If you’ve noticed signs of abuse in your loved one, such as bruising, malnourishment, or depression, he or she may be suffering from nursing home abuse. There are laws and a Resident’s Bill of Rights enforced by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services designed to protect your family member’s best interests.
A Houston nursing home abuse lawyer may be able to help you stop the abuse and recover personal injury compensation for what your loved one has endured.
Contact Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law today at (713) 973-8888 or complete a free initial consultation form—it only takes a few minutes, and we’ll never share your personal information. ASK ABOUT OUR NO-FEE GUARANTEE.
Why Choose Us?
Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Protecting Your Loved Ones
Terry Bryant opened his own law firm in 1985. Ever since, he’s been helping people just like you deal with the challenges of personal injury claims. He has the knowledge necessary to help with your legal claims.
We’ve represented injured clients across Texas for nearly forty years. We’re proud to have recovered over a billion dollars in injury compensation. Our case results and client testimonials serve as a proven track record that Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law delivers the results that clients deserve.
Who Is Responsible for Nursing Home Abuse?
If your loved one has suffered from neglect or abuse as a nursing home resident, it must first be determined who among the staff is responsible. Individuals who can be responsible for nursing home abuse include:
- Nurses and caregivers
- Maintenance staff
- Other residents
- Visiting family members.
While your relative is in the care of a nursing home, the facility is responsible for all that happens to your loved one, regardless of who harms or abuses your relative.
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse
Know the Warning Signs
The following are a few examples of specific nursing home abuse situations. If you suspect your loved one is suffering from abuse at a nursing home, contact a seasoned Houston nursing home abuse lawyer.
Signs of physical abuse in nursing homes include:
- Abrasions, which may be injuries from being restrained by ropes or straps
- Internal injuries that may be identified by pain or malfunctioning organs
- Traumatic hair or tooth loss
- Sprains, broken bones, fractures, or dislocated joints.
Signs of emotional abuse in nursing homes include:
- Caregiver yelling, shouting, screaming, or threatening to harm the patient
- Talking to the patient like one would a child
- Embarrassing or making the patient feel guilty or upset in front of others
- Nonverbal isolating or prohibiting your relative from interacting with other residents
- Restricting access to food, water, or the bathroom.
Signs of sexual abuse in nursing homes include:
- Problems walking or sitting
- Torn, bloody, or stained underwear
- Bruises of the genitals or inner thigh
- Panic attacks, symptoms of agitation, or other signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social or emotional withdrawal from others
- Engaging in inappropriate or unusual sexual activities.
If you suspect your loved one is being abused in a Houston nursing home, you can protect them by calling a nursing home abuse lawyer right away.
Call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law today at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 for a free consultation with our compassionate Houston nursing home abuse lawyers.
Common Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
You should be concerned if your nursing home relative shows signs like:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, sprains, or fractures
- Bedsores
- Rapid weight gain or loss
- Sudden changes in normal behavior
- Being kept in an over-medicated state, or not having their pain managed effectively
- Lost or missing possessions
- Abruptly changing legal papers such as a will or financial documents.
Other clues may come from the facility’s nurses or staff members themselves:
- They don’t keep you and family members up-to-speed about your relative’s status.
- They give evasive, non-specific answers to direct questions about your family member.
- They cannot satisfactorily explain the marks or bruises on your loved one.
- You or your relative’s visiting friends are discouraged from visiting your relative.
- There are delays in allowing you to see your loved one on arrival.
- You are dissuaded from being alone with your family member.
If you notice these signs, it is critical to contact an experienced Houston nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible.
Documenting Evidence of Abuse
If you suspect your relative is being abused in a nursing home, follow these steps:
- Step One: Visit quietly with witnesses, such as other staff members, residents, or their guests.
- Step Two: Start keeping a detailed log which includes date and time, witnesses, perpetrator, and a description of what happened.
- Step Three: Enlist other family members to help gather facts.
- Step Four: Take photos and videos of any visible signs of abuse (torn clothes, bruises, dramatic weight loss, etc.).
- Step Five: Gather detailed financial and medical records to document all treatment (and the cost).
- Step Six: If you file any written complaints, keep copies (including written responses). Enter detailed descriptions of these events and any meetings with administrators, etc., in your log.
- Step Seven: Texas also allows you to install a hidden camera in your relative’s nursing home room (known as a “granny cam”). But ask your nursing home abuse attorney about some rules you must follow in order for the evidence to be legally admissible.
To recover injury compensation for nursing home abuse, your Houston nursing home abuse attorney will need evidence showing details of the abuse, how it happened, and how it impacted your loved one.
What You Need to Know About Nursing Home Abuse in Houston
From understanding why nursing home abuse happens to locating resources that can help, education is often the first step in recovering Houston nursing home abuse compensation.
Causes of Neglect
Most causes of nursing home abuse surround employee issues, including:
- Staffing shortages
- Lack of staff training and experience
- Underpaid caregivers
- Poor supervision, management, or accountability
- Personal issues involving individual caregivers.
Your Houston nursing home abuse lawyer can identify potential employee issues to build your case.
Nursing Home Resident Resources
Nursing home abuse is a crime. The following resources serve as a starting point for protecting your loved one and holding the negligent nursing home responsible:
While these resources are helpful, only a Houston nursing home abuse attorney can effectively assist you in recovering nursing home abuse compensation.
Statistics
Poor care in Texas nursing homes has consistently placed the state at or near the bottom of nearly all national rankings, including:
These statistics show that nursing home abuse is a serious problem in Texas, and anyone can be a victim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions clients have about recovering nursing home abuse compensation.
How do I prove nursing home abuse?
To prove nursing home abuse, collect proof and attend a consultation with a lawyer for further guidance.
How much nursing home abuse compensation can I recover?
Compensation is always unique and depends on factors like medical costs incurred by the abuse, as well as the extent of pain and suffering your loved one endured.
Do I need to hire a lawyer to recover nursing home abuse compensation?
Navigating the legal landscape of nursing home abuse can be complicated. Working with an experienced lawyer significantly increases your chances of recovering fair compensation.
How long do I have to contact a Houston nursing home abuse lawyer?
Texas law generally allows up to two years for filing a personal injury lawsuit, but you should involve a lawyer as soon as you become aware of the abuse. (*Always speak directly to an attorney to learn the exact deadlines that apply to your potential claims.)
How much does a Houston nursing home abuse lawyer cost?
At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, there’s no fee unless we win your case.
If you have additional questions, you are welcome to reach out to our firm for guidance.
Houston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Helping People Just Like You
Let our team of nursing home neglect lawyers help you today. A Houston nursing home abuse lawyer at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law has extensive knowledge of the evidence, procedure, and legal process surrounding personal injury claims. We know the system, and we know Texas.
Call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law today at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to speak with a seasoned Houston nursing home abuse attorney.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]
