Chicago Nursing Home Negligence and Elder Abuse Attorney

An article published in Chicago Sun-Times revealed that over one in four cases of possible physical and sexual abuse against patients in a nursing home went unreported to law enforcement authorities. Nursing home abuse and injury are unfortunately prevalent in Illinois, with more confirmed cases than in large states, such as California and Texas.

If you believe that your family member is experiencing neglect or mistreatment in a residential facility, bring this matter to a qualified nursing home injury lawyer as soon as possible. It allows you and your loved one to receive fair compensation for the negligence caused by the nursing staff. In these situations, the Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys at Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC can help. Call us today at (312) 586-1700.

Why Choose Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

Our attorneys bring decades of experience to your case. We have helped hundreds of clients seek justice from negligent individuals and entities alike.
We dedicate ourselves to achieving the best possible outcome for our clients. Our firm has recovered over $400 million in settlements and record-breaking jury verdicts.
Our firm represents individuals, not corporations. We will not hesitate to bring your loved one’s case to court if necessary, doing our part to prevent the facility from harming another elder.

Meet Our Attorneys

The Chicago Law firm of Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC, was proudly founded by four very successful and established lawyers. That statement is not rhetoric, but a fact earned by years of diligently working in the field of personal injury law representing victims of negligence. Together we bring over decades of experience in handling medical and nursing home negligence cases.

“I had a great experience with Mr. Sean Murray along with his team. Everyone I interacted with was very helpful and answered any questions that I had. They were great through the entire process and won me more than I thought possible. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for legal counsel. Thank you again to Sean Murray and his team!”

-Jesse S

Signs of Abuse and Neglect in a Nursing Home

Family members of residents should approach a caring nursing home attorney right away when they notice these signs of problems:

Falls – According to the Nursing Home Care Reform Act of 1987, residential facilities should have adequate care and oversight to prevent falls. Staff members, for instance, should aid clients with movement, as needed. Falls are a strong indication of neglect.
Bedsores – Proper care, such as repositioning and turning individuals with limited mobility, can prevent these skin problems. These issues may be a sign of neglect, as it indicates that the patient is staying stationary for far too long.
Unexplained Bruises or Fractures – Family members of residents should be wary when they hear patient injuries supported with unclear explanations or no medical diagnosis.
Rapid Weight Loss – Nursing home residents should be able to maintain their weight if they are enrolled under a proper care plan. A rapid drop in weight could signal an improper balance of treatment and medication or withholding of food. It could also point to a lack of staff. When nursing homes reduce employees, it can affect the ability of patients to receive water and food promptly.
Fear or Avoidance of Nursing Home Staff – Residents may have experienced physical, sexual, or verbal abuse if they refuse to look at or speak with any staff member. Additionally, they may express fear in their eyes when a specific nurse or doctor enters the room.
Changes in Sociability – Isolation is a major indication that something is amiss. Patients sometimes communicate abuse or neglect in the form of silence, reluctance, or emotional withdrawal.
Changes in Consciousness – Nursing home employees sometimes turn to chemical restraints to make their day-to-day interactions easier with patients. One indicator of this is a change in the resident’s mental status. The patient may be in a coma, stupor, or confusion without any logical reason.
New Diagnosis of a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) – Chlamydia, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and other STDs discovered in nursing home patients might point to either a lack of supervision or sexual abuse

Handling Nursing Home Abuse and Injury Cases

An experienced nursing home attorney can take on a variety of personal injury cases to hold negligent or abusive staff members responsible for their actions (or inaction). These cases include:

Bedsores – Failing to turn and clean residents can result in painful and potentially deadly bedsores.
Falls – Nursing homes often fail to provide or respond to bed alarms and provide assistance when residents are walking resulting in falls and severe injuries.
Choking – The lack of supervision is a primary reason residents suffer from choking situations. These events are preventable with appropriate care.
Malnutrition – With proper supervision, patients in a residential care facility should not suffer malnourishment. The lack of nutrition is a deadly health condition that puts a person at a higher risk of developing other illnesses or injuries.
Wrongful Care – Any form of inappropriate care that results in injury or illness may be grounds for a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
Medication Errors – Mistakes in medication intake, such as under dose and overdose, can lead to life-threatening situations.

Legal Options for Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Victims

If you or a loved one has faced nursing home abuse, you are not alone. According to data from the National Council on Aging, as many as five million elders in the United States face some type of abuse each year. Under Illinois law, you have the right to file a complaint or a lawsuit against the individual and/or facility responsible for the mistreatment.

First, you can report the abuse and file a formal complaint with the Illinois Department of Health. This Department regulates nursing homes in Illinois and operates a 24-hour hotline for reporting a complaint. You can file this complaint by calling (800) 252-4343. The Department will then investigate the complaint and take the appropriate actions to prevent further harm.

If negligence plays a role in nursing home abuse, you can also file a lawsuit against the responsible parties in civil court. Some examples of situations that rise to the level of negligence include:

The nursing home failed to maintain safe premises and protect residents from hazards, such as wet floors or broken stairs.
The nursing home hired an employee who later abuses or harms a patient.
The nursing home failed to provide adequate training or maintain adequate supervision of their employees.
The nursing home failed to provide adequate supervision to nursing home residents.
The nursing home failed to provide adequate medical treatment to a resident for his or her injuries or illnesses. The facility has a duty to uphold the accepted medical standard of care.
The nursing home enabled or facilitated the neglect of a resident, leading to physical and emotional trauma.
The nursing home failed to maintain clean and healthy premises, leading to dangerous illnesses and unsanitary conditions.

Why Turn to Us for Nursing Home Abuse

Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC, a nursing home law firm in Chicago, provides legal assistance and representation to abused or neglected residential facility patients. Our experienced personal injury attorneys help clients make informed decisions about their legal rights. You can count on us to hold nursing home providers legally responsible for delivering substandard care.

Hiring a lawyer to represent you and your family can provide several benefits to your case, including the following.

Nursing home abuse is a highly emotional situation. Your attorney will provide valuable support throughout the process and will handle every aspect of the claim on your behalf, allowing your family to focus on healing.
You may not know what your legal rights and options are when it comes to nursing home negligence. Your lawyer will have handled many claims similar to yours and will advise you and your loved ones on the optimal path to recovery.
To ensure that you or your loved one is able to recover from the abuse, you need to know which damages you qualify for. Your attorney will have the resources and knowledge necessary to calculate an estimated settlement amount on your behalf, helping you avoid insufficient offers.
Proving a nursing home abuse claim requires a significant amount of evidence and intensive investigations. Your lawyer will conduct an immediate investigation into your case and collect valuable evidence before it is altered or destroyed. He or she will then use this evidence to craft a compelling case in you or your loved one’s favor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why should I hire a nursing home injury attorney?

Nursing home facilities, which are operated by large companies, usually won’t bother with small, individual complaints. A skilled nursing home abuse lawyer can cut through the bureaucracy that stops you from helping your loved one.

How much is my lawsuit worth?

The answer depends on a variety of factors, including:

Related present and future medical costs
Types of injuries sustained
Type and duration of abuse

Is it possible to settle an abuse case outside of court?

Many nursing home providers are open to settling abuse and neglect cases without taking the case to court.

What if the nursing home provider does not agree to a settlement?

Our aggressive lawyers will not hesitate to bring your case to a jury. You can count on us to fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.

I don’t want my loved one to stay in an abusive nursing home environment. How do I remove him or her from that residential facility?

You should make alternative care arrangements before taking your family member out of a nursing home. A few options you can consider are hiring a live-in nurse, finding a home-health service, or transferring the resident to a more caring nursing facility.

Contact one of our nursing home abuse attorneys at (312) 586-1700 to schedule a free consultation.

Free Consultation

If you or someone you know needs help, it will cost you nothing to discuss your injury case with an attorney. Give us a call anytime or contact us via the form below.