Legal Steps to Take if Your Loved One Faces Nursing Home Abuse in Missouri

Realizing that a cherished family member has been subjected to ill treatment in a nursing home can be a profoundly upsetting thing to find out. But in Missouri, you have legal avenues you can pursue to take your nursing home abuser to task and to safeguard your loved one from any further mistreatment. 

If you have a loved one in a nursing home, it is very important for you to understand these legal steps, which chiefly have to do with nursing home accountability and making sure that the damages done to your loved one are compensated. To help our readers better understand this, here is simple and straightforward guide, courtesy of the Steele Law Firm in Missouri: 

Recognizing the Signs of Abuse

Before initiating legal proceedings, it is essential to verify that abuse is taking place. Nursing home abuse manifests itself in many ways. It may be physical, mental/emotional/ financial exploitation, or any combination of all three. 

Unexplained injuries, sudden behavioral changes, poor hygiene, and sudden weight loss (which could mean they are dehydrated or malnourished) are the biggest red flags.

Reporting the Abuse

If you think your loved one is experiencing abuse, don’t wait to tell someone. Act on your suspicions and file a complaint with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Call the Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline. 

If you have a reason to believe that the abuse is serious or life-threatening, don’t hesitate to dial 911 or contact local law enforcement, immediately.

Consulting an Attorney

An experienced lawyer specializing in nursing home negligence, such as the Steele Law Firm in Missouri, helps you make your way through the legal maze. Their job is to evaluate your case, look for proof, and come up with the best legal strategy for victory. 

Neglect and abuse are forms of elder abuse that can often be prosecuted as such. Elder abuse attorneys help ensure that not only those responsible for the mistreatment but also the facility itself is held accountable. 

Gathering Evidence

Building a strong case requires the gathering of medical records, witness testimony, video or photographic evidence, and any communications with the nursing home. If necessary, your attorney can help you subpoena records.

Understanding Missouri’s Statute of Limitations

The time limit to file lawsuits about nursing home abuse in Missouri is governed by law. If you or a loved one were injured as a result of mistreatment or neglect, you have five years from that time to file a personal injury claim. 

If the staff’s actions led to the wrongful death of a resident, the time limit for filing that lawsuit is three years. 

The Steele Law Firm in Missouri Will Fight for the Rights of Your Elderly Loved One

Nursing home abuse is a complex issue that requires the victim’s loved ones to take swift legal steps to ensure both justice and the prevention of further mistreatment. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, more than 500,000 elderly persons are abused each year, and this number is on the rise. 

With the median age of today’s nursing home residents being 82, the importance of quality and compassionate care for our elderly has never been more important.