If you believe your aging loved one may have been a victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home or other care facility in Lakeland, elsewhere in Polk County, or in the greater Tampa Bay area, we can help. A Lakeland nursing home abuse lawyer from Distasio Law Firm can provide a free case review.
At Distasio Law Firm, we want to learn more about your loved one and their situation. Our dedicated Lakeland personal injury lawyers may be able to help you pursue compensation and hold the nursing home staff, administrators, and/or the facility itself liable on behalf of your aging family member.
Lakeland Nursing Home Abuse Occurs in Many Different Ways
Florida Statute § 415.102 outlines some of the many types of elder abuse that may occur when a caregiver willfully causes harm to a vulnerable adult or fails to provide them with the “care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the physical and mental health of the vulnerable adult.”
This law defines nursing home neglect as a failure to provide a vulnerable adult with their basic needs, which could include:
- Food
- Adequate clothing
- Necessary medicine
- Shelter
- Necessary supervision
- Medical care and monitoring, when needed
Neglect is the only type of abuse that does not always occur on purpose. Sometimes nurses and other caregivers are not able to provide necessary care because of the limits placed on them by the facility administration, such as understaffing or overcrowding.
Other types of nursing home abuse also occur. This abuse can include:
- Physical abuse
- Psychological and emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse or financial exploitation
For a free legal consultation with a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer serving Lakeland, call (813) 259 0022
Nursing Home Residents in Florida Have Protected Rights
Under Florida law, all residents in nursing homes, assisted living homes, rehabilitation centers, or other long-term care facilities have certain rights. These rights are outlined for nursing home residents in Florida law 400.022 and for assisted living facility (ALF) residents in Florida Statute § 429.28.
If you have suspicions about elder abuse in a nursing facility but are not sure if the evidence you see qualifies, do not hesitate to reach out to us. Some types of abuse, especially emotional abuse, are difficult to prove. A Lakeland nursing home abuse attorney from our firm can build a strong case and can help you understand if you are witnessing possible signs of abuse.
Lakeland Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Near Me (813) 259 0022
Skilled Nursing Facility Vs. Nursing Homes
We understand the important differences in litigating abuse cases involving skilled nursing facilities and standard nursing homes. Skilled nursing facilities involve intensive acute care for patients who have undergone serious surgery or sustained a serious injury.
Nursing homes, in contrast, are more tailored towards older populations with normal functioning. In either case, both nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities have a standard of care professionals must follow.
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Recoverable Damages in a Lakeland Nursing Home Abuse Case
The most important part of our efforts to recover compensation for our clients is documenting the injuries, losses, and expenses they incurred as a result of the abuse they endured. If we do not undertake this step, we will not understand the potential value of the case or the types of damages they suffered.
Once we identify and document as many of your expenses and losses as possible, we will be able to put a more accurate value on your case and fight for a fair settlement or court award.
Compensatory damages in a nursing home abuse case may include:
- Medical treatment and other expenses related to necessary medical care
- The cost of moving to a new facility
- Property damages, if applicable
- Replacing missing or stolen items, including money
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma from injuries and mental abuse
- Decreased quality of life due to physical injury
- Punitive damages to punish offenders
In some cases, elder mistreatment may be so severe that the senior passes away as a result. If you lost a member of your immediate family because of injuries sustained from nursing home abuse or neglect, an experienced lawyer from our firm in Lakeland can help you understand your options for holding the nursing home leadership liable by pursuing wrongful death damages.
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We Could Hold Nursing Home Administrators Liable for Your Loved One’s Injuries
Firm founder Scott Distasio is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer who has spent over three decades handling personal injury law. In fact, he spent much of that time defending against injury claims. This knowledge from the other side of the table helps us build robust claims to win the compensation you need and deserve.
Let a proactive Lakeland elder abuse and neglect lawyer identify all possible liable parties and go to work building a case against them. You can expect us to gather evidence and medical records that prove:
- Negligence and liability against the abuser and/or nursing home administrators
- The nature and severity of your loved one’s injuries
- The economic and noneconomic damages your loved one suffered
As a part of providing you and your family with the personal service you deserve, you can also expect regular communication about the status of your case. If you have questions between our updates, you can always reach out to us and get a prompt reply from a team member who is familiar with your case.
You Only Have Two Years to Take Legal Action Under Florida’s Statute of Limitations
Florida Law 400.0236 and Florida law § 429.296 set a two-year statute of limitations on filing a civil lawsuit for most nursing home and ALF abuse and neglect cases. It is imperative that we pursue legal action in your loved one’s case before this deadline arrives.
If we do not file a personal injury lawsuit by this date, your family member could lose the right to hold nursing homes and other liable parties responsible for their injuries, expenses, losses, or wrongful death.
Talk to a Lakeland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney
Distasio Law Firm can help you pursue compensation on behalf of a loved one who became the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Lakeland, Florida. We offer free case reviews, and your family never pays our attorney any fees unless we recover a payout on your behalf.
Call now for a complimentary case review with a Lakeland nursing home abuse lawyer to discuss your legal rights. and our legal services.
Call or text (813) 259 0022 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form