The day that you realize your parent or grandparent needs more care than you can provide is never easy. Even worse is learning that your loved one has been harmed in the nursing home to which you entrusted their care.
If your family member was subjected to abuse, neglect, or any other form of preventable harm while living in an assisted living facility, Thomas Law Offices is here to help. We are passionate about serving residents of the Chicagoland area and beyond.
We know that you don’t take suspicions of physical, financial, sexual, or mental abuse lightly, and neither do we. A Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer is ready to speak with you at no cost. During that meeting, we’ll help you understand what options you have for reporting suspected nursing home abuse or taking legal action if there’s evidence to prove that mistreatment indeed occurred.
Pew Research Center data published in 2024 showed that there were 62 million people aged 65 and over residing in the United States. That number is expected to climb to 84 million by 2054.
Given how elderly adults make up a significant portion of our population and that population is only expected to grow over the next few decades, it’s important that we all understand the current state of nursing home abuse and neglect if we want to be able to protect our most vulnerable friends and family in the future.
Let’s look at both Illinois and other nationwide elder abuse statistics:
In descending order, the following eight types of abuse and neglect were the most reported to APS:
Victims are often subjected to more than one type of abuse at a time. For example, APS notes that those who face financial exploitation are also at a significantly higher risk for emotional abuse.
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Entrusting a nursing facility with the care of your loved one is not easy. But you’ve done your research, utilized the Medicare Care Compare Tool, toured facilities, and finally settled on the place you believe is best equipped to provide care and medical treatment. Your job doesn’t end there, though.
Nursing home abuse victims generally have limited options for getting the help they need. Family members often serve as the first line of defense in these situations. If you can identify and recognize some of the most common signs of nursing home abuse and neglect, you can be ready to step in when your loved one needs help the most.
If you notice any of the below signs of emotional, financial, sexual, or physical harm in your loved one, make a report right away.
Keep in mind that you know your loved one better than anyone else. Even if you can’t put your finger on what’s wrong, don’t be afraid to report suspected nursing home abuse—it could save their life.
Do not hesitate to file a report or contact a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer if you notice any of the following:
You have enough on your plate. Get a free case evaluation and clear answers from our experienced attorneys today — we’ll take it from here.
There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of your parent, grandparent, or other family member. If you suspect abuse is happening in their nursing home, we encourage you to take action now. Consider taking one or more of the following actions:
After you’ve made a report to one of the agencies we listed above, we encourage you to take the next step of meeting with a nursing home abuse lawyer in Chicago.
Even if you don’t intend to take legal action, we strongly believe that each and every family in Chicago has the right to know what their options are. Without this knowledge, you can’t make a fully informed decision about how to move forward.
Speaking of understanding your legal options, if you opt to file a civil lawsuit, you and your legal team will need to establish that negligence occurred. There are several steps in the process, such as:
In a personal injury lawsuit, several parties may be liable for the egregious actions against your loved one. They may include:
Your legal team will need to consider liability in cases of potential abuse at a nursing home. Whether the person acted alone or the nursing home facility covered up the abuse, the facts of the case will determine which parties are accountable in these claims.
If you would like to learn more about taking possible legal actions, make sure to contact us at Thomas Law Offices for a free case review.
Thomas Law Offices is a top-rated law firm serving the Chicago area. We have earned a reputation as being an uncompromising legal advocate for our clients. Since our clients always come first, you can expect your nursing home abuse lawyer to:
We take our role as attorneys seriously. As we investigate and collect evidence to prove nursing home abuse claims, we do so with as much compassion, sensitivity, and dedication as is needed.
We are a multi-state law firm with access to nationwide resources and a focus on helping at the local level. Our Chicago clients are important to us, and what they’re going through matters.
We are proud to have helped countless individuals and families seek justice for abuse and neglect that has occurred in Illinois nursing homes.
Below, you’ll find just a few examples of the successes our nursing home abuse attorneys have had:
Every nursing home resident in the state of Illinois deserves to live their final years with dignity, respect, and a sense of safety. Abuse, neglect, and exploitation in any form rob them of this right.
Whether your loved one was injured by medication errors or endured months of abuse, we’re here to help. If your loved one suffered mental harm, developed life-threatening injuries, or died because of the abusive and neglectful actions of a nursing home facility, you may have the right to pursue legal action on their behalf.
The legal team at Thomas Law Offices is prepared to provide you with unrivaled support and guidance throughout the entire process of holding a perpetrator of abuse, nursing home, and any other liable party responsible for their actions.
To speak with a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer at no cost to you or your family, fill out our online intake form or call our office. We’ll schedule you for a free consultation at a time and date that works best for you.
Whether you’re considering suing for abuse or filing a nursing home negligence lawsuit, you only have a limited amount of time to do so. The statute of limitations (meaning the legal time limit) to file this type of lawsuit is only two years.
If a family member suffered abuse, don’t wait to meet with a law firm. The sooner you learn about your rights, the sooner you’ll be able to make a decision about how to hold the nursing home responsible.
Financial abuse and exploitation is the most commonly reported type of elder abuse reported to Illinois’ Adult Protective Services. This type of abuse exploits the financial resources of older individuals, robbing them of their right to a stable future.
However, it is important to note that nursing home abuse is drastically underreported. According to the NCOA resource shared above, only one out of every 24 instances of abuse is ever reported.
Financial exploitation is often more recognizable by others, which may be why it gets reported more than other types of harm. This means that while it is the most reported, it might not actually be the most common.
On Medicare’s Find and Compare website, of the 220 nursing homes located in and within 25 miles of Chicago, very few have a 5-star rating—the highest score a facility can earn. Far more facilities have just one star.
And unfortunately, a nursing home resident can be subjected to emotional, sexual, financial, or physical abuse in any facility, whether it’s rated as five stars or just one. Elder abuse does not discriminate. Your loved one isn’t immune to mistreatment just because their nursing home has been highly rated by Medicare.
Securing the services of a knowledgeable and experienced attorney shouldn’t come down to your financial resources. That’s why the Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers at Thomas Law Offices believe so strongly in providing representation on a contingency fee basis.
This means that we don’t require any upfront payment from the clients that we work with. Instead, we operate on a “no win, no fee” basis. You only pay our legal fees as a small percentage of your overall award if we win your case for you.
As a law firm, this approach allows us to help people from all financial backgrounds and walks of life.
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