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Nursing Home Abuse

Savannah Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Fight for Injured Seniors

Moving a loved one into a nursing home or other care facility is emotionally difficult for any family. You may worry about how they will adjust to their new living situation and how they will transition to a less independent life. However, those may be small concerns compared to the treatment that patients and residents receive at some nursing homes in Georgia. You should be able to trust the doctors, nurses, and other staff members at your loved one’s nursing home to give them the best possible care, but that doesn’t always happen. At Owens & Mulherin Injury Lawyers, we know that abuse and neglect are all too common in care facilities, putting residents’ well-being at risk.

Our attorneys have handled a wide variety of nursing home cases ranging from severe injuries due to falls and the failure to supervise, to decubitus ulcers resulting in major surgeries or death. If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of neglect or abuse, get in touch with our legal team as soon as possible. Doing so can not only help you and your loved one get compensation for injuries caused by neglect and abuse, but it can save their life.

Signs of nursing home abuse and neglect

Depending on the health of your loved one, it can be difficult to determine if they’re receiving quality care at their nursing home. The staff may appear attentive and caring while you’re visiting, but they may neglect loved ones or even abuse them when you and your other family members aren’t around.

It’s important to be on the lookout for signs of abuse or neglect in your loved one, which can manifest as:

  • Bedsores/pressure ulcers — If your loved one spends a lot of time in bed, staff members have a responsibility to make sure that the patient is repositioned frequently, cleaned often, and their skin is inspected regularly to avoid health problems and complications. Bedsores and pressure sores may indicate that your loved one is being neglected by staff members who aren’t following proper protocol for bedridden patients.
  • Unexplained weight loss or dehydration — Nursing home residents and patients require adequate meals and liquids several times per day to stay in good health. If you notice that your loved one has lost weight or appears dehydrated, it may indicate that they aren’t receiving the nutrition that they need.
  • Cuts, bruises, and other wounds — Physical abuse is a reality for many nursing home residents and patients. If your loved one is being abused by staff members, you may notice signs such as unexplained bruises, cuts, welts, redness, and other wounds.
  • Worsening health problems — Nursing home healthcare workers and staff members are tasked with making sure residents and patients get their medications to treat their illnesses or medical conditions. If your loved one’s health begins to worsen, it may be because they aren’t getting the treatments they need and have a right to expect.

Call our experienced Savannah attorneys right away if you think that your loved one is a victim of abuse or neglect by a nursing home. At Owens & Mulherin, we can begin investigating to not only protect your loved one’s health and well-being, but also to maximize your family’s chances of getting full compensation.

Too many Georgia nursing homes deliver low-quality services and expose elders to abuse

Georgia nursing homes have been heavily criticized for substandard performance in recent years. Nursing Home Compare, a federal service that has been tracking nursing home quality since 1998, gave its highest, five-star rating indicating “much above average” to 56 nursing homes in the state. Unfortunately, 28 percent of Georgia’s nursing homes earned only one star, indicating “much below average.” By contrast, the nursing homes of neighboring states such as Alabama and Florida earned one-star ratings of 11 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

The consequences of substandard nursing home services are often tragic, as illustrated by the avalanche of 777 criminal charges filed against 560 individuals for abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult in Georgia as late as 2016 (the latest year statistics were available). Still, advocates for seniors claim that for every abuse case that comes to the attention of authorities, another 23 cases go unreported, meaning that some members of our most vulnerable population suffer in silence.

Advocates are quick to point out that even if your elder loved one’s facility has a five-star rating, you should still visit the facility often and monitor your loved one’s progress and care. You are your loved one’s advocate and greatest asset in the fight against abuse and neglect. Your vigilance in noticing the telltale signs of abuse and neglect — as listed above — can keep your loved one safe, and our law firm is ready to help.

We’ll stand up for your loved one’s rights

Nursing home residents in Georgia are entitled to a Bill of Rights concerning many aspects of their care and daily lives. This Bill of Rights is protected under state law and entitles residents to:

  • The right to receive adequate care, treatment, and services
  • The right to choose among different forms of treatment
  • The right to refuse treatment by a doctor or request a different doctor
  • The right to be treated with dignity and respect
  • The right to know about their medical conditions, treatment options, and side effects

Those rights are often violated when residents are abused or neglected. At Owens & Mulherin, we believe that nursing home residents deserve high-quality and compassionate care, and that’s why we strive to fight for victims and their families when they are mistreated.

Contact our Savannah attorneys for help with nursing home neglect or abuse

Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are among the most vulnerable members of society. Don’t wait to get the legal representation you and your loved one need when you suspect that a family member is being subjected to abuse or neglect by the very people charged with caring for them. Call Owens & Mulherin Injury Lawyers at 912-212-2100 or contact our Savannah office online. Your consultation is free, and you don’t owe us anything unless we get money for you — that’s our No Fee Guarantee®.

Reviews From Our Clients
  • "I was pregnant and injured in an automobile accident. Mr. Owens, personally, came to the hospital. He told me he would handle everything, I just needed to get healthy for the baby and myself. Mr. Owens did everything he said he would. I highly recommend Owens and Mulherin. Everyone in their office is friendly and informative. You're not just another client with them, they genuinely care." - Lindsay Chadwick

  • "Highly recommend working with this group!! They are very friendly, understanding, caring people and very easy to talk to. They Gave us plenty of time to talk with them. Did not make us feel rushed and explained everything thoroughly. Made the experience the best possible and we had a positive outcome during a tragic time. Thank you to the attorneys and entire staff." - Cindy Shuman

  • "I found Mr. Owens to be very professional and extremely sympathetic towards my needs as a result of my injuries. His experience helped guide me through my case and we ultimately won in the end...settled out of court! Thanks for all your help!" - Diane Calahan

  • "Following an automobile accident I sought representation from Wil Owens. Throughout the process he and his staff were always very kind, informative, and diligent in protecting my rights and interests. I knew my case was minor comparatively speaking, however, they never minimized the importance of my situation or claim. I would highly recommend this local law firm!!Sincerely,Christi (Fry) Vinyard" - Christi Fry

  • "This was my first time having to get an attorney and my experience was great. They make sure you fully understand everything that's going on and make sure the case is settled in your favor. I highly recommend this attorney office if you need one." - Dee James

  • "Absolutely 100% the best law firm around. I was completely blown away by the staff with all their generosity and helpfulness every step of the way. Wilbur Owens is hands down the best attorney I have ever met. He was caring, professional, and helpful in all aspects of my case, from the very begining with all my treatments to the very end with my settlement. He was highly recommend to me and I have heard nothing but great things about him and his firm. They truly are the best around and if ths need were to arise again in the future I will gladly come to the law firm of Owens and Mulherin. Wonderful people and they gave me my life back as well as piece of mind, and for that I am and always will be truly thankful." - Courtney Graves

  • "I had a good experience with Mr. Owens and Ms. Teresa. They were very professional and was on point. It was a long process but it was worth the wait. I would recommend anyone to this lawfirm." - Ashley Robertson

  • "My thanks to Mr. Owens and his crew. After getting injured at work , and not knowing what to do I found them thru a local web search. Everyone in the office was great, Will walked me thru my case and explained how it would go. After everything I would highly recommend this law firm. I can't say enough of Mr. Owens and his staff . Thank you for your help!" - Mark Kalla

  • "I worked with Mr. Ownens and his team for my most recent accident involving 2 uninsured motorists, and I am extremely pleased with the way my case was worked, as well as the outcome. I cannot say anything negative about the law firm whatsoever, but I can tell you that being hit by uninsured vehicles is a nightmare." - Nic Schuman

  • "Loved working with me. Mulherin. Didn’t make me feel rushed or pinned against a wall. He gave me the beat and worse case scenario. Went to bat for me when the insurance company thought they could get away with being cheap. Brooke was amazing to work with to. Always answered calls or emails in a timely manner." - Natasha Campbell

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Wilbur D. Owens Attorney Photo
Wilbur D. Owens
Attorney

Mr. Owens devotes his practice exclusively to representing plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death claims. His primary focus is automobile/tractor-trailer accidents, dog bites, slip/trip and falls, medical malpractice, injuries from dangerous products, job injuries and nursing home abuse. Before joining forces with Mr. Mulherin to open Owens & Mulherin in 2001, Mr. Owens worked…

Joseph A. Mulherin Attorney Photo
Joseph A. Mulherin
Attorney

Mr. Mulherin represents individuals in personal injury cases. His primary practice areas are automobile accidents, tractor-trailer collisions, medical malpractice claims and workplace injuries. Before forming Owens & Mulherin with Mr. Owens in 2001, Mr. Mulherin practiced at Bouhan, Williams & Levy, LLP, from 1984 - 2000, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury cases.…

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