Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

Nursing home abuse refers to the intentional infliction of harm on a resident of a nursing home or long-term care facility by staff members, other residents, or third parties. Unlike nursing home neglect, which involves failures of omission, abuse involves deliberate acts of physical violence, sexual assault, emotional cruelty, or financial exploitation against vulnerable elderly or disabled residents who depend on the facility for their care and safety. Nursing home abuse is both a crime and a basis for civil liability, and facilities that allow abuse to occur can be held accountable under state elder abuse statutes, federal nursing home regulations, and common law negligence.

Nursing home abuse claims can be brought against the individual perpetrator, the facility that employed them, and the corporate ownership entity that operated the facility. Facilities are liable under theories of negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention of employees, and vicarious liability. Corporate owners may be liable for systemic failures in staffing, training, background check procedures, and oversight that created the conditions allowing abuse to occur.

These cases are uniquely challenging because the victims are often cognitively impaired, physically frail, or otherwise unable to report the abuse themselves. Evidence of abuse may include unexplained injuries, changes in behavior, fear of specific staff members, bruising in unusual locations, dehydration or malnutrition, and reports from other residents or family members. Medical evidence and facility documentation — including staffing records, incident reports, and surveillance footage — are critical to building a successful claim.