If you or someone you love has been abused at a nursing facility in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, now’s the time to call Parrish DeVaughn. Our Oklahoma City nursing home abuse lawyers offer a free consultation. Contact us today at (855) 901-1988.
You could be entitled to compensation for your medical treatment, disability, financial losses, and suffering. We’re award-winning Oklahoma trial attorneys who’ve helped injury victims and families win over $300 million in settlements and jury awards. We can help you maximize your recovery, too.
Why Choose Parrish DeVaughn for Help With a Nursing Abuse Lawsuit in Oklahoma City, OK
Families in Oklahoma City trust Parrish DeVaughn because we’re fierce legal advocates who don’t back down when things get tough. We take our clients’ injuries and trauma personally, and we fight until at-fault parties and insurers step up and make things right.
It’s how our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers have recovered over $300 million in personal injury awards, and it’s why members of our team are recognized as:
- America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- Lawyers of Distinction
- Super Lawyers
- The National Trial Lawyers 40 Under 40
These recognitions reflect our commitment to providing skilled, determined advocacy for nursing home abuse victims and their families throughout Oklahoma City. Reach out today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an Oklahoma City nursing home abuse attorney.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse can be broadly defined as the intentional, reckless, or negligent mistreatment of residents in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or rehabilitation center. It’s so common that, when surveyed, two-thirds of all nursing home caretakers admitted to having abused a resident within the past year.
Nursing homes house aging and disabled individuals, which means the risk of serious injury or death is high in cases of abuse and neglect. In Oklahoma, anyone who commits an act of abuse or contributes to a resident’s mistreatment can be liable for resulting damages.
This might include a:
- Certified nursing assistant
- Resident caretaker
- Physician
- Nurse
- Therapist
- Nursing home administrator or owner
Abuse doesn’t have to be physical. In fact, there are five categories of nursing home abuse that are generally recognized: physical, emotional, sexual, financial, and neglect. Often, victims of one type of nursing home abuse experience more than one type of abuse.
Representing Families in All Types of Nursing Home Abuse Cases in Oklahoma City
At Parrish DeVaughn, we understand the unique challenges that different types of nursing home abuse can cause, both for the victim and related litigation.
We bring decades of experience, in-depth knowledge of relevant laws and safety regulations, and an understanding of important evidentiary issues to nursing home abuse cases involving:
Physical Nursing Home Abuse
A nursing home resident suffers from physical abuse when their caretaker causes harm or allows them to be harmed. Common examples include pushing, hitting, pulling, grabbing hair, or using unnecessarily tight restraints.
Emotional Nursing Home Abuse
Emotional abuse, also known as psychological abuse, is one of the most common forms of abuse in Oklahoma City nursing homes. Residents suffer from emotional abuse when their caretakers repeatedly and intentionally inflict emotional distress and suffering, often by making threats, isolating the resident from others, name-calling, gaslighting, intimidating, or yelling.
Financial Nursing Home Abuse
The elderly are particularly susceptible to financial abuse, especially when they’re living in nursing homes without direct control over their finances. Financial abuse can include identity theft, theft of personal property and assets, and misappropriation of funds.
Sexual Nursing Home Abuse
Sexual abuse is more common than you might think in nursing homes. Residents experience sexual abuse when they are forced to observe or participate in sexual activity without their consent. The activity might involve caretakers or other residents.
Nursing Home Neglect
Neglect is just as problematic as abuse. Neglect occurs when a resident’s basic needs aren’t met, and often includes deprivation of food, water, medication, and medical attention. Residents who suffer from nursing home neglect often exhibit signs of dehydration, malnutrition, bed sores, serious infection and disease, or serious cognitive issues like dementia.
How Much Is My Nursing Home Abuse Case Worth?
It really depends. Every resident’s story is different. So, too, are the damages that are appropriate in a given nursing home abuse case.
While there’s no standard value for nursing home abuse claims, several factors are typically relevant in the conversation:
- The types of injuries a nursing home resident experiences
- The severity of those injuries
- Changes in the resident’s day-to-day quality of life
- Financial losses
- The resident’s age and life expectancy
More serious injuries and more extraordinary abuse tend to lead to higher financial recoveries. Working with an experienced nursing home abuse attorney near you in Oklahoma City can help you understand your claim’s potential value and maximize your recovery.
What Types of Damages Can Be Awarded to Victims of Nursing Abuse in Oklahoma City?
When a nursing home resident is abused, damages can be awarded in a civil action known as a personal injury lawsuit. In Oklahoma, the resident can be poised to recover two types of compensatory awards: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are awarded to offset the financial burdens that are related to the abusive care, such as:
- Present medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Long-term personal care assistance
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damage
- Restitution for financial losses
- Funeral expenses if a loved one’s wrongful death is caused by nursing home abuse
Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate the resident for the fear, trauma, and life changes they experience because they’ve been abused or neglected, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Embarrassment
Punitive damages can be appropriate if there’s clear and convincing evidence of intentional misconduct, fraud, or gross negligence at trial.
How Much Does It Cost to Pursue a Nursing Abuse Claim?
There’s no out-of-pocket cost to hire Parrish DeVaughn to handle your nursing home abuse case in Oklahoma City. We represent victims of abuse on a contingency fee basis.
We front the costs of pursuing a claim, and there’s no cost to you until we recover compensation on your behalf. When we win, our attorney fees are a percentage of your financial recovery. If we don’t win, you pay nothing.
You’ll know what to expect before you ever sign a contract to hire our personal injury law firm. Don’t hesitate to contact our Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys to learn more today.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuits in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma applies a two-year statute of limitations to most nursing home abuse lawsuits. This provides a two-year window in which a victim of abuse can pursue a legal claim for damages against the nursing home or another responsible party. For instances of long-standing abuse, the statute of limitations begins to run on the last date the resident was abused.
Once the statute of limitations runs out, the right to demand compensation disappears. It’s important to act quickly, as important evidence can get lost or become less reliable over time.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Oklahoma City Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
You trusted the nursing home. Someone you love was abused. Parrish DeVaughn is ready to help you demand justice. Through a personal injury lawsuit, our Oklahoma City nursing home abuse lawyers can hold the nursing facility and your loved one’s caretaker accountable for the trauma and suffering they’ve caused.
Our team of award-winning trial lawyers has helped injury victims and families in Oklahoma win hundreds of millions of dollars in life-changing financial awards. We’re prepared to offer the same top-tier legal representation to you in your family’s time of need, too. Contact us today for a free case review.
