A Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit Helps Seniors Find Justice
A nursing home abuse lawsuit should be filed when a senior citizen has become the victim of neglect or intentionally abusive behavior. These types of claims are common in the United States and they provide the opportunity for an elder to hold a nursing home accountable when negligent staff causes an injury.
Accountability for assisted living facilities that fail their residents is extremely important, not only because a senior could suffer severe injuries due to abuse, but also because a civil lawsuit could act as a deterrent.
Nursing home abuse is alarmingly common and so often goes unpunished, any mechanisms for encouraging homes to provide an acceptable level of care should be pursued.
Nursing home neglect a world-wide problem
The NY Daily News recently published a disturbing report on the extent of problems senior citizens face at the hands of caregivers. The Daily News told tragic stories of seniors who were left in their own excrement with bedsores and untreated broken legs, but the tales were not isolated incidents.
Elder abuse is happening everywhere and the problems are going to get worse as seniors will outnumber children for the first-time in history by 2050. Families and care facilities are simply ill-equipped to deal with the influx of people who are going to need help, and governments are not able to provide adequate care nor ensure proper oversight of caregivers to protect seniors. Just one in five seniors has a pension worldwide, so too many seniors are also unable to afford the care they may need. This has serious consequences.
As the New York Daily News reported, the rate of elder abuse in high-income, developed and even progressive countries is as high as four to six percent. As many as four to ten seniors who live at home and are cared for by family members are victims of abuse, which in the U.S. could mean that at least 30 million elderly people are being victimized. Worldwide, tens of millions are likely victims, but the extent of the problem is not clear because too many cases are never brought to the attention of authorities.
Abuse is so often underreported because seniors are ignored, are afraid to speak up, or cannot voice their problems because of health problems like dementia. Regulators clearly are not doing enough for this vulnerable population, with just two cents of every dollar the United States government spends on family violence devoted to addressing the issue of abuse against senior citizens. It was not until 2010 that the U.S. even passed the Elder Justice Act, although a similar act dealing with child abuse was passed as far back as 1974.
Contact New York personal injury attorneys
In this tough world where seniors are given so little attention and so little assistance, a lawsuit for nursing home abuse may be one of the few ways that a senior can actually take concrete legal action. While navigating the legal system can be very complicated for victims, in most cases all it takes is a phone call to personal injury lawyers to find an advocate who can help.
The Sanders Firm provides unwavering support for abuse victims and can put our legal experience to work holding caregivers accountable. Call 1.800.FAIR.PLAY to schedule a free consultation with one of our compassionate New York personal injury attorneys. ResourcesDaily News, Elder abuse, including neglect, on the rise as world\’s population begins to age, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/elder-abuse-rising-growing-senior-population-worldwide-article-1.1556184#ixzz2qG4CBKuU