
Thousands of families in Tampa and throughout Hillsborough County trust nursing homes to care for their elderly family members. Facilities like Discovery Village Trinity, Palm Gardens of Tampa, and Fairway Oaks Center are just a few of the reputable nursing facilities in the area. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is more common than many people realize, and a Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer is a crucial resource if you discover a loved one has been abused.
Ronald Bone, P.A. is an experienced trial attorney with an extensive record of successful personal injury representation in Tampa and the surrounding communities of Hillsborough County. If you discover that your elderly family member has been abused in any way at their nursing home, it is vital that you remove them from this dangerous situation and hire a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible.
Our team will carefully review your case, determine the nature and severity of the abuse the victim has suffered, and explain your options for addressing the situation with a civil lawsuit. A single staff member may be liable for damages, or their employer could bear vicarious liability for the abuse the victim suffered. We will carefully explain your options for pursuing compensation for the victim’s and your family’s damages.
According to surveys conducted by the National Council on Aging, about one in ten Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse at least once, most likely from an immediate caregiver or family member. Unfortunately, many nursing home abuse cases do not apply to isolated incidents, but rather long patterns of abuse that may have extended over months or even years in some cases.
Nursing home abuse takes many forms, including:
When you visit an elderly family member at their nursing home, pay close attention for any signs that they have been abused. If they have, they may seem depressed, anxious, or fearful, and many victims of nursing home abuse do not report their experiences out of fear of reprisals from their abusers. The National Council on Aging estimates that only one in 24 incidents of elder abuse is reported to the appropriate authorities.
If you confirm that your loved one has suffered any type of abuse, you need to remove them from this dangerous environment as quickly as possible and speak with a Tampa nursing home abuse attorney. Your attorney can then assist you with gathering the evidence you need to build a case against the abuser, identifying any potential challenges or opportunities you might encounter as your case unfolds.
Once you have confirmed that your elderly family member has been abused and you have taken them to a safer environment, your attorney can begin building a personal injury case. You have the right to pursue compensation for any economic damages resulting from the situation, including the cost of the victim’s medical care, your lost income if you were forced to take time away from work to address this situation, and any other out-of-pocket expenses.
The plaintiff in a nursing home abuse case can also claim compensation for the victim’s pain and suffering. The amount received should reflect the scope and severity of the harm the victim suffered. Your Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer can help you determine a suitable amount for the physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological damage the defendant caused. In some cases, defendants are also required to pay punitive damages.
Nursing home abuse cases can become very complicated when a defendant has broken Florida elder abuse laws. They could face criminal charges in addition to their civil liability for the victim’s damages. Additionally, vicarious liability may apply to their employer if the employer either knew about the abuse and did nothing to stop it, or if they failed to perform a background check on the employee that would have exposed their risk of being abusive to residents.
Nursing home abuse cases are complex and difficult to resolve without experienced legal counsel advising you. When you hire a nursing home abuse lawyer to handle your case, they can help you gather the evidence needed to prove liability for the victim’s damages and accurately calculate the total damages your family is eligible to claim from the defendant. They can also help you resolve the case efficiently, reducing the time you must wait to receive compensation.
Many personal injury cases in Florida are not resolved in the courtroom and are instead resolved in pretrial settlement negotiations. During settlement, the parties involved attempt to reach a mutually acceptable set of terms to resolve the case, and this is generally much faster than litigation. However, litigation is sometimes necessary in nursing home abuse cases, so you should hire a nursing home abuse lawyer with proven trial experience.
Ronald Bone, P.A. is a seasoned litigator ready to provide comprehensive counsel for every step of your nursing home abuse case in Tampa. You have a short time to gather evidence and file your case, and you need an attorney ready to address any unexpected complications that might arise as your case unfolds. Reach out to our team as soon as possible, and we will listen to your story and explain the legal services we provide that can help with your case.
The penalties for nursing home abuse in Florida may not only include civil liability for the victim’s damages, but also criminal charges if the defendant violated Florida’s elder abuse laws and/or caused catastrophic harm to the victim. Penalties for violating these laws can include heavy fines, loss of professional licenses, and prison time. Many elder abuse law violations in Florida qualify as felonies.
To prove nursing home abuse in Tampa, you may need various types of evidence that a Tampa nursing home abuse attorney will know how to obtain. Medical records, witness statements, documentation from the nursing home, and security footage from the facility are just a few examples of the evidence that may be crucial for proving that your elderly loved one has been abused at their nursing home.
The amount of compensation you can claim for nursing home abuse in Tampa varies based on the nature and severity of the abuse the victim suffered. A Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer can calculate economic losses like medical bills, lost income, and transportation costs, and they can also help your family claim compensation for the victim’s pain and suffering. In many of these cases, the court awards punitive damages to the plaintiff in addition to their claimed damages.
You should hire a nursing home abuse lawyer in Tampa because a skilled local attorney will be an invaluable asset through every step of your case. You have a short time to gather evidence and file a civil claim with the court, and you could encounter various unexpected complications as your case unfolds that you will not be able to resolve without an attorney’s help. Hire a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible so they can start building your case.
The timeline for settling a nursing home abuse case varies based on several factors. Some of these cases can be resolved through pretrial settlement negotiations, while litigation will be necessary for resolving others. An experienced Tampa nursing home abuse attorney can explain what to expect in your case and help you resolve it as efficiently as possible.
Ronald Bone, P.A. has an extensive record of success with many difficult personal injury cases in Tampa, including nursing home abuse cases. Our team knows how devastating it is to discover that your loved one has been abused by those you trusted to care for them, and we will help you build a strong case to pursue accountability and compensation. Contact us today and schedule a consultation with an experienced Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer.
Thoughtful, trial-ready personal injury representation in Tampa Bay.