Every state has a body of laws that protects the elderly and outlines certain standards for their care. This body of legislation is usually called elder abuse law. A nursing home abuse lawyer is a legal professional who specializes in elder abuse law or a certain area of that law. He usually has in-depth knowledge of the legislation designed to protect the elderly. He also normally has in-depth knowledge of the legislation and standards outlined for care providers.
Elder abuse law recognizes that the elderly are often in vulnerable positions. In some cases, people in nursing facilities do not have any family or friends to ensure they are properly care for. The most common tasks of a nursing home abuse attorney are to attempt to secure justice and recover damages for elderly people when it appears they have been wronged by care providers.
There are numerous ways an elderly person can be abused. Physical and sexual abuse are two examples. Financial abuse is another example. There are cases of emotional and psychological abuse. One of the most common types of elder abuse, however, is neglect.
The people who can be guilty of abusing the elderly also vary greatly. These can include doctors or nurses. Non-medical related service providers, such as maintenance or security personnel, may harm the elderly. In some cases, even a person’s family members are the perpetrators of abuse.
A nursing home abuse lawyer may take cases involving any of these circumstances or perpetrators. It is even possible for a nursing home abuse lawyer to take cases that involve elderly people who are harmed in conditions other than nursing homes. These include abuse that occurs at adult day care centers and while receiving in-home care. Some lawyers, however, do not accept all types of cases. They may choose to specialize in a single area, such as elder financial abuse.
The elderly person who is wronged is not always the party that enlists the services of a nursing home abuse lawyer. Sometimes such a professional is hired by family members who have detected a problem. In other instances, a social service or community group may believe that an elderly person has been abused and enlist legal representation on her behalf.
A nursing home abuse lawyer does not always represent an elderly person. In some instances, such an attorney may be hired to represent a facility. A nursing home abuse lawyer may also be hired on behalf of an accused care provider.
