Nursing home abuse is a heartbreaking reality for many vulnerable residents of long-term care facilities. Families entrust these facilities with the health and well-being of their loved ones, expecting them to receive the utmost care. Unfortunately, cases of elder abuse happen far too often, leaving victims and their families devastated.
Nursing Home Law Center is dedicated to holding negligent facilities accountable and seeking justice for those who have been harmed.
At Nursing Home Law Center, our priority is to ensure justice and compensation for those affected by nursing home abuse. Our skilled legal team has extensive experience managing abuse cases with care and achieving substantial settlements and verdicts.
We carry out comprehensive investigations, making sure that every aspect of abuse—such as medical costs, emotional suffering, and other damages—is thoroughly addressed. With our strong knowledge of nursing home abuse claims, we handle the legal process efficiently and work relentlessly to safeguard your rights.
Throughout your case, we offer free consultations, compassionate guidance, and clear communication, ensuring that you and your loved ones are well-informed, supported, and confident at every stage.
Nursing home abuse refers to the mistreatment of residents in long-term care facilities, which can cause physical, emotional, or financial harm. At Nursing Home Law Center, we handle a wide range of abuse cases, helping victims and their families seek justice and compensation.
Wrongful Death: In the most tragic cases, elder abuse or neglect can result in the wrongful death of a resident. Whether due to severe neglect, medical malpractice, or intentional harm, losing a family member in such circumstances is devastating. Family members may pursue a wrongful death claim to seek financial compensation for funeral costs, medical bills, and the emotional toll of the loss.
Physical Abuse: Physical abuse involves the intentional infliction of harm on a nursing home resident. This can include hitting, pushing, or slapping, and even the misuse of restraints. For example, a caregiver using unnecessary restraints to control a resident can cause serious injuries such as bruises or broken bones. Signs of physical abuse often include unexplained injuries and fear of staff members.
Mental and Emotional Abuse: Mental and emotional abuse occurs when a resident is subjected to verbal threats, insults, or isolation, causing emotional distress. For instance, a caregiver may belittle a resident, leading to depression or anxiety. Emotional and psychological abuse can be harder to detect, but changes in behavior, withdrawal, or anxiety are often key indicators.
Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse refers to any non-consensual sexual contact with a resident. This can involve staff members, caregivers, or even other residents. Victims of sexual abuse may show physical signs like bruising or bleeding, or they may experience emotional trauma, including fear or withdrawal from others.
Medical Malpractice: Medical malpractice in nursing homes includes instances where residents receive improper or negligent medical care. Examples include the development of bedsores (pressure sores) due to lack of mobility assistance, or medication errors that result in serious health complications. Failing to provide proper medical care can lead to severe injuries or even death.
Negligence: Negligence involves the failure to provide basic care to a nursing home resident, resulting in harm. Examples of negligence include poor hygiene, malnutrition, dehydration, and elopement (when a resident wanders away from the facility unsupervised). Negligence can cause serious health issues and deterioration in the resident’s well-being.
Financial Abuse: Financial exploitation occurs when a caregiver or staff member exploits a resident’s finances for personal gain. This can include stealing money, forging checks, or taking control of the resident’s bank accounts without permission. Family members should be on the lookout for unusual changes in their loved one’s financial situation.
Nursing home residents have legal rights protected under both federal and state laws. The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 sets national standards for nursing homes to ensure residents are treated with dignity and receive proper care. This act requires care facilities to provide a safe environment free from abuse and neglect.
In Arkansas, state-specific regulations further safeguard nursing home residents. Arkansas nursing home abuse laws ensure that residents receive appropriate health care and are protected from any form of abuse. Residents and their family members have the right to take legal action when these rights are violated.
In Arkansas, both the victims of nursing home negligence and their family members may file a claim. Family members can act on behalf of a loved one who is incapacitated, deceased, or otherwise unable to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit themselves.
In elder abuse and neglect cases, multiple parties can be held responsible for the harm caused to residents. This is because abusive or negligent behavior can stem from various individuals or entities within the care facility.
Third-Party Contractors: In nursing homes where certain services, such as medical care or security, are outsourced to third-party contractors, those entities may be liable if their negligence contributes to the abuse or neglect of a resident.
Nursing Home Staff: Caregivers or employees who directly engage in physical, emotional, or sexual abuse can be held personally liable for their actions. For instance, if a staff member uses excessive force or neglects a resident’s basic needs, they may face legal consequences.
Nursing Home Administrators and Management: The facility’s administration can be held accountable if they fail to properly screen, train, or supervise staff. Additionally, poor management decisions that lead to understaffing or unsafe conditions may contribute to nursing home neglect or abuse. If a resident develops bed sores due to insufficient care or malnutrition because of understaffing, the facility may be liable.
Other Residents: In some cases, one resident may harm another. Nursing homes are responsible for ensuring a safe environment, and if they fail to prevent or address resident-on-resident abuse, they may be held accountable for the harm caused.
With years of experience in handling nursing home abuse cases, our law firm provides compassionate and effective legal representation. We are committed to obtaining justice for victims and their families. Here’s how we can assist:
In Arkansas, there are 220 Medicare-certified nursing facilities, with 84 facilities (38.2%) rated below or much below average overall. When looking specifically at health inspections, 91 homes (41.4%) fall short, and 74 homes (33.6%) have inadequate staffing levels. 48 facilities (21.8%) are rated poorly in quality measures. [1]
The worst-rated nursing homes in Arkansas include:
| Arkansas Veterans Home at Fayetteville | Ashley Rehabilitation and Health Care Center |
| Barnes Healthcare | Chapel Woods Health and Rehabilitation |
| Cottage Lane Health and Rehab of Little Rock | Covington Court Health and Rehabilitation Center |
| Crestpark Stuttgart, LLC | Dewitt Nursing Home |
| Fayetteville Health and Rehabilitation Center | Heartland Rehabilitation and Care Center |
| Legacy Health and Rehabilitation Center | Meadowview Healthcare and Rehab |
| Oak Ridge Health and Rehabilitation | Paris Health and Rehabilitation Center |
| Piggott Healthcare & Senior Living, LLC | Ridgecrest Health and Rehabilitation |
| Springdale Health and Rehabilitation Center | St Andrews Healthcare |
| The Blossoms at Berryville Rehab & Nursing Center | The Blossoms at Cumberland Rehab & Nursing Center |
| The Blossoms at Newport Rehab & Nursing Center | The Blossoms at Van Buren Rehab and Nursing Center |
| The Blossoms at White Hall Rehab & Nursing Center | The Green House Cottages of Poplar Grove |
| The Springs Broadway | The Springs Magnolia |
| The Springs of Pinnacle Mountain | The Springs Searcy |
| The Villages of General Baptist Health Care West | Three Rivers Health and Rehabilitation Center |
| Trinity Village Medical Center | Woodland Hills Healthcare and Rehabilitation |
Recognizing the signs of elder abuse is essential in protecting your loved ones. While some symptoms may be subtle, it’s crucial to stay vigilant. Some common signs include:
Unexplained financial transactions: Financial abuse may involve unauthorized withdrawals from bank accounts, missing valuables, or sudden changes to wills or financial documents. If your loved one’s finances appear to be in disarray, it may indicate exploitation.
If you suspect your loved one is being abused in a care facility, it’s essential to take immediate action:
Victims of nursing home neglect and their families may be entitled to recover various types of damages.
Economic damages are quantifiable losses that can be calculated based on the financial impact of the abuse. Examples include:
Non-economic damages address the emotional and psychological suffering experienced by the victim and their family. Although harder to quantify, they are equally important in seeking full compensation. Examples include:
Punitive damages, unlike compensatory damages, are meant to serve as a deterrent, preventing similar misconduct in the future. In nursing home abuse cases, punitive damages may be awarded if the facility or its staff acted with willful misconduct, fraud, or gross negligence.
For example, if a nursing home deliberately ignores the safety and well-being of its residents, resulting in severe harm or death, the court may impose punitive damages as an additional penalty.
Our law firm operates on a contingency basis, meaning you won’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case. This allows you to pursue justice without worrying about the cost of legal representation.
Arkansas law imposes a statute of limitations on nursing home abuse cases. In most cases, you have three years from the date of the abuse to file a lawsuit. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and it’s essential to consult a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights.
If your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect in an Arkansas care facility, you don’t have to face this battle alone. The experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center are here to help you seek justice and recover the compensation your family deserves.
Call us at (800) 926-7565, or fill out our contact form to book a free consultation..
References: [1] Medicare