Nebraska Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Elder Neglect & Abuse in Omaha Nursing Homes

It is all too common for an employee to neglect or abuse their job responsibilities; however, when practices of neglect and abuse transfer to the care of elderly individuals, real problems can ensue. Nursing homes are supposed to be safe environments where your elderly loved ones are cared for better than you could at home. However, terrible things happen in nursing homes everyday. They range from malnutrition, to falls, to medication mistakes, to neglect that causes dramatic bedsores and decubitus ulcers.

At Domina Law Group, we have dedicated our legal practice to holding said individuals responsible for their acts of neglect and abuse, and we are unafraid to take matters of nursing home abuse to court when need be. In fact, we have devoted a great deal of our practice to doing exactly that. We aggressively fight for clients who are the victims, or whose loved ones are victims, of abuse and neglect in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, homes for developmentally-disabled persons, or other places where residents of limited abilities have a right to expect quality care.

Under the representation of an attorney at our office, your wants will be heard and your needs will be qualified by a team of legal professionals who have been in the business for more than 50 years collectively. The case successes and legal accomplishments of our team have not only been effective for our clients, but they have also been groundbreaking in the legal profession as a whole. As one of the only trial attorneys in the country with a billion dollar verdict, Mr. Domina has skillfully led our firm since its establishment in 1975.

Experienced Litigation for Nursing Home Concerns

Nursing home abuse and elder neglect are problems that, until now, have gone widely unrecognized in the legal field. Unfortunately, with an elderly population that has skyrocketed, the number of senior citizens is not the only thing growing. Now, more than ever, the number of elder abuse cases is growing as well. As more and more elderly individuals are placed in senior citizen homes and nursing care facilities, more and more reports of abuse and neglect are being made.

In a field that encompasses a wide variety of legal practices, Domina Law Group is prepared to handle nursing home abuse cases of every nature. Elder neglect is a widespread problem that has appeared in nursing homes and elder care facilities throughout the nation. Victims of emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse deserve to be given recompense for their pain and suffering, and we are here to make sure that they have the adequate means to do so in court. With the help of an associate at our office, a compelling story can be developed that will artfully portray your situation in trial, while skillfully holding the responsible parties liable for their misguided behaviors.

In your pursuit to take legal action, you will be significantly better off with professional support on your side. At Domina Law Group, we understand this concept to a tee, and every effort we have taken since the firm's inception has reflected our desire to uniquely represent the individuals we serve. Not only are we here to develop a personalized approach for your case, but we are also ready to provide answers to common questions about nursing home abuse and even help you identify warning signs of neglectful behavior. In a situation that would otherwise be fraught with emotion and concern, we are here to act as a sounding board for our clients. The personal support and professional guidance that are needed to effectively take on cases of this nature will be delivered in spades when you choose to work with Domina Law Group.

How Do I Know If Nursing Home Abuse is Happening?

Nursing home abuse and neglect is so unthinkable, it may be hard to believe it's actually happening to your loved one. Unfortunately, abuse is very common in elderly care facilities. In fact, it's thought that 1 in 10 nursing home residents over the age of 60 is abused.

Despite what you may have been led to believe, identifying a potential case of abuse or elder neglect can be far more difficult than it appears. In many cases, the abusers and the seniors who have been abused do a good job of covering it up or excusing it away in a believable manner. This does not mean, however, that identifiers do not exist; it simply means that you need to know what to look for when you are suspicious of abuse or neglect.

The following is a breakdown of some of the most common warning signs of the different types of abuse to which seniors are most often subjected:

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Abuse in any form is inexcusable, but is more common in nursing homes than most would believe. Whether it’s of a physical, sexual, or psychological nature, nursing home abuse is also terribly underreported, as victims often fear fighting back against their abusers.

Common signs of nursing home abuse include:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, cuts, or broken bones, as well as residents being reluctant to explain how those injuries occurred. This may indicate rough handling when transporting or repositioning residents, force feeding, and administration of medicines, or willful and intentional infliction of harm.
• Sudden or unexplained changes in behavior, including depression, agitation, isolation, fear, anxiety, embarrassment and silence.
• Strained or visibly unusual relationships between staff and residents, including fear and anxiousness in the presence of certain staff members.
• A lack of interest or enjoyment in activities or hobbies residents once enjoyed.
• Signs of punishment or retaliation committed by staff, including isolation, bullying, harassment, restraints, and more.
• Failures of staff to respond to complaints and appropriately handle allegations of abuse, including physical and sexual abuse.

Signs of Nursing Home & Elder Neglect

Nursing homes and their employees have a legal obligation to take steps which ensure the health and safety of residents. Failure to uphold that obligation often results in negligence that could and should have been prevented – and commonly constitutes a violation of duties to patients.

One of the most difficult tasks involved in addressing the issue of elder neglect is the initial ability to identify the mistreatment itself. A progressive and generalized deterioration in health is much more challenging to identify than a rapid change in health. Unfortunately, symptoms of neglect often tend to appear slowly and over a prolonged period of time. Therefore, friends and family members must be extra vigilant in their efforts to keep a close eye on their elderly loved ones. Knowing the warning signs and taking immediate action to voice concerns is critical.

Common signs that staff may be neglecting residents include:

• Weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration caused by staff neglecting basic needs for food and water.
• Poor hygiene, unsanitary conditions, infections, bed sores, frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs),
  persistent odor of urine or feces, rashes, lice, and other signs of poor personal hygiene that may be caused by neglecting personal care and bathing, or failing to rotate a resident.
• Failures to properly address and treat injuries, including those resulting from falls, abuse, and pre-existing neglect.
• Worsening of medical condition symptoms or adverse health effects caused by medication errors, failures to monitor resident health, and other staffing errors.
• Unexplained falls, accidents, or repeated avoidable incidents and mishaps that may indicate a lack of supervision, assistance, and appropriate care.
• Decreased mobility which may be result from a lack of assistance, staffing problems, and more.
• Behavioral changes, depression, isolation, and other signs that suggest a resident’s emotional needs are being neglected.
• Inappropriate clothing for the weather
• Unexplained or untreated physical health problems

These, and other medical conditions, can be warning signs of mistreatment. Individuals who are concerned that neglect may be the cause of an elderly person's decline in health can ask themselves a simple question to help determine whether or not their suspicions are founded: Is there any justifiable explanation for the symptoms that have arisen? Medical conditions that are not easily explained are often indicative of neglect. For example, it is relatively uncommon for individuals to develop a bed sore unless they are not being turned in their beds frequently enough.

Signs of Financial Abuse

Elder financial abuse committed by staff or fellow residents is common in nursing homes. While capitalizing on trust or taking advantage of vulnerability for financial gain may be a crime – no criminal case provides a viable source of compensation to victims and their families for all their suffering and damages. Victims and their loved ones must pursue civil litigation when they suspect or know financial exploitation has occurred.

Common signs of financial abuse involving the elderly or disabled include:

• Unauthorized cashing of residents’ checks
• Forging a resident’s signature
• Coercing or deceiving residents to sign financial documents
• Sudden and unexplained money or asset transfers, transactions, changes to wills, and bank account withdrawals
• Living conditions below the financial resources of a resident
• Lost jewelry, collections, and other valuables

Signs of Emotional Abuse

Verbal assaults, inattention, and constant put-downs are only some of the many causes of emotional withdrawal. For elderly persons, these causes can be exacerbated in nursing home facilities that do not allow for frequent interaction or socialization, often resulting in depression, physical health, and worse.

• Elderly individuals who mimic signs of dementia
• Elderly individuals who adopt unusual behaviors of rocking or sucking
• Elderly individuals who start mumbling to themselves
• Caretakers who belittle or threaten elderly individuals in your presence

Signs of Physical Abuse

Elderly individuals who are victimized by physical abuse are often unwilling to disclose such information to friends and family for fear of being further mistreated. Therefore, it is up to you to look for warning signs that could tip you off to the physical abuse that your loved one is enduring under the care of another.

• Unexplained injuries
• Personal items that have been broken
• Reports of drug overdose or other inconsistencies in regular medications
• Sprains, dislocations, and broken bones
• Caregivers who refuse to allow you to visit an elder alone

Signs of Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is a common form of mistreatment among caretakers and nursing home staff that cater to the elderly. Often, these individuals are taken advantage of because of their weakness or timidity, resulting in sexual confrontations that were not solicited or reciprocated.

• Unexplained genital infections or venereal diseases
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding or anal bleeding
• Bruises on the breasts or genitals
• Torn or bloody underclothing

The Domina Law Group Approach

At our law office, custom solutions are created for each client that we agree to represent in court. We are unwilling to settle for anything less than desirable results that yield positive outcomes for the victims of nursing home abuse and elder neglect. As such, we are committed to providing our clients with every opportunity for success, right down to the cost of obtaining our legal services. Domina Law Group works on contingency fees, which means that you won't be expected to pay anything unless we are successful in our ultimate goal to provide you with successful results for your case.

We urge victims of nursing home abuse, as well as their friends and families, to come forward with the issue and allow for the opportunity to halt such abusive behaviors. Under our legal counsel, we feel confident that the aggressive courtroom stance you need in order to make a lasting impression can be delivered satisfactorily. All of our documents are hand-crafted from scratch to ensure that they uniquely reflect the situation at hand. Our representation is designed to reflect the personal needs of your case, and our undivided attention is given to each and every elderly individual we represent. To learn more about the specifics of our legal service and how we may be able to apply our techniques to your case, do not hesitate to contact Domina Law Group today.

Nursing Home Abuse FAQ