It can be heartbreaking when the trust given to people who are taking care of elderly relatives is broken. Even though patients may not be physically abused, nursing homes that neglect patients by letting them go hungry or not properly tending to wounds can be charged with abusing their patients. If you’ve had a grandparent or parent who was abused in a nursing home, you need to seek help from an attorney.
Laws on Elder Abuse
By law in the state of Indiana, elder abuse may involve physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect such as improper care, financial exploitation, or psychological abuse. Nursing homes and/or the people working for them could be charged with crimes depending on the level of abuse of their elderly patients. You can also file a claim for compensation with nursing home abuse attorneys in Kendallville, Indiana.
Filing a Claim
When you are filing a claim with nursing home abuse attorneys, they will file it using medical malpractice law since most claims are going to be based on neglect. Negligence is the main basis for medical malpractice claims and by withholding care by not bathing patients, providing an improper diet, not feeding patients, or not tending wounds, the nursing home and/or its staff are being negligent.
Claim Limitations
When filing a medical malpractice claim, compensation is limited by law to $1,250,000. If an attorney from the Thomas Law Firm in Kendallville, Indiana is filing a claim for more than $15,000, then the claim must be filed with the medical malpractice review panel board before going to court. However, the claim also must be made within two years of the neglect.
Nursing home abuse attorneys can help you seek compensation for your loved one if he or she was neglected by the nursing home where he or she was a patient and criminal charges could be filed in some cases as well.
