South Loop Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

Legal Help for Nursing Home Abuse Victims in South Loop, Chicago

The South Loop is a famous area of Chicago that runs from the southern end of Downtown to 26th Street. While the area is filled with office buildings and relics of what used to be a bustling downtown train hub, tens of thousands of residents call this area their home. 

There are numerous nursing homes within reach of the South Loop, and some of them have earned poor reputations due to health inspection citations, understaffing, and poor treatment of patients.

Quality legal advice is important when first exploring whether you have a neglect or abuse case against a nursing home. Our Chicago nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers have many years of experience and can help you decide what steps to take with your claim. 

Recent Nursing Home Neglect Settlements in Chicago

When choosing an attorney for any case, you want to know the person representing you is an expert in the right area of law to succeed. Here are a few settlements we’ve negotiated for our clients that display our capability and experience:

• An $810,000 settlement for a patient with dementia who was sexually assaulted by a maintenance worker
• A $1.7 million settlement for a patient experiencing a fall resulting in a subdural hematoma and fractured hip
• A $1.25 million settlement for the family of a patient who choked to death at a nursing home

There are several valid reasons for filing a lawsuit when a loved one is injured at a nursing home. A financial judgment may force the nursing home to change its policies, it could provide the money you need for your loved one’s medical treatment or it could be the best way to hold the company facilitating the home accountable. 

Whatever your reasons, our nursing care abuse attorneys can help. 

South Loop’s Healthcare and Nursing Home Landscape

Insight Hospital & Medical Center is the primary hospital for residents in the South Loop and they don’t have many local nursing homes to choose from. To make matters worse, residents have complained about the few facilities surrounding them and successfully had fines levied. 

With both state and federal regulators getting involved, there’s hope that residents will have better care choices available in the future. 

Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities in the South Loop

Warren Barr of South Loop is the only nursing home located within the South Loop neighborhood, but there are several more just north or south of the loop. Here are the problems the closest facilities are facing:

• Warren Barr of South Loop has been assessed over $453,000 in federal fines in the last three years. The home is severely understaffed and unable to accommodate all patients’ needs.
• Nearby South Manor has local residents even more concerned because it has been subject to numerous complaints and over $919,000 in federal fines over the last three years.
• By comparison, Kensington Place Nursing & Rehab has only paid about $37,000 in fines over the last three years but still received low ratings for staffing and health inspection history.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a Nursing Home Neglect Case?

The details of your individual claim will govern what type of compensation you’re entitled to. The different forms of compensation courts consider include the following:

• Any medical costs and personal expenses that can be attributed to the abuse or neglect
• Pain and suffering, which is a rather broad definition for the physical, mental, and emotional distress victims experience
• Wrongful death, awarded to families when a loved one dies due to poor care or abuse
• Costs associated with moving a loved one in and out of a facility, such as transport to the hospital and to a new nursing home

The only way to know for sure which types of compensation you can expect is to schedule a consultation with a South Loop nursing home neglect lawyer.

Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

With so many types of neglect possible, providing an exhaustive list of signs to be on the lookout for is nearly impossible. When something seems wrong, ask questions. That said, consider the following as signs that you need to get legal advice.

• You notice a change in your loved one’s personality, such as intense anger, sadness, or confusion
• The facility looks dirty, your loved one’s bedding is soiled, or you notice other unsanitary conditions
• Your loved one has more than one adverse medical event attributed to incorrect medicine dosing or drug interactions
• You hear complaints from your loved one and they seem emotionally distressed while providing their story

It’s imperative to seek advice from someone who knows the law inside out when dealing with nursing home abuse cases. If you even suspect abuse or neglect, a nursing home abuse attorney can get to the bottom of the issue and let you know if your fears are founded, what to do next, and how to get your loved one the care they deserve.

How to Check Nursing Home Ratings and Complaints in the South Loop

There are many resources available for checking the quality of nursing homes. The most trusted sources come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

These are valuable sources because they detail any complaints and infractions nursing facilities have received. Medicare uses a five-star system, where the higher the number of stars, the less likely the facility is to treat patients poorly.

To use the Medicare tool to search for homes within Chicago, you can input an address and look for facilities within a set range or type in the name of the facility for a report. IDPH records are a great way to tell if other residents have had issues with the nursing home as well. 

Legal Protections for Nursing Home Residents in Illinois

Residents in the Chicago South Loop are protected by state and federal laws:

• The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act has been protecting residents since 2023 and adds protections to those which existed under federal law for decades
• The Federal Nursing Home Reform Act sought to define the rights every person in a nursing home is entitled to, so that it would be easier to file a claim against negligent nursing facilities

Steps to Take If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse in the South Loop

If you suspect a nursing home of abuse or neglect, it’s easy to think you’re overreacting. Not trusting your gut may prove to be a bad choice, however. Here are the steps you should follow when you notice signs of abuse:

• Get as many pictures, statements, and medical records as you can, because these can be used to build a case later
• Call the IDPH Hotline at 1-800-252-4343 to discuss the issue and file a report if you believe your loved one is being neglected or abused
• Report the issue to Adult Protective Services at 1-866-800-1409
• Contact a reputable South Loop nursing home neglect lawyer

Consult a South Loop Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Near You! 

An experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney can make a world of difference in your case. Experienced attorneys know how to properly investigate claims, negotiate with healthcare corporations, and bring the case to trial when needed. Our lawyers have a track record which includes multi-million dollar settlements. 

Call (800) 926-7595 today for your free consultation.