Boonsboro Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Attorney for Nursing Home Abuse Victims in Boonsboro, Maryland

Our elders are some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and many of them are unable to live on their own, leaving them dependent on nursing homes to have their daily needs addressed. Nursing home abuse can be a horrific thing to imagine, but at the same time, we cannot shut our eyes to avoid facing the problem.

If you suspect your elderly loved one is being abused or neglected in the care of a nursing home in Maryland, a Boonsboro personal injury lawyer can help you take immediate action by filing a claim for damages. Attorney Andrew Serafini of Serafini Law has over a decade of experience in personal injury, with a long history of securing optimal results for his clients. In one such case, he acted as co-counsel for a claim of nursing home negligence that ended with an $850,000 verdict awarded to the plaintiff.

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

When visiting your loved ones in a nursing home, identifying abuse can be difficult as the staff may be on their "best behavior" in the presence of family members. However, you should keep watch for warning signs of negligent care for your loved ones, including:

• Unexplained bruises, lacerations, or fractures that may indicate physical abuse by the staff.
• Weight loss, lack of medication, or untreated illnesses that may indicate neglect by the staff. Bedsores are often a sign that an elderly resident is not being adequately cared for by the staff.

These subtle signs can be indicative of widescale negligence at the nursing home. Sometimes, these facilities may not have the resources or staff to take care of all of their residents, leading to neglect. In other cases, employers at a nursing home may not properly vet all of their new hires, leading to the mistreatment of the elderly people in their care.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

Filing an injury claim against a nursing home can be fraught with difficulty. To build a successful case, you will need to have a thorough understanding of Maryland law, which you may not have the time or resources to learn. A personal injury attorney can support your case with strong legal acumen, keeping you and your elderly loved one informed of your rights throughout the claim. Several of these rights are outlined by the Maryland Health Care Commission as provisions that nursing homes must uphold. These provisions include:

• Ombudsman Program: The right for elderly residents in a nursing home to advocate for themselves and make their grievances known, in the interest of transparency and accountability.
• Patient Bill of Rights: The rights of elderly residents in a nursing home to privacy, respectful treatment, and agency in their own healthcare decisions.
• Quality standards of care: A strict set of requirements that nursing facilities must follow to ensure that their wards are properly taken care of, with respect to nutrition, healthcare, and fostering a stable environment.

A personal injury attorney will make sure that these provisions are not overlooked in a claim for damages, holding the nursing home accountable for any failure in a duty of care.

Meet With a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Boonsboro, Maryland

If your elderly loved one has suffered from abuse or neglect in the care of a nursing home, you have a right to hold the staff and facility accountable. By taking legal action, you can not only secure the compensation your loved one deserves, but also defend other vulnerable residents from mistreatment by the negligent staff. To schedule a free initial consultation with a Boonsboro attorney, call Serafini Law at 240-744-1600 or contact us online today.