You can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. Maybe your mom has bruises no one can explain. Maybe your dad suddenly seems quiet, afraid, or confused. Maybe every time you visit, you notice things that make you uneasy soiled clothes, unanswered call lights, or staff that always seem rushed or annoyed.
You’ve asked questions, but the answers don’t add up.
If you’re here, it’s because deep down, you’re worried your loved one isn’t safe. And that thought is unbearable.
You’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure this out by yourself.
Nursing home abuse and neglect happen far too often. Families put their trust in these facilities, only to discover their loved ones are being ignored, mistreated, or worse. It’s heartbreaking and completely unacceptable.
Our Burbank nursing home abuse lawyers and Burbank personal injury lawyers help families like yours get answers, hold nursing homes accountable, and make sure this never happens again. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts.
Let’s talk. Your family deserves to be safe. Call us for a free, confidential consultation.
What is Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect?
Nursing home abuse and neglect may seem like the same thing, but they’re not. Abuse is intentional harm physical, emotional, financial, or even sexual. It happens when a caregiver mistreats a resident, whether through hitting, yelling, or taking their money. Neglect, on the other hand, is about what isn’t happening. It’s when a facility fails to provide adequate care not giving proper food, failing to turn bedridden residents to prevent bed sores, or ignoring basic hygiene needs like changing bed sheets and assisting with daily activities.
Both are serious. Both cause suffering. And both need to be stopped.
Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Abuse in a nursing home facility can take many forms. The most visible is physical abuse bruises, broken bones, or even head injuries caused by rough handling or outright violence. But abuse isn’t always physical. Emotional abuse can leave deep scars, too residents being belittled, yelled at, or ignored when they ask for help.
There’s also financial abuse, where staff take advantage of elderly residents, stealing from their accounts, pressuring them to sign over property, or misusing their client money. Sexual abuse though harder to talk about is a real and horrifying risk in some assisted living facilities.
And then there’s neglect, where residents don’t get the basic care they need. Lack of proper hygiene, malnutrition, and untreated infections can lead to serious health issues, even death.
Common Causes & Risk Factors
Many nursing homes are neglectful facilities because they don’t have enough staff. Inadequate staff leads to rushed care, ignored residents, and poor hygiene conditions. Sometimes, staff members are poorly trained or lack experience, meaning they don’t recognize the common signs of declining health or mistreatment.
In some cases, nursing home owners put profit over people, cutting corners on care while charging families a fortune. Other times, negligent nursing staff fail to report abuse when they see it, allowing harm to continue.
Families trust these care facilities to provide comfort and dignity. But when nursing homes fail, the consequences are severe and that’s when legal action is needed.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
Physical, Emotional, and Financial Indicators
Some signs of neglect and abuse are obvious unexplained injuries, bruises, or pressure ulcers that shouldn’t be there. Others are more subtle. A resident who suddenly becomes quiet, withdrawn, or fearful might be experiencing emotional distress.
Financial abuse is even trickier to spot. Families may only notice missing client money, unauthorized transactions, or unexplained changes in wills or legal documents long after the damage is done.
Subtle Signs That Families Often Miss
Not all abuse leaves marks. If your loved one stops participating in social activities, seems depressed, or suddenly loses weight, those can be red flags. A dirty room, unchanged bed sheets, or a strong odor of urine or feces can be signs of poor care.
The biggest red flag? When staff members avoid answering questions or don’t give clear explanations for a resident’s injuries or behavior changes. If something feels off, trust your instincts.
The Importance of Timely Intervention
Waiting too long to act can be dangerous. Residents in long-term care facilities are often vulnerable, and future abuse can be prevented if action is taken early. The moment you suspect abuse, speak up. Document what you see, ask questions, and get legal advice.
California Nursing Home Abuse Laws & Resident Rights
California has strong protections for elderly victims of abuse. The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act gives residents the right to fair compensation if they suffer harm due to nursing home staff members failing to provide proper care. It allows victims to seek punitive damages against negligent parties and even press criminal charges in serious cases.
Federal vs. State Regulations: What Families Should Know
Federal law requires nursing facilities to follow strict standards of care, but California goes further. State laws demand adequate staff levels, clear duties of care, and immediate reporting of any form of mistreatment.
If a nursing home fails to meet these legal responsibilities, they can be held accountable in nursing home neglect lawsuits.
Time Limits for Filing a Lawsuit (Statute of Limitations)
There’s a time limit to take legal action. In California, most nursing home abuse cases must be filed within two years of the incident. If you wait too long, you might lose the chance to fight for financial compensation for medical bills, mental anguish, and other damages.
Acting quickly isn’t just about the lawsuit it’s about stopping the nursing home responsible from hurting someone else.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Nursing Home Abuse?
When a family realizes their loved one has been mistreated in a nursing home facility, the first question is always the same: Who is responsible for this? The truth is, it depends. Sometimes, it’s an individual staff member who has caused direct physical harm or emotional pain. Other times, it’s a deeper issue neglectful actions caused by poor training, short staffing, or corporate greed.
Can Individual Caregivers Be Sued?
Yes. If a caregiver is abusive whether physically, emotionally, or financially they can be held accountable. For example, if a nurse ignores a resident’s need for medical care, leading to bed sores or an infection, they may be legally responsible. The same applies if a staff member is caught stealing from a resident or committing intentional abuse like verbal threats or humiliation.
However, it’s not always just about one bad employee. In many cases, nursing home neglect attorneys look beyond the individual to see if the care facility itself allowed the mistreatment to happen.
Nursing Home Corporate Negligence
Some skilled nursing facilities are owned by large corporations that prioritize profits over proper quality of care. They cut corners by hiring too few staff, failing to provide adequate training, or ignoring reports of abuse.
Imagine this: A resident with mobility issues falls in the middle of the night. There’s no staff around to help because the facility is severely understaffed. That’s not an accident that’s corporate negligence.
Holding these corporations accountable isn’t just about fair compensation for one victim. It’s about stopping future abuse and protecting others.
Filing a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in California
Filing a lawsuit might sound intimidating, but for many families, it’s the only way to get justice. A lawsuit can uncover the truth, hold neglectful facilities accountable, and ensure that your loved one and others are treated with the dignity they deserve.
How Hard is It to Sue a Nursing Home?
Nursing homes and their lawyers will do everything they can to avoid responsibility. They might say injuries are a part of aging or blame the resident’s health conditions. But a nursing home abuse attorney knows how to fight back.
For example, let’s say a resident suffered from severe bed sores because staff didn’t turn them regularly. The nursing home might argue that the sores were “unavoidable.” But with the right medical records, expert testimony, and experienced lawyers, we can prove the truth: They weren’t providing adequate care.
What Damages Can Be Recovered?
Compensation in these cases isn’t just about money it’s about justice. That said, families can seek damages for:
- Medical bills related to the abuse or neglect
- Pain and suffering, including emotional trauma
- Additional damages for gross negligence or reckless behavior
In some cases, courts may award punitive damages, especially if the nursing home acted knowingly or intentionally. The goal is to hold all responsible parties accountable and ensure this never happens again.
How Do You Prove Nursing Home Abuse?
Proving abuse in a nursing home isn’t always straightforward. Many facilities will deny wrongdoing or claim injuries happened elsewhere. That’s why gathering strong evidence is so important.
Collecting Evidence: Medical Records, Witnesses, & Documentation
The best way to prove abuse or neglect is through documentation. Families can help by keeping track of warning signs, taking photos of injuries, and speaking with other residents in care facilities.
We also gather:
- Medical records showing untreated injuries, infections, or signs of malnutrition
- Witness statements from staff, visitors, or even other residents of nursing homes
- Reports of abuse that may have been previously filed against the facility
For example, if a resident suffers a brain injury due to a fall, we look at whether staff ignored common signs of risk. If the resident had previous falls that weren’t addressed, that’s clear evidence of negligence.
Why Legal Representation Matters
Nursing homes have their own lawyers who are trained to protect the facility not the residents. Having an elder abuse attorney on your side means someone is fighting for your family, uncovering the truth, and making sure the nursing home responsible is held accountable.
If you suspect abuse or neglect, don’t wait. A confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you understand your legal options and what steps to take next.
How Successful Are Nursing Home Lawsuits?
If your loved one has been mistreated in a nursing home facility, you might be wondering if legal action will actually change anything. The truth? It absolutely can. Many families have successfully held negligent facilities accountable, secured maximum compensation, and most importantly, helped prevent the same thing from happening to someone else.
Winning a case depends on having the right evidence medical records, witness statements, and facility reports that prove a nursing home resident suffered because of neglect or elder mistreatment. If the facility has a history of complaints or safety violations, that makes the case even stronger.
For example, one family came to us after their father suffered repeated falls. He kept asking for help getting out of bed, but the staff ignored him. Every fall led to more injuries. The nursing home worker claimed it was just part of aging, but our investigation uncovered facility reports showing they were severely understaffed. The family won their case and was able to move their father to a better facility where he finally received proper care.
What Kind of Compensation Can Families Expect?
No amount of money can undo the harm, but a lawsuit can help make things right. Families often recover damages for:
- Medical treatment for injuries caused by neglect
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Mental health support for trauma
- Additional damages if the abuse was intentional or reckless
Some nursing home abuse cases in California have resulted in $500,000 to over $1 million in settlements. In one case, a victim of nursing home neglect received $1.5 million after suffering serious infections due to staff ignoring their needs. Another family secured $800,000 when their loved one suffered lasting injuries because staff failed to respond to a medical emergency.
But a lawsuit isn’t just about financial compensation it’s about forcing nursing homes to change. When facilities are held accountable, they are pressured to improve staffing, training, and safety measures so that no other elderly residents have to suffer the same neglect.
Why Choose Our Burbank Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm?
At the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, we’ve helped families fight back against neglectful residential care facilities and get the justice their loved ones deserve. We know how insurance companies and facility owners try to avoid responsibility, and we know how to build a case that holds them accountable.
One of our cases involved a nursing home resident who was left alone for hours every day. She developed severe bed sores and infections because staff failed to reposition her. The facility denied responsibility, but we found internal records proving they had ignored basic care requirements. The case resulted in a large settlement, and the family was able to move their mother to a facility that treated her with the respect and care she deserved.
In another case, a nursing home worker repeatedly humiliated and intimidated a resident, causing them to become withdrawn, anxious, and afraid to ask for help. The facility dismissed the family’s concerns. When we investigated, we discovered that other nursing home residents had also reported verbal abuse from the same employee. The lawsuit led to a settlement for the family and new policies that ensured better protections for future residents.
We Care About More Than Just Winning Cases - We Care About Your Family
Finding out that your loved one has been mistreated is heartbreaking. You trusted the nursing home facility to take care of them, and now you’re left feeling angry, guilty, and unsure of what to do next. That’s where we come in.
We don’t just handle legal issues we take the burden off your shoulders. We deal with insurance companies, gather the evidence, and fight to make things right. And you never have to worry about paying upfront we work on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay anything unless we win.
If something feels wrong at your loved one’s nursing home, don’t wait. Call us today for a free consultation. Let’s find out what’s really going on and what we can do to help.
Common Questions About Nursing Home Abuse
What’s the Difference Between Abuse and Neglect?
Abuse and neglect both harm residents in nursing homes, but they happen in different ways.
Abuse is intentional. It includes physical harm, like hitting or rough handling, verbal abuse, like yelling or threats, and financial abuse, like stealing from a resident’s account. These are direct actions that cause harm.
Neglect is about what isn’t happening. It’s when a nursing home fails to meet a resident’s basic needs like leaving them in soiled clothes, not giving them enough food, or ignoring their medical needs. Neglect may not leave bruises, but it can be just as harmful.
Both are serious. Both violate the responsibilities of nursing homes. And both deserve legal action if they’ve harmed someone you love.
How Common is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse happens more often than people think. A study from the World Health Organization found that 2 in 3 nursing home staff admitted to committing some form of abuse or neglect in the past year. In the U.S., the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that at least 1 in 10 elderly residents experience abuse, but many cases go unreported.
The numbers are alarming, but the real concern is what happens behind closed doors. Many residents are unable to speak up, either due to medical conditions or fear of retaliation. That’s why families need to stay alert to the warning signs and why elder abuse lawyers can help uncover the truth.
What Should I Do If I Suspect Abuse?
If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. Start by talking to your loved one. Do they seem scared, withdrawn, or hesitant to speak? If you notice unexplained injuries, poor hygiene, or sudden personality changes, it’s time to act.
Report your concerns to the facility management and request an explanation. If their response doesn’t sit right with you, don’t stop there. You can report abuse to California’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program or Adult Protective Services.
And most importantly get legal help. An attorney can investigate the facility, gather evidence, and make sure your loved one is protected.
Contact a Burbank Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today
If you’re worried about a loved one’s safety in a nursing home, you don’t have to navigate this alone. We offer a free consultation, where we’ll listen to your concerns, explain your options, and help you figure out what to do next.
You deserve answers. Your loved one deserves justice. And the facility responsible deserves to be held accountable. Call us today or send us a message we’re ready to help.
