Nursing home abuse is an upsetting and complex problem. If someone you love has been abused or neglected, you may feel helpless, frustrated, and angry. Experiencing this very personal indignity can be shocking. To fight back it helps to have someone that understands how the system works, and how to achieve a positive outcome.
Why You Should Hire a Lawyer
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The laws that provide protection from nursing home abuse are spread across federal and state laws and regulations. It can be challenging to understand your rights, let alone how to enforce them. Even reporting abuse in New Jersey is confusing. Do you call the police, Department of Health, state ombudsman, adult protective services or someone else? Your attorney can help you unravel all of this and determine the best path to follow in your case. Bear in mind, laws, and regulations are different in different states so if you’re from, for example, New Jersey, then you’ll want to find a local lawyer that understand the laws in your area. It’s all about where you’re from.
Nursing homes are owned by large corporations and protected by teams of corporate lawyers. They are usually for-profit institutions whose first goal is to make money. State and federal laws impose fines when there are violations and abuse of residents, but the truth is a $5000 fine means almost nothing to a corporation that runs five nursing homes and earns millions of dollars a year, so state penalties do not adequately protect residents.
If someone you love has been abused, he or she deserves justice – personal justice – not some state entity sending a bill for a small fine to the business office of a nursing home. An attorney can help you get that justice.
Why You Should File a Lawsuit
The only way for the person affected by nursing home abuse to be personally compensated is by filing a lawsuit against the nursing home and the employees who committed the abuse. Settlements for nursing home abuse in New Jersey range in size but are often several hundred thousand dollars. Money awards can be used to make the person who has been abused comfortable in the days ahead, or provide the estate with some recompense for the terrible treatment he or she received.
In addition to compensation for the injuries, mental and emotional distress, and horror of the situation, a lawsuit forces the nursing home to take responsibility for its actions (or lack of actions) and can go a long way towards obtaining closure to the situation for you and your loved one. A lawsuit may be the only way the case is ever resolved. You cannot rely on state employees to investigate your case and explore every avenue involved because they simply don’t have the time. Your attorney will ensure your case is thoroughly investigated, researched, and presented so that the nursing home has to face the consequences of what it has done.
What to Ask an Attorney
When looking for a New Jersey nursing home abuse lawyer to handle your New Jersey nursing home abuse case, seek out an attorney who has several years of experience handling this type of case. Schedule a free consultation with the attorney and ask questions such as:
- How many nursing home abuse cases have you handled?
- What kind of settlement or verdict do you anticipate in this case?
- Have you had any cases similar to this one?
This is also the time to ask questions about fees and retainers involving the case. Ask if this attorney will be personally handling your case and if not, who will. Find out how often you can expect to hear from the firm and how quickly phone calls and emails are returned. Ask what kind of evidence your attorney will be gathering and how long the case will take. Find out what you can do to help move the case along. It is critical that you hire an attorney you are comfortable with, who will handle the case in a way you agree with, so be sure to spend some time to determine if this is a person you trust.
We Are Here To Help
Hackensack New Jersey-based Howard Law LLP is your firm for nursing home abuse cases in New Jersey. Our skilled Bergen County-based nursing home abuse lawyers understand the nuances of these cases and are here to answer all of your questions and obtain the outcome you need. We offer free consultations, and all of our fees are paid out of your settlement or verdict, so it costs you nothing.
Just give us a call at 201-488-4644 or contact us using the form below.