An elder abuse attorney understands there is a borderline silent crisis in America today. The number of senior citizens coping with emotional damage and physical pain inflicted by those who are supposed to be providing care for them is staggering. A whopping one-in-three seniors living in a nursing home or residential facility are subject to some form of abuse.
An elder abuse attorney will help victims during the recovery process and make sure the guilty parties pay for the crimes. If you are interested in the services of an elder abuse attorney, use this page as a resource to get the help you need.
An Elder Abuse Attorney and Your Rights
When a nursing home accepts you as a resident, they enter a binding agreement to provide a certain level of comfort, safety and care. Too often, these facilities fail to live up to their promises and the services they provide are inadequate at best.
An elder abuse attorney knows that you are entitled to basic rights as a patient at a nursing home. Some of those rights include:
- The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
- The right to be properly nourished.
- The right to receive proper medical care when necessary.
- The right to be supervised when situations dictate.
- The right to sanitary living conditions.
- The right to help with daily functions.
- The right to receive assistance in exercising good hygiene habits.
If you are not receiving basic services or you feel that any of the above rights have been violated, you are the victim of abuse. In some cases, a crime is also being committed. An elder abuse attorney will protect your rights, make certain that the abuse is stopped and the abusers are brought to light.
How Will an Elder Abuse Attorney Fight For Me?
An elder abuse attorney will fight for you and on your behalf in a number of ways. If a nursing home, hospital or assisted living facility has failed to live up to their self-made expectations, an elder abuse attorney will work to ensure you receive the compensation you are rightly entitled to.
An elder abuse attorney understands that the costs that come with being the victim of abuse can be exceptional. A victim may need to shell out thousands of dollars for medical expenses for injuries incurred as a direct result of physical abuse. More money can be spent on psychological treatments to deal with the emotional impact. If a facility is responsible for the injuries and emotional scars, they need to be held responsible for the costs.
What are the Top Qualities of an Elder Abuse Attorney?
There are five top qualities of an elder abuse attorney that you should be on the lookout for:
- Analytical Skills
- Research Skills
- Perseverance
- Writing Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
Some other qualities you should consider when hiring an elder abuse attorney include their logical thinking ability, public speaking skills and creativity.
What to Expect From an Elder Abuse Attorney
There are certain things you can expect when you meet with an elder abuse attorney. An initial consultation is usually free and will last about a half-hour. From there, an elder abuse attorney will decide if there is enough evidence to proceed with a case. An elder abuse attorney is not only committed to you during the recovery process, but also to holding nursing homes and other facilities accountable for their practices and employees.