Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse Attorney in Lafayette

Every year, Lake Charles families are faced with difficult decisions: whether or not to place their elderly or infirm loved ones in a nursing home, residential care facility, or assisted living facility. When a family is unable to care for a loved one who’s unable to care for themselves, a 24-hour care facility is really the only option. Families hope and trust the nursing home they choose is both safe for the patient and offers excellent round-the-clock care.

In most cases, these facilities provide excellent care to their resident patients, but tragically, nursing home abuse is all too common in Louisiana. Poorly trained medical staff, lack of attention, and other causes can lead to nursing home neglect and abuse. The elderly might have trouble communicating their needs and wants clearly, which means the staff must be appropriately trained to anticipate their needs.

If you believe that your loved one is suffering nursing home abuse or neglect, call a nursing home neglect attorney with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys at 337.888.8888 or fill out our easy-to-use online form below. We can help you recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries.

What Are the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?

Whenever you visit an aged or infirm family member in their nursing home, look out for the common signs of nursing home abuse. Some patients can advocate for themselves, but the most vulnerable are those who can’t verbally express themselves. The following signs can be an indication that your loved one is being abused or neglected:

• Unexplained injuries such as bleeding, scrapes, or bruises
• Depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues
• A sudden loss of appetite
• A sudden loss of mobility
• Symptoms of malnutrition or dehydration
• Unsanitary living conditions
• Poor personal hygiene
• Sudden financial issues
• Changes in legal documentation including power of attorney or their will

Liability for Nursing Home Neglect

When people become injured in a nursing home, anyone who contributed to those injuries or death may be held liable. Parties in a nursing home abuse lawsuit can include staff, medical care providers, or the nursing home itself.

Nursing Home Staff

Workers at a nursing home can be held liable for your loved one’s injuries when they neglect to uphold their duty of care to the patient. Liable nursing home employees can include any of

• Doctors and physician’s assistants
• Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, or certified nursing assistants
• Contracted vendors and care providers
• Custodians, groundskeepers, and maintenance staff

The Nursing Home Itself

If a nursing home resident suffers injury or abuse, the assisted living care facility or nursing home itself may be held liable. If your loved one suffered harm as a result of the following, call a nursing home abuse lawyer to discuss your case:

• Failing to provide food, water, or other necessities
• Errors in medication
• Failure to provide proper medical care
• Failing to provide proper security
• Negligence in hiring and retention of nursing home staff
• Failure to perform background checks or verify staff qualifications
• Negligence in the training of staff members and caregivers
• Negligence in equipment maintenance
• Negligence in staff monitoring
• Intentional resident abuse
• Unnecessary physical restraint

If the nursing home failed to care for your loved one, they can be held liable for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. The Lake Charles injury attorneys with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have over 679+ years of combined legal experience handling nursing home abuse and neglect cases, and we can help your family too.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse in Louisiana

Tragically, nursing home residents can suffer multiple types of abuse and neglect, including

• Physical abuse such as battery, assault, force-feeding, excessive restraint use, and over-medication
• Emotional abuse including threats, isolation, insults, manipulation, or gaslighting
• Sexual abuse from a staff member, visitor, stranger, family member, or another resident
• Financial abuse involving changes in a patient’s will, power of attorney, or other legal documents
• Neglect, such as failing to help the patient with their hygiene, repair unsanitary living conditions, or provide them with food, water, proper medical equipment, or proper care

Statute of Limitation Changes in Louisiana

In 2024, Louisiana law extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.

• 1 year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
• 2 years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.

The statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a time frame for filing a lawsuit. In Louisiana, this is known as the “prescriptive period,” which determines how long you have to take legal action against the responsible party after an injury occurs.

Reporting Louisiana Elder Abuse

Louisiana law requires anyone—including family, visitors, and staff—who suspects elder abuse or nursing home neglect to report it to Elderly Protective Services as soon as possible. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor that can carry a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail.

If you suspect your loved one of nursing home abuse or neglect, you have an opportunity beyond what the law provides to collect compensation for their injuries.

Call the nursing home neglect lawyers with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys at 337.888.8888 as soon as possible to begin the process of recovering compensation for your loved one’s injuries. Our Lake Charles personal injury attorneys have helped our clients recover over $3 Billion in compensation. Call us today to begin your path to healing.