuse
  • Let you know whether the nursing home’s actions constitute abuse, neglect, or exploitation as defined by Connecticut law
  • Demand full compensation from the people who harmed your loved one
  • Handle all negotiations with the insurance company
  • File an elder abuse lawsuit if the insurance company doesn’t offer a reasonable settlement
  • Stand up for your loved one at trial
  • Hold the abusers accountable for what they did to your family members

When you hire our reputable elder abuse lawyers, you get people who will fight for you and know how to counter the other side’s attempts to evade responsibility.

What Is Elder Abuse and How Often Does It Happen?

Nursing home regulations in Connecticut guarantee the rights of all residents, including the right to be free of elder abuse. How does Connecticut define nursing home neglect, abuse, and exploitation?

Under Connecticut law, elder abuse includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Willful infliction of physical pain
  • Willful infliction of mental anguish
  • Willful infliction of injury
  • Willful deprivation of services necessary for physical or mental health

Connecticut defines elder neglect as the failure to provide or arrange for the services necessary for physical or mental health. If the nursing home is not giving your loved one what they need, that is a case of neglect.

Connecticut defines elder exploitation as taking advantage of an elder for personal gain, whether that gain is monetary or otherwise. If a staff member convinces your family member to make financial decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make, that’s a case of elder exploitation.

How often does elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation happen? According to the National Council on Aging, 10 percent of all Americans over age 60 have experienced abuse. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this number rose to 20 percent. Tragically, elder abuse is much more common than many people imagine.

Who Could Be Held Responsible for Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse is often committed by staff, including nurses and aides. However, other parties are often responsible for creating the conditions that led to the abuse. While our goal is always to hold abusers accountable, other parties can also be liable. The nursing home can be liable for the following:

  • Negligent training or hiring
  • Insufficient staffing
  • Failure to respond to evidence or allegations of abuse

In addition:

  • The supervisory staff and administrators of the nursing home can be liable if they did nothing to act on complaints of abuse or neglect, or if they created policies that encouraged abuse.
  • Third parties, such as security or food service contractors, can be liable when their employees abuse residents.
  • Visitors to the nursing home can also be liable if they abuse other residents.

When you file an elder abuse claim, you must be able to demonstrate that the defendants owed a duty of care to your loved one, breached that duty, and caused harm to your family member. The respected Hartford elder abuse lawyers from D’Amico Pettinicchi have the experience and elder law knowledge to prove the facts of your case.

Potential Compensation for Nursing Home Negligence

What potential compensation is available in a nursing home negligence case? That depends on the details of the case and the losses your loved one suffered. A nursing home abuse lawyer in Hartford can estimate the possible compensation available in your case.

In Connecticut, elder abuse compensation can include the following:

  • The cost of your loved one’s medical treatments
  • The cost of any psychological treatment
  • The cost of medications
  • Additional compensation for pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, and emotional distress

In some cases, a jury may also award punitive damages for especially egregious acts of abuse. Punitive damages are not compensation for your losses, but rather to punish wrongdoing. Your attorney will let you know if your case may qualify for punitive damages.

How Long Do I Have to File a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in Connecticut?

The statute of limitations puts a time limit on how long you have to file a lawsuit. The nursing home abuse statute of limitations in Connecticut requires you to file an elder abuse lawsuit within two years.

It’s important to contact a lawyer from D’Amico Pettinicchi about your elder abuse case as soon as possible. Doing so will give your attorney more time to investigate the facts and negotiate with the insurance company before filing your lawsuit. Many elder abuse cases are resolved with negotiated settlements rather than at trial, and it’s always an advantage to have more time available to negotiate.

How Can I Tell if My Loved One Is Being Abused or Neglected?

Would you know if your loved one was being abused or neglected? It’s a good idea to learn how to recognize elder abuse. Otherwise, you may not recognize the typical signs of nursing home abuse even if you see them.

The National Institute on Aging lists the following as warning signs of abuse or neglect in nursing homes:

  • Unexplained injuries, including bruises, restraint marks, scars, or burns
  • Lack of cleanliness
  • Preventable health issues
  • Bedsores
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Unexplained changes in behavior
  • Unexplained changes in mood
  • Emotionally withdrawn demeanor

If you get a feeling that something is wrong, but you can’t tell what it is, talk to your loved one and check for signs of abuse or neglect. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused, contact a lawyer from D’Amico Pettinicchi immediately.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the following are warning signs of elder exploitation:

  • Sudden changes in spending practices, such as withdrawing a large amount of money
  • Sudden changes to a will or other estate planning document
  • Missing funds or missing objects
  • Unexplained charges on your loved one’s credit card

If you believe your family member is a victim of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, you should file a complaint and contact a lawyer immediately.

How to File a Nursing Home Complaint in Connecticut

Are you wondering how to report nursing home neglect or abuse? There are several methods available for reporting poor elder care in nursing home settings in Connecticut:

If you don’t feel comfortable filing a complaint on your own, you can call a lawyer from D’Amico Pettinicchi. They can assist you in filing a complaint and guide you through the process.

Contact a Reputable Hartford Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

No amount of money can reverse the harm your loved one has suffered in instances of nursing home neglect or abuse. However, fighting for compensation can help hold negligent facilities accountable for their wrongdoing, while ensuring your loved one receives the quality care they deserve.

At D’Amico Pettinicchi, our attorneys will work closely with your family so we may understand the full scope of your loved one’s injuries. If we can take on your case, we promise to utilize our decades of experience in complex nursing home abuse litigation to work in your favor. While we cannot promise you that we will obtain compensation in your case, we won’t charge you anything unless we do.

It’s Time to Fight the Good Fight℠, and we are ready to stand with your family during this difficult time. Contact us today to schedule your free, confidential consultation with an experienced Hartford elder abuse lawyer.