Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Newark

Learning that someone you love may have been mistreated in a nursing home can bring anger, guilt, sadness, and many unanswered questions. Our Newark nursing home abuse lawyers will investigate what happened, identify those responsible, and pursue a claim that recognizes the harm your loved one suffered.

Grungo Law brings local knowledge and experienced trial attorneys to these difficult cases. Richard Grungo Jr., Esq. and José Hernandez have earned certification as Civil Trial Attorneys from the Supreme Court of New Jersey. This designation is held by fewer than 2.5% of New Jersey attorneys.

Our Newark personal injury lawyers understand that a nursing home case can involve medical records, facility policies, staffing issues, witness accounts, and state and federal rules. We can gather this information, explain your family’s options, and work to hold the right parties accountable. Call us today to discuss your next steps during a free consultation.

Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in Newark Will Help Your Family Find Answers

When you trust a nursing home with a loved one’s care, you have every reason to expect they will be treated with dignity. Discovering possible abuse or neglect can leave you wondering how it happened and whether someone could have prevented it.

We will investigate the circumstances instead of relying on the facility’s explanation. Grungo Law may review medical records, care plans, incident reports, staffing information, photographs, videos, and other evidence. Your nursing home injury lawyer in Newark may also speak with witnesses and determine whether similar concerns have been reported by other residents.

Legal action is not only about seeking damages. It also requires the people and organizations responsible for the harm to answer for what happened. Grungo Law prepares cases with that accountability in mind: Pray for peace, prepare for trial®.

Nursing Home Abuse in Newark Can Take Different Forms 

Abuse does not always leave an obvious injury. It may involve physical mistreatment, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, or intentional denial of needed care.

New Jersey nursing home residents have rights, including the right to be treated with dignity and to be free from physical and mental abuse, involuntary seclusion, and improper restraints.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse involves intentionally harming a resident by punching, hitting, kicking, or other physical violence. Unexplained bruises, burns, fractures, and repeated injuries are some examples of warning signs. Improper use of physical or chemical restraints also violates a resident’s rights.

Emotional or Verbal Abuse

Threats, humiliation, intimidation, harassment, and deliberate isolation can be forms of emotional abuse. A resident may become withdrawn, anxious, or fearful around a particular person.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual contact without a resident’s consent is abuse. This can include unwanted touching or sexual acts, having sexual images taken without permission, or other unwanted sexual behavior. 

Financial Abuse 

No one should take or use a resident’s money, valuables, or other property without their permission. In these cases, families may discover missing belongings, withdrawals the resident cannot explain, unfamiliar purchases, or changes involving financial documents. 

Nursing Home Neglect 

Nursing home residents depend on staff for many everyday needs. When those needs are repeatedly left unmet, a resident may be harmed.

For example, a resident may not receive adequate food or fluids, help with hygiene, needed medical attention, or assistance after calling for help. Problems may also arise when staff members do not follow the resident’s care plan.

Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse Deserve Attention 

It can be difficult to know whether a change in your loved one is related to abuse, neglect, illness, medication, or another cause. You do not need to reach a conclusion on your own before raising concerns.

Signs worth looking into may include:

• Unexplained or repeated injuries
• Sudden fear, anxiety, or withdrawal
• Poor hygiene or soiled clothing
• Bedsores or worsening wounds
• Unexplained weight loss or dehydration
• Frequent falls
• Missing money or personal belongings
• Unusual changes in financial documents
• Fear of a particular employee or resident
• Sudden changes in mood or behavior
• Staff members who avoid questions about an injury
• Significant changes in your loved one’s appearance or care

One sign by itself does not necessarily mean mistreatment took place. A pattern of concerns or a loved one saying something is wrong should not be dismissed.

What if Your Loved One Cannot Explain What Happened? 

A resident with dementia or communication difficulties may have trouble explaining what happened. Still, that does not mean any concerns you have should be ignored.

Changes in a resident’s condition may help show what occurred in addition to other evidence, including medical records, facility records, and witness statements. Our elder abuse attorneys in Newark will investigate these and other sources rather than placing the burden on your loved one to prove what happened alone. 

You do not have to figure out what the evidence means on your own. To discuss your legal options during a free consultation, call Grungo Law today.

Nursing Home Abuse Cases May Involve Multiple Liable Parties 

Harm to a resident may result from an employee’s actions, but problems with hiring, supervision, staffing, or the facility’s response to earlier complaints may also play a role. 

Depending on the facts, responsibility may involve a nursing home, management company, employee, contractor, medical provider, or another person or business. Our Newark nursing home injury attorneys will investigate the larger circumstances surrounding the harm to identify the parties whose conduct may have contributed to it. 

Can a Nursing Home Be Responsible for an Employee’s Conduct? 

The nursing home’s actions may be important when an employee harms a resident. Your claim could involve the employee’s actions as well as decisions made by the nursing home administration concerning hiring, training, supervision, staffing, or its response to earlier warning signs.

Damages May Address Both Financial and Personal Harm 

We understand that money cannot erase the abuse or neglect your loved one experienced. A claim for damages can, however, seek to recover compensation for what they endured. 

After we review the incident, we may be able to recover:

• Medical treatment costs related to the injuries
• Hospital or rehabilitation expenses
• Costs of moving to another care facility
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Losses caused by financial exploitation
• Other expenses related to the abuse or neglect

Time Limits for Nursing Home Injury and Wrongful Death Cases 

New Jersey places deadlines on filing personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. In many cases, the deadline is generally two years, although when that period begins and whether an exception applies can depend on the circumstances. 

When abuse or neglect contributes to a resident’s death, surviving family members may have additional legal options. A Newark wrongful death lawyer at Grungo Law can explain which damages may apply based on the facts of the case. 

What to Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect in Newark 

Your first concern may be getting your loved one somewhere safe. If there is an immediate danger, call 911 or local law enforcement. 

When it is safe to do so, write down what you observed and when you noticed it. Keep pictures, messages, medical paperwork, names of possible witnesses, and communications with the nursing home. Avoid changing or throwing away information that could later explain what happened.

You can report your concerns to the New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The agency investigates complaints involving abuse, neglect, exploitation, and residents’ rights in long-term care facilities. You can also contact the New Jersey Department of Health, which licenses and regulates nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

Tell Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Newark About What Happened 

Your loved one deserves to have their experience taken seriously. Seeking answers can be an important part of acknowledging what happened and deciding how your family wants to respond. We prepare each case with the possibility of trial in mind.

Grungo Law provides accessible, personal service, including attorneys who can assist those who speak Spanish. We have more than 100 years of combined experience and have served thousands of clients. We also handle injury cases on contingency, so there is no cost to you unless we win.

We will change the way you think about a personal injury law firm through communication, preparation, and accountability. No hype or empty promises. Just real. We will listen to your concerns and explain the legal options available to your family. Call for a free consultation.