Los Angeles: Lawsuits Based on Nursing Home Neglect
We entrust nursing homes with the proper care of our elderly or disabled family members when they become unable to care for themselves. Many of these facilities are well run by kind and experienced health care staff.
However, when a nursing home staff neglects their residents — or if the staff actively abuse helpless residents — the effects of such horrific treatment extend far beyond the patient. Cases of nursing home neglect hurt the resident's family emotionally and can cause fear and distrust among other residents of the nursing home, assisted living residence or other elder care facility.
Signs of Neglect or Abuse: Look for malnutrition, dehydration, bed sores, unexplained bruises or broken bones, and unexplained and abrupt changes in mood.
Nursing home neglect and abuse are against the law. The person and facility can be held accountable for the injuries to the resident. Oftentimes, an individual nursing home neglect lawsuit can have broader effects on the facility — causing it to change the hiring or nursing practices that allowed the neglect or abuse to occur in the first place. In the most rewarding cases, a single successful nursing home neglect lawsuit may have an industry-wide effect on standard policies and procedures.
Forceful Pursuit of Justice in Nursing Home Neglect Cases
Pursuing justice in nursing home neglect cases requires tenacity, good judgment and superior investigative skills. For nursing home residents or family members in Los Angeles, the Law Offices of Laurence R. Clarke will assess potential cases of nursing home neglect or abuse. We will clearly describe the types of proof necessary to bring a viable case, give our opinion about the strength of the case and explain the family's legal options.
Our law firm was founded in 1995 by AV-rated litigation attorney Laurence R. Clarke, a seasoned Southern California trial lawyer with more than 35 years' experience to his name. Under Mr. Clarke's leadership, our firm's law practice focuses on cases that require strong litigation skills - or cases that benefit from representation by a lawyer with extensive alternative dispute resolution experience.
Analyzing Legal Responsibility and Obtaining Medical Proof
In elder abuse cases, the law requires proof that the nursing home's negligence or active misconduct caused the resident's injuries. In nursing home neglect cases, it can be difficult to unravel the corporate relationships among the facility owner, the subcontractor that may run the facility, and the staff who work as independent contractors. As an experienced litigation law firm, we know how to analyze corporate relationships to make sure all responsible parties are named in the lawsuit.
The second critical phase of an elder abuse lawsuit is proving that specific negligent actions caused the injuries or untimely death. Our law firm works with a nationwide network of medical experts who are able to analyze all available medical records to develop unimpeachable medical opinions.
Contact the Law Offices of Laurence R. Clarke
Any person who has questions about nursing home neglect may contact our law firm for a complimentary and private consultation by phone or in person. We can discuss suspicions of nursing home neglect with nursing home residents, concerned staff at long-term care facilities, or family members. Call 800-976-9913 or send an e-mail to make an appointment.
