In one of the most comprehensive and well-researched studies on Georgia nursing home neglect, researchers discovered a disturbing fact. Almost half of all residents in nursing facilities in Georgia (44%) admitted that they’d been abused by staff.

This is unacceptable and illegal. If you or your family has experienced abuse, neglect, or serious mistreatment in a Georgia nursing home facility, then you could have legal recourse. The right Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer can help you unpack your options and rights based on the unique facts surrounding your case.

Here at Kermani LLP, our team of tried and trusted elderly abuse lawyers are prepared to fight for your family. While no amount of money can change what happened, it can help you overcome the losses you’ve experienced as a result of the incident. Find out more about nursing home abuse and how our team can help you file a claim below.

Signs and Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse

If you have a loved one who is a resident of a GA nursing home, then it’s important to become familiar with potential warning signs of neglect and abuse. Often, residents may not feel comfortable communicating mistreatment by staff, considering they’re dependent on those same individuals to maintain their quality of life. Even worse, some residents might not recognize they’re being mistreated at all.

Here are the most common signs of neglect and abuse in nursing home residents that you need to be aware of:

• Unexplained injuries.
• Sudden changes in personality or behavior (fear, anxiety, depression, isolation).
• Unexplainable medical conditions (STDs, bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition).
• Poor hygiene.
• Unsanitary living conditions.
• Sudden bank account withdrawals, changes in wills, or unexplained luxury purchases.

If you notice these signs or other red flags of elder abuse, then it’s necessary to prioritize your loved one’s safety. If the situation is an emergency, then contact the proper authorities and work to remove your loved one from the facility immediately. Otherwise, you may need to report the abusive staff member or prompt an investigation into the facility by reporting it to the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at (800) 878-6442.

Legal Rights of Nursing Home Residents in Georgia

The federal Nursing Home Reform Act sets forth specific standards of care expected for nursing homes. It also outlines a resident’s rights, including the right to be free from abuse, neglect, and physical restraints.

Georgia state also has specific rules and regulations that dictate the state’s standard of care for nursing homes. In 2020, Governor Kemp also signed House Bill 987, which established even greater protection for residents in nursing homes or other types of long-term care facilities.

These various laws and regulations all exist to help support the rights of injured residents. When a breach in these standards of care occurs, residents and their families have the right to seek recourse through a civil lawsuit. You can lean on these established laws to prove that the facility was acting outside of the reasonable standard of care expected of them.

What Compensation Can You Expect in Nursing Home Injury Claims in GA?

In nursing home injury claims, you can receive compensation that’s equal to the value of the losses you and your loved one suffered due to the negligence of the nursing home staff or facility. The average settlement is typically worth tens of thousands of dollars since it covers losses like medical bills, relocation expenses, pain and suffering, and more.

In one recent case, the family of Lucille Debose was awarded $6M after she passed away in a nursing home after suffering from an untreated pressure wound. Known staffing issues resulted in substandard care, with staff admitting they often didn’t have time to give residents showers. Staff would also falsify records to hide their abuse.

In another case, the family of Betty Perloe was awarded $2.5M after the 92-year-old passed away in an assisted living facility after sustaining body-wide fire ant bites due to an infestation in her room. The fire ant infestation had been reported to staff before Perloe was bitten repeatedly for days, but they were never eradicated. At least $1M of the award was for the suffering, and another $1M was awarded in punitive damages against the facility.

How Our Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help You

Securing the right Atlanta nursing home lawyer will take some diligence since you’ll want to make sure the attorney you work with has the right knowledge, experience, and skill set to help you succeed.

A Georgia nursing home abuse lawyer from our team can help you by leveraging our knowledge of the law to your advantage.

Here at Kermani LLP, our team is committed to ensuring justice is served for your loved one. We’ll thoroughly investigate what happened, meticulously document all your losses, accurately value your claim, and aggressively negotiate with the other party to secure your compensation. Our team has been working together since 2011, so you can rest assured knowing that we’re confident in what we do.

Our Experience in Nursing Home Abuse Cases

In the best-case scenario, we’ll resolve your situation before it ever goes to court. The way our team operates is to build up the best possible court-ready claim possible before officially filing it. This strategy limits the other party’s ability to refute or minimize your claims, and it makes them more likely to offer a reasonable settlement.

That said, we’re ready to go to court if we think you’re entitled to more than what the other party is offering. In one of our landmark personal injury cases in Georgia, we were able to secure a $7M verdict for our client.

Contact Kermani LLP – Your Trusted Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Experiencing neglect or abuse at the hands of nursing home staff is unacceptable. Nursing homes and nursing home staff have a specific legal duty to uphold the care and safety of residents, and a failure to do that is considered a serious breach of duty.

In these situations, you can file a claim for compensation against the negligent party. Hiring the right Atlanta nursing home abuse attorney will help you recover the money your family needs to pay off medical bills, relocation expenses, and lost wages you’ve incurred as a result of the incident. You might also be entitled to compensation for pain and distress.

Here at Kermani LLP, our team has been pursuing justice for injured clients for over a decade. We’re ready to fight for you, too. Contact us now by leaving your contact details on our online form or calling our Atlanta office directly at (678) 202-0494.