Tampa Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
If you suspect neglect or abuse by a caretaker, call us right away
Call 813-774-334 for a free consultation
Every year, hundreds of families across Tampa Bay, for countless reasons, must make a difficult decision: the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility. For many families, this is the only way to ensure that their loved one’s medical and day-to-day needs are met. The last thing that they expect is that their loved one is being abused or neglected. Unfortunately, there have been many instances of nursing home abuse throughout Tampa. This is where we can help.
When your loved one is abused or neglected at a Tampa nursing home, it can feel like an enormous betrayal—because it is. Under Florida law, residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities have a right to attentive and quality care.
At Darrigo & Diaz, we have been protecting the rights of personal injury victims for over 20 years. Our experienced team of Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys understand the stress and anxiety that you feel when a loved one has been the victim of abuse or negligence. We emphasize personal attention and service in all interactions with clients, taking the time to listen carefully and put your needs first. We are committed to using our skill, knowledge and resources to help you get the justice and compensation that you and your family deserve.
If you or a loved one have experienced abuse or neglect while under the care of a Tampa nursing home, call our Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys immediately. We will review your case for free and help you understand your legal options. Call 813-774-334 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Types of nursing home abuse in Tampa
There are many classifications of nursing home abuse, and they all vary in degrees of severity. However, nursing home abuse can be categorized into five main types.
Types of nursing home abuse in Tampa include:
- General neglect and failure to provide basic needs
- Physical abuse or violence
- Emotional, verbal and psychological abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse, monetary manipulation, or exploitation
General neglect
Neglect is different from abuse because it is usually the result of indifference, oversight, and carelessness. Abuse on the other hand, is a deliberate act of ill-intent.
Nursing home neglect can be committed in a number of ways:
- Leaving residents unsupervised for extended periods of time
- Allowing residents to go unbathed or unwashed for several days or even weeks
- Failing to provide the basic necessities, such as sufficient food and water
- Forgetting to administer medications
- Ignoring residents’ complaints about other staff, residents or visitors
- Not helping residents use the bathroom or failing to change residents who wear briefs or diapers
- Not reporting injuries or illnesses to medical staff, physicians, or family members in a timely manner
- Not engaging residents in physical activity or exercise to ensure a healthy lifestyle
Physical abuse
Unfortunately, physical abuse does occur in Tampa Bay nursing homes. Physical abuse is the intentional act of causing bodily injury or trauma to a resident. It can cause severe, long-term, or even life-threatening injuries. While physical abuse can be committed against anyone, residents with cognitive disorders or disabilities are more susceptible.
Physical abuse in Tampa Bay nursing homes can involve:
- Striking, hitting or slapping residents
- Punching, kicking or biting residents
- Restraining or confining residents with ties or other forms of restraint
- Using an object, such as a cane, to cause injury to residents
Emotional and verbal abuse
Emotional, verbal or psychological abuse at nursing homes occurs when staff, other residents, or even visitors say or do something that causes distress, fear and mental trauma to a resident.
Emotional abuse at nursing homes can involve:
- Name-calling
- Insulting a resident on their intelligence, appearance or capability
- Threatening to have a resident expelled or housed elsewhere
- Isolating residents from other residents or their family
- Controlling a resident’s use of phone, TV, transportation, or anything else they may want to use or access
Sexual abuse
Incidents of sexual abuse at Tampa Bay nursing homes have been reported in recent years. Sexual abuse is the intentional act of violating a resident in an unwanted sexual capacity. It can be committed through intercourse, oral intercourse, or through unsolicited touching, groping, or feeling.
Being sexually abused can cause physical harm and emotional and psychological distress. While this form of abuse can happen to any resident, it is more common against residents who are incapacitated, disabled, have memory problems, or are unable to knowingly give consent.
Financial abuse
Financial abuse can occur in Tampa Bay nursing homes and often takes the form of theft, stealing, or manipulation. In most cases, the person who is committing the financial abuse befriends a resident, gains his or her trust, and then takes advantage of the situation.
Financial abuse in Tampa nursing homes includes:
- Preventing residents from accessing their bank account of funds
- Stealing a resident’s financial documents, such as bank statements
- Stealing money or checks out of a resident’s wallet
- Stealing a resident’s personal belongings, such as a phone
- Forging documents on behalf of a resident
- Misusing of power of attorney
- Deceiving a resident into giving up control of their finances
Signs of nursing home neglect or abuse
Since there are many different types of nursing home abuse, the warning signs may not always be apparent.
- Frequent complaints from your loved one about the staff, facilities and processes
- Unexplained mood changes, such as irritation, anxiousness, or frustration
- Unexplained physical injuries, such as bruises, cuts, or bed sores
- Passive, withdrawn or emotionless behavior
- Confusion, disorientation, or hesitation to talk openly
- Drowsiness or sleepiness due to medication overdose
- Incontinence and/or skin irritation in the hip and groin area
- Loss of personal items, such as cell phone, TV or computer
- Loss of money, savings, or sudden changes in bank account activity
Whenever you visit with or talk to your loved one at a nursing home, it is important to pay attention to their demeanor. Take note of their physical well-being, personal hygiene and room condition. Examine their skin, especially on the back side of their body, to see if they have bedsores, bruises, inflammation, or welts. The best thing you can do to help your loved one receive compassionate and attentive care is listen to them and take all abuse complaints seriously.
Beyond Neglect: Nursing home abuse wrongful deaths
If nursing home staff fail to provide adequate care for a resident, the nursing home facility may be liable for a resident’s preventable death due to neglect or abuse. For example, a preventable fall that causes a patient’s death may be caused by negligent supervision and may be the basis of a wrongful death lawsuit. Nursing homes have a legal duty to protect residents’ welfare and safety.
The facility may be liable if a nursing home resident dies of neglect or is killed as a result of the intentional acts of another resident.
Each nursing home wrongful death case must be evaluated based on the specific facts involved. The family of a nursing home resident who died due to neglect or abuse may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the victim. Bringing a wrongful death lawsuit can focus needed attention on safety issues at a nursing home and prevent other residents from sustaining similar fatal injuries.
At Darrigo & Diaz, our Tampa personal injury attorneys have represented families in devastating wrongful death cases. We understand the challenges and complexities that these cases bring. We are able to handle the entire legal proceeding on your behalf, so you and your family can focus on healing.
If you believe your loved one has died as a result of nursing home negligence or abuse, contact our attorneys immediately at 813-774-334. We will guide you through the next steps.
Why hire our Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys?
Having a lawyer who specializes in personal injury is critical to your case. Not only does it signify to the nursing home or care facility that you will not tolerate their negligence and neglectful behavior, it also ensures you and your family receive justice and compensation for the pain and suffering you all endured.
At Darrigo & Diaz, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys have years of experience handling these types of cases. Below are a few examples of what we will do when you hire us to represent you and your family:
- We will review your loved one’s medical records and consult with medical specialists to determine the nature and cause of the injuries, both physical and emotional.
- We will interview witnesses who may have seen the abuse.
- We will interview residents, employees, and visitors to better understand the nursing home’s policies and patterns.
- We will recover photographic evidence and security videotapes if available.
- We will evaluate the nursing home’s business records to determine whether hiring and/or training practices are contributing to the abuse or neglect
- We will assess the economic and non-economic damages associated with the abuse to pursue fair compensation for your loved one.
- We will not charge you for anything if we don’t obtain a financial settlement on your behalf.
Reaching out to our Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys may be the best way to stop the cycle of abuse and help prevent it from happening to others. We offer free, no-obligation case evaluations both in-office and virtually. Call us today at 813-774-334 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
What can you be compensated for in a nursing home abuse lawsuit in Tampa?
Under Florida law, individuals who are abused or neglected while under the care of a nursing home or assisted living facility, may be entitled to compensation. Some of the potential damages that you can be compensated for in a nursing home abuse lawsuit in Tampa include:
- Medical expenses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Disability or disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
- Relocation expenses
If a loved one is unable to make a claim against a Tampa nursing home themselves, who can help?
If your loved one is unable to make an abuse claim against a Tampa nursing home or care facility, their legal guardian may be able to file a claim on their behalf. However, every case is different, so we strongly encourage you to speak with one of our experienced Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys in a free consultation to learn more about your options. We will review your case at no charge. You can contact us online here or call us at 813-774-334.
Contact our experienced Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys today
Call 813-774-334 to schedule your free consultation
At Darrigo & Diaz, we have two decades of experience handling nursing home abuse and neglect claims, including those that involve serious injuries and fatalities. We understand how devastating these situations are for families. All you want to do is protect your loved one and do right by them. Our Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys are here to help you achieve that.
Led by Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney Nadine Diaz, our firm has secured favorable outcomes for hundreds of clients in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas who have been wrongfully injured due to someone else’s negligence. In fact, we are an esteemed member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, demonstrating our capability to never back down from a fight.
If you or a loved one have experienced abuse or neglect while under the care of a Tampa nursing home, call our Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys immediately. We will review your case for free and help you understand your legal options. You can also take advantage of our remote services. As Tampa’s e-firm, we offer potential and existing clients the option to meet with us and hire us electronically, so you never have to visit our office.
Call 813-774-334 to learn more and schedule your complimentary consultation.