Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys in Louisiana
When Caretakers Betray Your Trust
Making the decision to place an elderly parent or loved one in a nursing home is one of the hardest choices a family can make. You do it because you believe it is the best way to keep them safe. You trust that the facility will provide the professional medical attention and daily support that you cannot provide alone.
Sadly, that trust is often broken.
At the Berniard Law Firm, we understand the devastation of discovering that a vulnerable family member has been mistreated. As America’s population ages, nursing home abuse has crept out of the shadows to become a silent epidemic. We are here to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
The Difference Between Abuse and Neglect
Mistreatment in care facilities generally falls into two categories: aggressive abuse and passive neglect. Both are dangerous, and both are grounds for legal action in Louisiana.
1. Elder Abuse (Intentional Harm)
This occurs when a staff member actively harms a resident. It can take many heinous forms:
- Physical Abuse: Striking, shoving, or handling a resident with unnecessary force.
- Emotional & Mental Abuse: Bullying, yelling, isolating residents from others, or instilling fear.
- Financial Abuse: Stealing money, forging signatures, or coercing an elderly person into changing financial documents.
- Sexual Abuse: A horrifying reality that occurs more often than families realize.
2. Neglect (Failure to Care)
Neglect is often the result of understaffing or corporate greed. It happens when a facility fails to provide basic necessities. Common signs include:
- Bedsores (Pressure Ulcers): A clear sign that staff failed to turn or move a patient regularly.
- Malnutrition & Dehydration: Failing to ensure residents eat or drink enough.
- Medication Errors: Medical professionals doling out improper doses or forgetting medications entirely.
- Hygiene Failures: Leaving residents in soiled clothing or bedding for hours.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
Family members are the first line of defense. If your loved one cannot communicate clearly, look for these changes in behavior or condition:
- Sudden Withdrawal: Becoming silent, skittish, or emotionally distant.
- Unexplained Fear: Cowering when a specific staff member enters the room.
- Physical Changes: Unexplained bruises, rapid weight loss, or poor hygiene.
- “Giving Up”: A sudden lack of will to engage or eat, which can be a sign of deep depression caused by mistreatment.
Taking Action: Report It and Sue
If you encounter such a sordid situation, you must act immediately.
- Report the abuse to the proper Louisiana state authorities to ensure immediate safety.
- Contact the Berniard Law Firm to hold the facility accountable.
Pursuing a lawsuit does more than just secure financial compensation for medical bills and pain and suffering. It prevents future abuse. By hitting negligent facilities where it hurts—their bottom line—you force them to change their policies and protect other families from suffering the same fate.
Speak With a Compassionate Attorney Today
Do not let a nursing home get away with negligence.
Call us at (504) 521-6000 for a confidential, free consultation. We handle these cases with the utmost sensitivity and aggression. There are no costs to you unless we win a settlement or verdict for your family.