Were you or a loved one abused in a nursing home in St. Petersburg, FL? Now is the time to call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers for legal help. Call (813) 536-3527 to learn about your right to compensation. During a free consultation, an experienced St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyer can help you understand your legal options.
Backed by over 120 years of combined experience and a passion for justice, we’re here to help you take on the nursing home and the powerful corporations that back them. We’ve won over $1 billion in life-changing financial awards for our efforts over the years.
Why Should I Call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers for Legal Help With a Nursing Home Abuse Case in St. Petersburg, FL?
When choosing the right personal injury law firm, experience and reputation matter. Nursing homes have powerful defense teams. They’ll go to great lengths to avoid taking responsibility–especially when their reputation is on the line.
Our team at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers has earned over 1000 Google ratings from our satisfied clients.
Our St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers have also earned prestigious awards within the legal community, including:
- Martindale-Hubbell’s AV-Preeminent lawyer rating
- Martindale-Hubbell’s Client Champion award
- Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers’ Association
We’re able to effectively level the playing field when standing up to powerful corporate defendants. Our St. Petersburg nursing home abuse attorneys can help you collect evidence and prove what really happened to your loved one. Call us today to start protecting your family’s interests.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is disturbingly common. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) survey, two in every three caregivers admitted to committing some type of nursing home abuse in the prior year.
With roughly 71,000 Florida residents living in nursing homes, that means tens of thousands are experiencing some level of abuse or neglect.
Of course, not all victims experience the same type or level of abuse. Nursing home abuse can take many shapes.
Our attorneys in St. Petersburg handle all types of nursing home abuse claims, including cases involving:
Physical Violence and Abuse
Physical abuse happens when a caregiver intentionally causes physical harm to a resident. It can also occur when a caregiver allows a resident to suffer avoidable physical harm.
It can involve hitting, shoving, hair-pulling, kicking or the use of unnecessarily tight physical restraints.
Emotional and Psychological Abuse
Emotional abuse occurs when a caregiver’s intentional acts cause a resident to suffer mental trauma.
Emotional abuse can include:
- Name-calling
- Threats and intimidation
- Gas lighting
- Isolating the resident from their peers
- Refusing to allow the resident to see family
Over time, the mental trauma associated with emotional abuse can be significant.
Financial Exploitation
Financial abuse can be incredibly difficult to overcome. Identity theft, theft of property or coercing a resident into changing beneficiary designations or a will can impact the victim–and their family–for years to come.
Sexual Abuse and Assault
Sexual abuse can involve outright rape and sexual assault. It can also occur when a caregiver forces a resident to witness sexual activity or view sexual materials.
Nursing Home Neglect
Neglecting a vulnerable nursing home resident can be as damaging as outright abuse in some cases.
Neglect can include a failure to:
- Provide adequate food and water
- Supply the resident with necessary medications and medical care
- Provide proper assistance with basic activities, including bathing and transferring
- Supervise residents who are likely to wander
Nursing home neglect can be active or passive. In some cases, the caregiver does not have the resources they need to provide adequate care. In others, caregivers intentionally neglect their duties. Neither is acceptable.
How Much Money Is My St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
It’s impossible to offer a dollar-value estimate without understanding the harm involved and the circumstances.
As we evaluate the value of your claim, our attorneys will consider:
- The nature and type of the abuse involved
- The severity of the physical impact on your loved one
- Any need for long-term rehabilitation or care
- The mental trauma, and physical pain, your loved one has endured
- Financial costs your family has incurred due to the ordeal
- The duration of the abuse and neglect
- The nature of the nursing home’s actions or omissions
No level of abuse is acceptable. Still, the more severe and pervasive the abuse, the higher the claim value is likely to be.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Nursing Home Abuse in St. Petersburg?
Personal injury victims in St. Petersburg can seek compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.
Damages that may be awarded to compensate for nursing home abuse include:
- Any medical expenses related to the abuse
- Rehabilitation
- Long-term care
- Lost wages if a loved one missed work to provide needed care
- Restitution in cases involving financial abuse
- Mental health treatment
- Costs associated with moving to a new assisted living facility
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- PTSD
- Fear and anxiety
- Reduced quality of life
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Shame and humiliation
Punitive damages are more rare. In Florida, they may be awarded to punish the defendant for their intentional wrongdoing.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer to Handle a Nursing Home Abuse Case in Florida?
There are no risks or upfront fees when you hire Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers. Our attorneys’ fees are contingent on the amount we recover for your family. With contingency fees, you won’t pay out-of-pocket. All of our fees are deducted directly from your compensation award.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Nursing Home Abuse in St. Petersburg?
Anyone involved with the abuse can be held financially responsible.
Responsible parties might include:
- The abusive caregiver or employee
- The nursing home
- Corporations that own chains of nursing homes
- Nursing home administrators
- Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals where malpractice occurred
In nearly all cases, multiple parties can be legally responsible.
Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in St. Petersburg Represent Clients With All Types of Injuries
Our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys represent clients with all types of injuries, including:
- Broken bones, fractures and crush injuries
- Concussions and TBIs
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Bed sores
- Infections
- Injuries related to dehydration or malnutrition
- Burns
- Internal injuries related to medication errors
- Urinary tract infections
Victims often struggle with severe emotional distress and lasting mental trauma.
What Causes Nursing Home Abuse in St. Petersburg?
Nursing home abuse is most common in situations where powerful nursing homes cut corners to maximize their profits.
More specifically, it often occurs because the nursing home:
- Fails to conduct proper background checks
- Fails to implement protocols and procedures to detect and prevent abuse
- Allows employees to avoid accountability
- Ignores their obligation to provide sanitary conditions
- Allows the home to operate without proper staffing
All-too-often, nursing homes create situations where abuse is allowed to occur.
What Should I Do If I Suspect My Loved One Is a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse in St. Petersburg?
If you believe someone you love is being abused, you can take any number of steps, including:
- Calling 911 if you believe the victim is in imminent harm
- Calling the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96 ABUSE
- Filing a complaint with the long-term care ombudsman or other state agency
- Notifying the nursing home about your suspicions
- Contacting an experienced nursing home abuse attorney to learn about your family’s legal options
You can also take steps to document the abuse. Take photos of any physical injuries. Obtain contact information from any potential witnesses. Write down your observations, including observations about your loved one’s mental state and any changes you’ve noted.
How Long Do I Have to File a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in Florida?
The statute of limitations in Florida personal injury cases is two years. You have two years from the last known date of abuse to file a lawsuit.
It’s critical that you don’t miss the deadline. You’ll lose your right to pursue justice and hold the responsible parties accountable if you wait too long.
Contact a St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer for a Free Case Evaluation Today
If you were a victim of nursing home abuse, you deserve to understand your legal rights. Call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers to get help demanding justice. Our experienced St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyers have decades of combined experience and are passionate about holding nursing homes accountable for abuse.
