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Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect


When residents of nursing homes, assisted living centers and extended healthcare institutions suffer abuse or neglect or die, the caregivers and the corporations that own the nursing homes may be held liable for personal injury and wrongful death. The number of senior citizens who depend on nursing homes and a variety of assisted living facilities for basic needs is steadily increasing. Recent statistics indicate there are nearly 17,000 nursing homes in the United States that currently care for 1.6 million elderly and disabled residents. And, the numbers are expected to quadruple by 2050.
Despite the rising fees residents pay, the care they receive is sadly deficient. Surveys and eyewitness reports show that nursing home negligence is a serious problem, approaching epidemic proportions, and often blamed on corporate owners of nursing homes and living centers placing greater importance on profits than resident care.

Many nursing homes face staff shortages. Existing staff may have inadequate training, may be overworked and underpaid, leading to neglect and abuse of vulnerable residents.

Abuse and neglect are not always easy to recognize and frequently are covered up by nursing home staff. If a family member or friend is in a nursing home or assisted living center, it is important to watch for signs of neglect and abuse.

Nursing home negligence and abuse takes on many forms. Examples include:

  • Malnutrition and Dehydration
  • Negligent Supervision
  • Falls resulting in Dislocations and Fractures
  • Inappropriate Use of Physical Restraints
  • Physical, Emotional, and Psychological Abuse
  • Medication and Prescription Errors
  • Bedsores and Infections
  • Financial Abuse and Exploitation
  • Elder Abuse
  • Physical or Sexual Assault

By law, nursing homes must provide the highest level of care to patients to achieve their highest level of functioning. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are more focused on maximizing their profitability rather than providing the care that their patients’ require. Staffing levels are regularly reduced and inexperienced employees may not be providing care to patients with comprehensive medical needs. Consequently, vulnerable nursing home patients may be victims of nursing home negligence and suffer a serious injury or death during their admission.

If you suspect a family member or someone you care about is a victim of nursing home negligence, seeking legal advice and guidance is critical. At Ambrose Butzen Law Group we represent nursing home residents and their families throughout Illinois.

If you have been injured as a result of another’s wrongful conduct and seek compensation for your injuries, the Ambrose Butzen Law Group would be happy to meet with you and discuss your case at no cost to you and put our legal team to work for you. Just contact us at (312) 726-1470, or toll free at (866) 696-1381. You can also E-mail us or complete our web form.

Listed below is a representative sample of verdicts and settlements we’ve obtained in the past

$250,000 settlement – for a woman who was dropped from a lift while being transferred from her bed to wheelchair resulting in a fractured hip

$75,000 settlement – for a family of a man who died from extensive pressure ulcers while under the care of a nursing home