Norwalk Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

When you place your loved one in a nursing facility, you expect them to receive the care and respect they need and deserve. However, nursing home abuse and neglect are more common than you might think, and they can significantly impact your loved one’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being. In severe cases, this abuse can lead to death.

Understanding how to report nursing home neglect or abuse — and how a nursing home abuse lawyer in Norwalk can help protect your loved one — is crucial if you suspect your loved one isn’t receiving the treatment they need. Contact D’Amico Pettinicchi for a free case evaluation with one of our highly qualified attorneys. Our elder law professionals will review your case and walk you through your options for holding the at-fault parties liable for the harm they caused to your loved one.

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

Since 1990, D’Amico Pettinicchi has stood as a leader in nursing home neglect and abuse lawsuits throughout Connecticut, with 100-plus years of combined legal experience. Over the past 35 years, our firm has earned a reputation for taking cases to trial and obtaining justice for elder abuse and neglect victims.

Our unwavering commitment to our clients has led to our receiving national and statewide recognition in the field of personal injury law. This includes being ranked among the Top 10 Connecticut personal injury attorneys by Super Lawyers for 10 years running.

Other reasons to choose our firm to handle your Norwalk, CT, elder abuse lawsuit include:

  • We have dual board certification in civil trial advocacy and civil pretrial practice from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
  • We provide big-firm resources in a small-firm capacity.
  • We are committed to providing personalized attention to our clients.
  • Other lawyers trust us to handle their referred cases because they know we can take on complex and difficult lawsuits.
  • We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients through trial verdicts and negotiated settlements.
  • We charge nothing upfront for us to get started on your case, and there are no fees unless we successfully resolve your lawsuit.

How a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Help Your Family

A Norwalk nursing home abuse attorney can help your family in various ways throughout your case. This includes assisting you in seeking medical attention for your loved one’s injuries, helping you find them another facility to stay at, and helping you pursue financial compensation for the harm they experienced.

Investigating the incident is one of the first steps your attorney will take. They may photograph your loved one’s visible injuries and ask them about what they experienced. Your attorney could also go to the nursing facility to see your loved one’s living conditions and speak to other residents and staff members. This investigation will help them identify the at-fault party or parties.

Your attorney will also calculate the value of your loved one’s losses, including their medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more. This is crucial for making sure you and your loved one receive fair compensation.

Once your attorney has identified the at-fault party and knows the value of your case, it’s time for them to file your lawsuit. The discovery phase follows, during which the parties involved can request documents and other information from each other. After they have exchanged this information, settlement negotiations begin.

Through negotiations, your lawyer will attempt to secure a settlement that covers all of your loved one’s losses. However, suppose the at-fault party’s insurance company refuses to settle for a fair amount. In that case, your Norwalk nursing home abuse lawyer will take your case to court to seek the maximum compensation.

What Is Elder Abuse and How Often Does It Happen?

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) defines elder abuse as “an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult.” It goes on to further break down elder abuse into the following five categories, which aren’t mutually exclusive:

  • Physical Abuse – This type of abuse includes hitting, slapping, pushing, or physically restraining nursing facility residents.
  • Psychological Abuse – Also called emotional abuse, this type of abuse includes yelling at or insulting nursing facility residents or taking away their ability to socialize as a form of punishment.
  • Financial Exploitation – Some nursing facility staff may steal from residents by coercing them into providing their bank information or making changes to their estate plans.
  • Neglect and Abandonment – When residents don’t receive the care they need due to staffing shortages or staff forgetfulness, the consequences can be catastrophic. This may include residents not receiving their medication or being left in bed for extended periods.
  • Sexual Abuse – Unwanted touching and other sexual contact in nursing homes can lead to both physical and psychological injuries to residents.

According to the DOJ’s estimates, over 10 percent of individuals 65 and older experience some form of elder abuse each year. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 16 percent of people 60 and older who live in community homes like nursing facilities experience some form of abuse.

Who Could Be Held Responsible for Nursing Home Abuse?

Depending on the circumstances of your case and how it interacts with nursing home regulations in Connecticut, several parties could be held liable for the abuse or neglect your loved one suffered.

For example, specific nursing facility staff could be liable if they engaged in abusive or neglectful behavior. Third parties, such as medical staff with whom the facility contracted, could also be liable if they engaged in any of these behaviors.

The nursing facility itself may be liable for several reasons. It could be liable due to negligent hiring practices, understaffing, or encouraging staff members to cut corners with treatment and care.

Potential Compensation for Nursing Home Negligence

Elder abuse compensation can cover various losses sustained by you and your loved one,

depending on the circumstances of the abuse. Common losses victims and their families seek compensation for include the following:

  • Medical Costs – Your loved one may have physical injuries related to their abuse or neglect for which they require medical treatment.
  • Pain and Suffering – Your loved one may have experienced physical pain and suffering due to their abuse or neglect, such as bedsores from being left in the same position for long periods or broken bones from falls or assaults.
  • Emotional Distress – The emotional toll of abuse and neglect can be severe, leading to victims suffering from anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Facility Moving Costs – If the abuse or neglect is institutional, you will likely want to move your loved one to a different facility, which can be expensive.
  • Wrongful Death – Failure to provide adequate elder care can lead to death in some cases. If your loved one passed away due to abuse or neglect, you can seek compensation for your loss.

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

While Connecticut doesn’t have a specific nursing home abuse statute of limitations, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases generally applies in these cases. Under this statute, victims and their families have two years to file lawsuits against the parties responsible for the abuse or neglect.

If you miss this deadline, the courts will likely prevent you from seeking compensation for the harm your loved one experienced. For this reason, it’s essential that you work with a skilled nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer in Stamford who can build a strong case and file your lawsuit within the time limit.

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

Knowing how to recognize elder abuse is key to protecting your loved one in a nursing home. Some of the main warning signs of abuse or neglect in nursing homes to be on the lookout for include the following:

  • Unexplained injuries like broken bones, cuts, bruises, and sprains
  • Bedsores caused by a lack of movement
  • Poor hygiene and a messy living environment
  • Missed medication dosages
  • Unusual behavior, such as your loved one not wanting to be alone with a staff member
  • Failure to get your loved one the medical care they need for injuries or infections
  • Unexplained withdrawals from your loved one’s bank account

How Can I Report Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

The families of elder exploitation victims often wonder how to file a nursing home complaint in Connecticut. Fortunately, reporting poor care in nursing homes is relatively straightforward, as you can simply file a complaint with the state’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Program through the Department of Public Health.

You also can:

If you recognize the signs of nursing home abuse, it’s vital that you report it to the proper agency so they can start investigating the facility and potentially prevent future elder abuse cases. You should also contact a Norwalk nursing home abuse attorney to begin handling your elder abuse claim, as you only have a limited amount of time to seek compensation.

Contact a Reputable Norwalk Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

When It’s Time to Fight the Good Fight℠, contact D’Amico Pettinicchi for a free, confidential consultation with a Norwalk elder abuse lawyer. We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, help you get your loved one the care they need, and go over your options for holding the parties responsible for neglecting or abusing your loved one financially liable.