Reporting Nursing Home Abuse in PA

シニアとヘルパーWhen you place your elderly loved ones into a nursing home, you are trusting the staff to give them the best care possible. Unfortunately, sometimes individuals take advantage of this situation. In many of these cases, the victims do not have the ability to share stories of the abuse with others so it goes unreported. With the help of criminal injury lawyers, you can make sure your loved one receives compensation for the emotional and physical trauma forced upon them.

In some cases, individuals other than the perpetrator may also be found liable for the abuse if they failed to prevent or report it.

Philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

A lawyer in this field needs to be able to describe and quantify emotional and physical damages that are needed for a civil lawsuit. If you or a loved one has been affected by nursing home neglect or abuse, it’s time to talk to a nursing home abuse lawyer.

In Pennsylvania, liability is based on case law which establishes a certain standard of care for professionals in nursing homes. The following case provides an example of how the legal system handled a recent elder abuse case:

In 2011, 82-year-old Pauline Cook was found dead in her room at an assisted-living facility at Park Pointe Village.  A nurse named Braquette Wykina Walton confessed to killing Cook in 2012 after she stole several checks from Cook, withdrawing $1,200. Cook notified staff about the fraud in November 2011 after finding checks made out to Walton. Walton was alerted of criminal accusations against her by another employee and later smothered Cook in her sleep, beating her and dragging her to a shower.

After Cook’s death, her daughter filed a civil suit against two employees of Park Point Village, including Walton’s supervisor and a chef employed with the community. The complaint states that the supervisor chose to take no immediate action against Walton, including preventing her from entering the premises, alerting staff or changing her work schedule.  The complaint alleged Park Pointe Village failed to protect Cook from “foreseeable criminal acts,” provide adequate security measures, and prevent Walton from gaining access to Cook. The case settled in the amount of $1.5 million.

Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home neglect is an unfortunate crime that happens way too often in Pennsylvania elderly care facilities.  In many cases, victims do not have the awareness to share that they have been neglected or abused. The attorneys at LUONGO BELLWOAR LLP can help victims receive monetary compensation for the emotional, mental, and physical injuries that result from many nursing home neglect cases.

Nursing Home Neglect Attorney in Philadelphia

In many professional settings, individuals other than the perpetrator are legally liable for abuse under Pennsylvania laws. In fact, any person or business acting through its employees who failed to report or prevent elder abuse may be considered a defendant.  This includes places such as…

If you suspect that a loved one has become a victim of neglect, it’s time to take action. A nursing home neglect attorney from LUONGO BELLWOAR LLP can help you get the settlement you and your loved one deserve.

Liability is based on case law in PA, which establishes the standard of care and liability for any of the following:

  • failing to report abuse
  • failing to prevent abuse
  • failing to protect the victim
  • failing to intervene
  • failing to have a policy in place regarding mandatory reporting of abuse
  • failing to train employees on policies regarding mandatory reporting of abuse
  • negligent supervision of employees and nursing home patients
  • hiding or concealing abuse
  • failing to conduct reasonable background checks on employees

Call LUONGO BELLWOAR LLP at 610-430-6600. During a consultation, a lawyer will evaluate your case, answer any questions you may have, and recommend the best course of action going forward.