Do you believe a loved one is being abused in a nursing home in Bell, California? Contact Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers for a free consultation at (323) 402-1000. Our Bell nursing home abuse lawyers can help you file a legal claim against the facility and work toward recovering as much compensation as possible.
We’re one of the most successful personal injury law firms in the area, with over $100 million recovered for our clients across 25 years of combined experience. We take it personally when a facility harms someone who trusted them with their care, and we are ready to get started on your case right away.
Why Choose Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers for My Nursing Home Abuse Case in Bell, CA?
Nursing home abuse cases require a legal team that is willing to dig deep. Facilities and their insurance carriers push back hard against these claims, so it is often necessary to hire a Bell personal injury lawyer who can help you level the playing field.
Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers was built to take on exactly these kinds of cases. Here are a few reasons why families in Bell, CA, trust us with their nursing home abuse claims:
- Our results include multiple recoveries in the seven figures
- We have decades of combined experience practicing personal injury law
- We pay close attention to every case we take, rather than spreading ourselves thin across a high volume of clients
- Our trial attorneys are not afraid to go to court when a defendant refuses to negotiate in good faith
- We’re led by Attorney Levik Yarian, Esq., one of the most well-regarded lawyers in the region
Get in touch with our Bell personal injury lawyers today to learn more. Your initial consultation is completely free of charge.
California Nursing Home Abuse Law
California provides some of the strongest protections in the country for elderly and dependent adults living in care facilities. The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, enacted in 1982, establishes clear legal standards for how these residents must be treated and gives families powerful tools to hold facilities accountable when those standards are violated.
Under this law, nursing homes and assisted living facilities have a duty to provide adequate care and supervision for their residents. When a facility fails to meet that duty, the resident and their family can pursue a civil lawsuit for damages.
One of the most significant features of the Elder Abuse Act is the availability of enhanced remedies. In cases where the facility acted with severe wrongdoing, families can seek punitive damages and attorneys’ fees on top of standard compensation. These enhanced remedies are designed to send a message and discourage the kind of conduct that puts vulnerable residents at risk.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Abuse and neglect in nursing homes can take many forms, and the signs are not always obvious.
Families should be aware of the different categories of elder abuse recognized under California law:
- Physical abuse, including hitting, pushing, and the use of unreasonable physical restraints
- Neglect, such as the failure to provide things like adequate food and medical care
- Emotional and psychological abuse, including verbal threats and deliberate isolation from family and friends
- Sexual abuse of any kind
- Financial abuse, which involves the misuse and/or theft of a resident’s property
- Abandonment by a caregiver who is responsible for the resident’s well-being
If you have noticed any of these types of abuse in a family member’s care, speaking with an attorney as soon as possible is an important first step to take. Our legal team can help you evaluate the situation and determine your best course of action from there.
What Are the Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?
Recognizing the signs of abuse early on can be the difference between stopping it and allowing it to continue.
If you visit a loved one in a Bell nursing home and notice any of the following, it may be time to take action:
- Unexplained bruises
- Sudden weight loss
- Unsanitary living conditions
- Withdrawal from social interaction
- Noticeable change in mood and behavior
- Bedsores that are not being properly treated
- Unexplained changes in financial accounts
- Anxiety around certain staff members
- Overuse of sedatives
Not every sign on this list automatically means abuse is occurring, but any combination of them is worth looking into. If something feels wrong, trust your instincts and reach out to a nursing home abuse lawyer in Bell for guidance.
How Much Is My Bell Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
The value of a nursing home abuse case depends on a number of factors unique to your situation.
While no two claims are exactly alike, some of the considerations that tend to carry the most weight include:
- How severe the abuse or neglect was and how long it continued
- The extent of the physical and emotional harm your loved one suffered
- Whether the facility had a documented history of violations
- The cost of medical treatment your loved one needed as a result
- Whether the enhanced remedies under the Elder Abuse Act are available in your case
Cases involving ongoing patterns of neglect or deliberate mistreatment tend to carry more value, more so when there is evidence that the facility knew about the problem and failed to act. Our personal injury lawyer can give you a clearer picture of what your claim may be worth after reviewing the details of your situation.
What Damages Are Available to Bell Nursing Home Abuse Victims?
California law allows families to pursue compensation that reflects the full impact of the abuse their loved one suffered. The types of damages available will depend on the facts of the case and whether the Elder Abuse Act’s enhanced remedies apply.
Standard economic and non-economic damages may include:
- Medical expenses for treatment related to the abuse or neglect
- Costs of relocating the resident to a safer facility
- Pain and suffering the resident experienced as a result of the mistreatment
- Emotional distress endured by both the victim and their family
- Loss of enjoyment of life
As noted above, compensation for punitive damages and attorneys’ fees may also be available if the facility acted in an egregious manner. In wrongful death cases, the law also allows families to seek compensation for the pain and suffering the deceased endured before passing, which is not typically available in standard wrongful death claims.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Bell, CA?
Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers handles nursing home abuse cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you won’t have to pay us anything up front or by the hour. Instead, we only receive attorney’s fees if we successfully recover compensation for you.
Our fees will be a portion of the jury verdict or settlement we secure for you at the conclusion of your case. While the percentage can vary in some cases, we’ll sign an agreement before we begin our representation so that you will know what to expect.
This arrangement allows your family to hire an experienced legal team without adding financial stress to an already difficult situation. It also means our lawyers will be incentivized to increase the value of your claim as much as we can.
How Long Do I Have to File a Nursing Home Abuse Claim in California?
The statute of limitations for most nursing home abuse and neglect claims in California is two years from the date the injury was discovered or should have been discovered. For financial elder abuse, the deadline extends to four years. If the abuse led to a wrongful death, the family has two years from the date of death to file a lawsuit.
These deadlines can be complicated in nursing home cases because the abuse is not always immediately apparent. California’s discovery rule may extend the filing window in some circumstances, but you should not count on that. The safest course of action is to speak with a nursing home abuse attorney as soon as you suspect something is wrong.
Contact Our Experienced Bell Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys for a Free Consultation
If a nursing home has failed to protect someone you love in Bell, CA, your family has every right to hold them liable. Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers has spent years fighting for victims of negligence in the area, and we are ready to put that experience to work for you as well.
Call our Bell nursing home abuse lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We’ve recovered over $100 million for our deserving clients and won’t hesitate to take your case to court if that’s in your best interest.
