Orland Park, Illinois Elder Abuse Lawyers

Attorneys in Orland Park for Cases Involving Physical, Sexual, or Financial Abuse of Seniors

Advocacy groups, government entities, and other people across the United States have recognized that elder abuse is a serious and growing problem as the country's population gets older. Elderly people who live in nursing homes are at risk of serious harm due to mistreatment. They may experience physical injuries that can affect their overall health, emotional trauma that can reduce their quality of life, and other forms of harm. Abuse is not limited to elderly people across all segments of society, regardless of where they live or their economic class. When abuse occurs because of nursing home negligence, families can take steps to address the harm suffered by their loved ones and make sure they will have the resources to provide for a person's ongoing needs.

At Schwartz Injury Law, we are proud to advocate on behalf of our society's most vulnerable individuals. We provide aggressive, responsible representation to those victims of elder abuse and their families. Our skilled, experienced elder abuse attorneys have obtained favorable results for many injury victims, and our success stories include many cases in which we have obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars or more for victims of nursing home negligence or medical malpractice. We can provide effective representation for families, working to uncover nursing home abuse, determine who was responsible, and make sure victims and families will be fully compensated for their losses.

Types of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can take place in many nursing facilities or assisted care centers. There are several different types of elder abuse, and many victims experience more than one of them. In many cases, the victim's age and health prevent him or her from speaking out against the abuse. Family members, friends, health care professionals, and caregivers may recognize the effects of abuse and take steps to prevent further harm. With the help of an attorney, a family can take steps to determine how abuse happened and the reasons a nursing home failed to protect a person's safety.

Elder abuse commonly includes, but is not limited to:

• Neglect: When nursing homes do not provide necessary care, medical treatment, or nourishment for an elderly person, the situation may be abusive. Hygiene issues or lack of supervision could lead to bedsores, infections, or other issues that may affect a person's health. Allowing the victim to live in dirty and dangerous conditions may constitute abuse.
• Physical Abuse: An abuser may push, punch, burn, scratch, choke, or cause other types of physical harm to an older person out of frustration or to "punish" the victim.
• Sexual Abuse: Contact of a sexual nature without an elder's consent is considered abuse. A person may sexually assault an elderly person who is too weak to resist or who is unlikely to inform others due to issues such as dementia. They may also engage in sexual exploitation, such as by forcing a person to disrobe in front of others and mocking or humiliating them. Sexual abuse may be committed by members of a nursing home's staff, including non-medical staff members who provide custodial services or other services, or it may be committed by other residents due to a lack of supervision by a nursing home.
• Exploitation: Taking advantage of an elderly person for financial gain is a type of elder abuse that may be perpetrated by staff members at nursing homes. Caregivers may steal from residents, or they may convince elderly people to give them access to their financial accounts or other assets. These issues can result in significant financial losses that could affect a person's ability to receive the proper care throughout the rest of their life.

At Schwartz Injury Law, we know that elder abuse is often a hidden problem. It takes place in private, and many victims are unwilling or unable to report the abuse to the proper authorities. This makes victims all the more vulnerable. We are committed to helping elder abuse victims and their families obtain the justice they deserve.

Contact Our Orland Park, IL Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

If you or an aging loved one has been the victim of abuse or exploitation, Schwartz Injury Law can help you determine what steps you can take to address this issue, stop the abuse, and hold a negligent facility responsible for failing to provide the proper protections. Contact our Orland Park nursing home abuse lawyers at 708-888-2160 to arrange your free consultation today.