What to Expect in Your Nursing Home Abuse Case

In a horrifying report, CNN found that more than 1000 nursing homes had mishandled suspected cases of sexual abuse. That is why an experienced Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer is so important for your case.

While sexual abuse is not the only type of abuse seen in nursing homes, it’s among the most grievous offenses. Among these cases, CNN found that victims and their families often ran into roadblocks when they tried to hold nursing homes legally accountable.

Illinois was singled out in the report with 386 allegations of sexual abuse recorded since 2013. Scarier still was that of those cases, only 59 were substantiated. CNN found a common issue in these abuse cases. The problem in proving abuse is that you must provide substantial evidence to prove any kind of abuse.

And when the accuser is elderly, possibly suffering from dementia, their accusations are taken less seriously by police. 

In CNN’s report and other cases, documentation of abuse in nursing homes was hard to find or poorly managed. This, in addition to the supposedly unreliable testimony of elderly victims, frames the difficulty in pursuing these cases.

The problem in Illinois, and nationwide, comes down to the helplessness of the victims and an abuse of trust. It’s also a failure of the nursing home ownership and management. Because if you’re a victim, you can’t always trust the system to make things right unless you’re proactive.

In this situation, it’s only an Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer who can relieve the victim’s suffering.

It’s important to note that there are two types of crimes committed against the elderly at nursing homes—neglect and abuse. They are defined by the HFCA, a division of the U.S. department of Health and Human Services, as:

Abuse is the infliction of injury, intimidation, physical punishment, or mental anguish.

Neglect is failure to provide for residents so they aren’t hurt, physically or mentally.

Abuse can be harder to prove because of the amount of evidence needed. As mentioned earlier, police and investigators often don’t take accusations seriously. Involving a legal professional will help get you the attention you deserve.

An Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer at the Law Office of Scott D. DeSalvo specialize in such cases. We’re familiar with the process. We know how to build your case in the face of all the obstacles specific to nursing home abuse cases.

Visit us on the web to learn more or schedule a time to talk with our Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer today!