What Is Physical Abuse in a Nursing Home? Oregon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Explain

Oregon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Explain What is Physical Abuse in a Nursing Home

 

Nursing homes are supposed to be places of safety.  They are supposed to be places for individuals to go who are suffering from ailments, who need assistance, or who need more types of care and treatment than those that can be provided by family at home.  Most of the time, nursing homes in Oregon do an excellent job at providing these services.  But unfortunately, far too many nursing homes fail.  Not only do they fail on a malpractice standpoint by failing to provide the requisite care and treatment to nursing home residents, but they also fail in many other serious ways.  This includes in allowing physical abuse in a nursing home to occur.

 

Physical abuse in Oregon nursing homes is a problem.  It is a serious problem.  Some of the common causes why it occurs includes:

 

• Understaffing
• Lack of supervision
• Lack of training
• Negligent hires
• Poor culture in a nursing home
• Lack of leadership
• Allowing residents to wander
• Not protecting the most vulnerable of residents
• Not taking complaints seriously
• Delaying in contacting law enforcement, and
• Other common causes.

 

What is Physical Abuse in a Nursing Home in Oregon?

 

Our Oregon nursing home abuse lawyers know that physical abuse in a nursing home is a very serious type of abuse.  It places residents at a high risk of serious personal injury or even wrongful death.  Victims could be seriously injured or wrongfully killed due to the intentional and aggressive conduct of another person in a nursing home.  That conduct is usually from a staffer, but it could be caused by a resident who is aggressive and is not monitored by staff.

 

There are many different types of physical abuse in a nursing home.  Any type of intentional or purposeful acts could constitute physical abuse.  This includes some of the following:

 

• Punching
• Kicking
• Hitting
• Burning with a lighter or cigarette 
• Hitting with an object like a belt, stick, or shoe
• Pulling on hair
• Pinching
• Cutting
• Elbowing
• Kneeing
• Biting
• Using physical restraints unlawfully
• Pushing, tripping, or yanking down, especially down the stairs
• Sexual abuse
• Keeping a resident in a bed or wheelchair alone
• Dragging a resident
• Pushing a resident down
• Pushing a resident into a hot tub or shower causing burns, or
• Other types of physical violence.

 

Signs of Physical Abuse in Oregon Nursing Homes

 

There are many different types of physical abuse in nursing homes which means there are many different possible types of symptoms.  Some of the most common symptoms due to physical abuse that a family should be wary of and should ask our Oregon nursing home abuse lawyers for help include the following:

 

• Unexplained cuts or burns
• Bruises in hidden places like upper thighs or under the shirt on the ribs or back
• “Sock” burns which is a burn that is the entire length from the tip of the toes or fingers inwards until it stops, which signifies pushing a person into hot liquid
• Spiral fractures which includes breaks or broken bones causes by the victim twisting away and another force pulling in the opposite direction
• Signs of sexual abuse
• Repetitive injuries
• Social withdrawal
• Emotional harm such as depression or anxiety
• Unexplained death, and
• Many other common causes.

 

Ask our Physical Abuse Lawyers for Help with Oregon Nursing Home Injuries

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of nursing home abuse or neglect contact the Oregon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.  

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.  

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take Nursing Home Abuse cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  

 

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.