What You Need to Know About Wrongful Death Nursing Home Settlements
Today, approximately 1.5 million people live in nursing homes, while millions more receive care through assisted living communities or in their own homes. Families place great trust in these care providers, but, unfortunately, instances of abuse do occur. Mistreatment in nursing homes can take on many forms, ranging from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse to financial exploitation and neglect. When a vulnerable person is physically abused, to the point of death, it can leave the family traumatized and reeling from their loss.
Nursing home neglect and abuse is the failure to meet an older adult’s needs, which include food, water, shelter, clothing, hygiene, and essential medical care. For example, when a patient has Alzheimer’s or dementia, or is experiencing confusion for any reason, they require monitoring to ensure their safety. When this basic standard of care is not met and your loved one dies as a result, the family may wish to pursue a wrongful death nursing home abuse claim with the goal of negotiating a wrongful death settlement.
How Wrongful Death Nursing Home Settlements Can Help
A negligence suit is the most powerful way of holding a nursing home accountable and preventing their staff from abusing others. Nursing homes found liable for abuse may face a license suspension or revocation, forced changes to operating procedures, and/or a loss of government funding.
A wrongful death nursing home settlement not only provides financial compensation for grieving family members but also helps restore dignity to the loved one who suffered abuse.
What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Nursing Home Wrongful Death Settlement?
When a loved one dies due to abuse or neglect in a nursing home, families may pursue a wrongful death claim to seek justice and compensation. The damages recovered in a wrongful death settlement can vary depending on the circumstances of the case but typically include both economic (financial) losses and non-economic (emotional, psychological) losses, such as:
- Medical expenses. Families can recover costs related to the final medical care their loved one received due to injuries caused by abuse or neglect.
- Funeral and burial costs. Families can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses for funeral services, burial, or cremation.
- Pain and suffering. Families may receive compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering their loved one endured before death.
- Loss of companionship. Family members may receive damages for the emotional loss and deprivation of love, guidance, and support resulting from the wrongful death.
- Loss of financial support. If the deceased contributed financially to the household, the family may be entitled to recover the loss of that income or support.
- Punitive damages. In rare cases involving especially egregious misconduct or willful neglect, courts in states that allow it may award punitive damages to punish the facility and deter future abuse.
What is the Average Wrongful Death Settlement?
If you’re thinking about filing a wrongful death claim, it’s normal to wonder what is the average payout in a wrongful death suit? While there’s no standard payout for nursing home wrongful death claims, most settlements range from $500,000 to $10 million. The amount depends on various factors, such as the deceased’s age, health, income, and the specific circumstances of the case. Because each situation is unique and laws vary by state, it is important to meet with a wrongful death lawyer to discuss the value of your claim.
Who is Liable for Nursing Home Neglect?
Nursing home neglect is a real risk to millions of seniors every day. There are two main parties that can be held responsible for senior neglect and abuse:
- Nursing home administrators/owners may be found negligent in the care of their residents by failing to provide a safe and clean facility, healthy food and medications, emergency care, or adequate training/staffing of the caretakers they employ.
- Care facility staff may also be found negligent in the care of the residents they serve if they act in a negligent or abusive manner inconsistent with the training they received.
What to Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect Caused the Death of Your Elderly Family Member
The first thing to do if you suspect that abuse or neglect in a nursing home or assisted living facility was the cause of your loved one’s passing is to speak to some of the other residents. You may also wish to speak with staff or administrators to hear their explanation of your concerns.
If you are not satisfied with answers provided by the staff or nursing home administrators, or the seriousness of the situation is so clear that you have no doubt about abuse; you should take steps to report the abuse. To find your state’s reporting number, go to the National Center on Elder Abuse website and click on “Where to Report Abuse.”
Once this is done, we recommend contacting an experienced, local wrongful death attorney with great reviews who can assess your case and discuss your legal rights.
A Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help with Wrongful Death Cases
Nursing homes are represented by insurance companies who will try to settle cases as quickly and cheaply as they can. Experienced nursing home neglect lawyers can be a very valuable asset for negotiating the settlement you deserve.
If your loved one lost their life as a result of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, you may be feeling overwhelmed with your loss. Let an experienced nursing home abuse attorney help you fight for justice. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a good lawyer. Call the caring elder abuse attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! Since 1979, our personal injury law firm, Tario & Associates, P.S., has been dedicated to fighting for the rights of people injured throughout Washington State, with local offices in Bellingham and Mount Vernon to serve residents of Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and Snohomish counties. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
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When to Call a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Many elderly persons end up needing some form of care; adult children and spouses are often tasked with the decision about whether to move their loved one into a nursing home but some seniors go by their own choice. The sad reality is that not all nursing homes have well-meaning, well-trained, or responsible staff to care for their patients. An estimated two to four million senior citizens are abused every year at the hands of their caretakers.
Common Nursing Home Injuries Include:
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