We want our elderly relatives to enjoy their golden years. We also expect the elderly to receive compassionate care at senior communities in the Everett area. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes offer the attention our loved ones deserve. We know the pain, anger, and frustration families experience in these kinds of cases.
When nursing home residents are mistreated or neglected, the award-winning legal team at Walton Injury Law is prepared to help stand up for the vulnerable. We can hold abusive staff members and companies that run senior homes accountable for the harm and heartbreak they’ve caused.
For a free and confidential consultation with experienced nursing home abuse lawyers near Everett, WA, contact Walton Injury Law today. Your safety and your dignity matter.
Understanding Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse refers to the knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a care provider, caregiver, or any other person that causes harm to an elderly resident of the facility.
Abuse can take many forms, including physical assaults, refusing to feed an elderly person, refusing to give a senior their medication, insults and verbal abuse, and even sexual assault.
Keep in mind that elderly populations could be mistreated by home health providers, employees of home care agencies, and hospice staff.
Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
If you have an elderly loved one at a nursing home, senior community, or assisted-living facility in the Everett area, be on the lookout for these red flags of mistreatment and neglect:
- Bruises, scars, open wounds, or bedsores
- Reports of serious injuries
- Signs of restraint around the wrists or ankles
- Weight loss or dehydration
- Illnesses or infections
- Soiled bedding or clothing
- Noticeable change in overall personality
- Reluctance to talk or share how they’ve been
- Emotional withdrawal, depression, or anxiety
- Unusual behavior, such as thumbsucking or rocking back and forth
- Torn clothes or undergarments
- Unsafe or unsanitary living conditions
- Unexpected withdrawals from accounts
- Missing money or other belongings
What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
If you notice any of the above warning signs of nursing home abuse at a facility in Everett, you need to act quickly to protect your elderly loved one.
Notify State Authorities and Local Law Enforcement
If your elderly loved one was the victim of a crime, be sure to speak with local Everett law enforcement. You will also want to report the elder abuse or neglect to Adult Protective Services (APS) with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
Document the Evidence of Mistreatment
When your loved one is in a safe place, start documenting all evidence of abuse. That may involve taking photos, having difficult conversations about what they experienced, reviewing financial statements and receipts, and making copies of correspondence.
Report the Mistreatment to Nursing Home Management
The management of the senior center may not be aware of staff misconduct. Make the nursing home management aware of what happened so the abusive staff member(s) cannot harm others.
Take Your Loved One Out of the Abusive Environment
Take your loved one out of the nursing home if possible and arrange for medical treatment so they can get the care they need.
Speak with Local Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Reach out to elder abuse lawyers in the Everett area who know how to handle cases of mistreatment or neglect at assisted-living facilities.
How Long Do I Have to File a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit?
Under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) § 4.16.080, you typically have three years from the date of the injury to file a legal action. Once that three-year statute of limitations expires, you won’t be able to file a claim. There may also be some exceptions to the three-year deadline depending on the circumstances of the abuse or neglect.
It’s best to contact our nursing home abuse lawyers serving Everett as soon as possible. Our attorneys can help secure evidence and get the litigation process underway.
Why Choose Walton Injury Law for Your Elder Abuse Case
Walton Injury Law sets itself apart with a focus on helping our neighbors in their time of need.
- Years of Experience with Elder Abuse Cases: Nursing home cases can be very complicated. The attorneys at Walton Injury Law have experience handling these kinds of claims and can offer guidance and clear answers during the process.
- Free Legal Consultations: At Walton Injury Law, we think you should be able to speak with a proven legal professional without paying any fees. During a free consultation, you can share what happened at the nursing home, and we can let you know what steps you can take next.
- Clients Don’t Pay Unless We Win: Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. That means clients don’t pay us unless we can secure a settlement or win damages in court. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. We’re in this together, and we’re prepared to fight for your dignity.
- Available to You 24/7: Our law firm takes messages 24/7 because we know that emergencies and major concerns can arise at any time of the day. At Walton Injury Law, our lawyers will always get back to you as soon as we can.
- We’re Ready to Go to Trial: Many law firms focus on settlements. At Walton Injury Law, we won’t settle for less than your case is worth. If we can’t negotiate a fair amount for what your family has gone through, we’re ready to go to trial to seek damages.
If an elderly loved one you care about is in danger, don’t delay. To request a free case review from our dedicated Everett nursing home abuse attorneys, contact Walton Injury Law today.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
We alluded to some examples of elder abuse earlier. Below are the common kinds of abuse and neglect that occur at senior communities and nursing homes around the Everett area.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse could involve hitting, restraining, or general physical mistreatment of an elderly person at a senior home. In some situations, nursing home staff may shove or push elderly residents, which can cause catastrophic falls.
Emotional and Psychological Abuse
Emotional abuse can be just as harmful as physical abuse. This includes insults, belittling language, threats of physical abuse and other harm, and isolating the elderly resident from friends or other caregivers in the senior community.
Sexual Abuse and Misconduct
The elderly are extremely vulnerable to sexual abuse and misconduct while under the care of others. This could include rape, other forms of non-consensual physical contact, coercion to undress or perform sexual acts, and sexual harassment.
Neglect and Lack of Care
People in assisted-living facilities count on caregivers to offer help and ensure dignity. Neglect may involve not feeding nursing home residents, not giving the resident their medication, not cleaning soiled clothes or bedding, and giving residents the silent treatment.
Financial Exploitation or Manipulation
Financial abuse covers any acts used to exploit an elderly patient for financial gain. This could involve forcing a resident to transfer money to another person’s account, forging the resident’s signature, theft of money or credit cards, and using influence to obtain power of attorney or control of finances.
Why Nursing Home Abuse Happens
There are numerous reasons why nursing home abuse happens in the Everett area, though none of these justify the mistreatment of the elderly.
- Lack of Staff: Unfortunately, many caregivers at nursing homes are underpaid and overworked. There’s a high turnover in a high-stress environment, which can lead to staff members taking out their frustrations on vulnerable senior care residents.
- Inadequate Training: Caring for the elderly requires proper medical training and an understanding of the needs of seniors. This is particularly true of elderly residents who may have dementia or have limited mobility because of their advanced age.
- Lack of Oversight: Management at nursing homes may not be holding bad staff members accountable. This allows abuse to continue at a facility for years. In addition, some managers may fail to screen potential employees for red flag behaviors of abuse.
- Corporate Pressure: Many nursing homes are run by people who put profits over people. When companies cut corners, intentionally understaff facilities, and don’t hire the right people, it’s the residents and their families that suffer because of greed.
Washington's Vulnerable Adult Statute
Washington's Vulnerable Adult Statute (RCW § 74.34.200) offers special legal protections for those mistreated in assisted-living centers.
Concerning nursing home abuse and neglect, RCW § 74.34.020 defines a vulnerable adult as someone who is 60 years old or older; is unable to care for themselves due to physical, mental, or functional inability; or lives in a care facility.
Compensation in a Nursing Home Abuse Case
Following mistreatment, abuse, and neglect at an assisted-living facility in the Everett area, our nursing home abuse attorneys can help you seek compensation to help get your life back on track again. Damages in elder abuse cases may include:
- Medical treatment for injuries, illness, or infections at the nursing home
- Compensation for financial losses and theft of property
- Counseling or therapy for survivors of sexual or psychological abuse
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Reduced quality of life
In rare and particularly egregious cases of elder abuse, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. These damages do not compensate a victim of abuse for their losses. Instead, these damages are exemplary in nature and are intended to punish the perpetrator of the abuse, neglect, or mistreatment.
Compensation for Fatal Elder Abuse or Neglect
Some instances of elder abuse tragically prove fatal. The pain of that loss and the anger you may feel can seem immeasurable. In these cases, the family members of the deceased can file a wrongful death lawsuit to pursue compensation.
As with injury claims, there is a three-year statute of limitations to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Washington. It’s best to contact our Everett nursing home abuse lawyers as soon as possible to discuss legal action for your loss.
When you are ready to speak with an attorney, the team at Walton Injury Law will listen to your story and help in whatever way we can.
How Much Is My Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
The value of your nursing home abuse claim can vary based on the nature of the abuse or neglect. When you meet with the team at Walton Injury Law, our attorneys will help review the full scope of what happened and the impact it’s had on health and quality of life.
You can trust that our nursing home abuse lawyers will pursue maximum compensation. We won’t settle for less than what your case is worth, and we will go to trial if it means doing what’s best for you.
Contact a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Near Everett, WA
If you’ve been the victim of elder abuse or have a family member who’s been severely mistreated in a senior care home in Everett, our nursing home abuse lawyers are here to offer help.
Our dedicated lawyers here at Walton Injury Law want to look out for seniors and families in Snohomish County who feel ignored or like they do not have a voice. Your voice matters, and we will make sure you are heard. Most importantly, we want to listen to you.
Don’t delay. To request a free case review with our experienced team of nursing home abuse attorneys, contact our law firm today.