Augusta Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

Your loved one deserves to spend their twilight years in comfort and safety. When a nursing home’s administration fails to provide such accommodations, you can hold them financially accountable. If your loved one endured abuse or neglect in their care facility, an Augusta nursing home abuse attorney can uphold their legal rights.

The Hawk Firm provides free consultations for seniors and their families. We can answer questions and provide information to help you move forward. Our attorneys routinely handle these claims and lawsuits, advocating for justice and compensation.

Table of Contents

• We Intend to Resolve Your Augusta Nursing Home Abuse Case
• Damages Recoverable in an Augusta Nursing Home Abuse Case
• What Constitutes Elder Abuse and Neglect in Augusta?
• Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Home Abuse Cases in Augusta

The Hawk Firm Advocates for Nursing Home Abuse Survivors

At The Hawk Firm, our trial lawyers have a strong understanding of nursing home abuse cases. We know how to identify and document abuse and neglect, hold the responsible parties liable, and recover compensation for our clients. We can review your case with you for free today.

Our firm founder Jacque D. Hawk has almost 40 years of experience handling personal injury cases in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). Along with his team of attorneys, the firm continues to thrive. The name is among the most well-recognized and respected in Augusta, and former clients often recommend the team to friends and family. We do everything possible to resolve nursing home abuse cases with positive outcomes.

We Aim to Provide Peace of Mind During This Challenging Time

Our goal is to ensure each client feels:

• Empowered to ask questions
• Comfortable reaching out to our team with concerns
• Confident in our team’s ability to win their case
• peace knowing their attorney is knowledgeable, capable, and experienced with similar cases

We do not want you to worry about the insurance claim or legal case. We take care of everything while you focus on your loved one’s health, safety, and well-being.

You also do not need to worry about how you will pay for our services during this difficult time. We work based on contingency. We do not charge retainers or hourly fees. There are no upfront charges for our clients at all. We only charge clients after the case is over, and we recover compensation for them. If we do not secure damages, we do not charge attorney’s fees.

We Can Investigate Your Nursing Home Abuse Case

Your nursing home abuse case in Augusta needs supporting evidence. With the information we find, we aim to prove that your loved one suffered harm in a care facility, and as a result, your family deserves compensation.

Investigating a nursing home case can get complicated. For instance, your loved one may not have the mental faculties to explain their mistreatment. Eyewitnesses could leave the facility or forget critical details. Each of these things can impede your right to damages.

The Hawk Firm evaluates all personal injury cases with an eagle eye. We examine your case from many angles to find compelling evidence and assert your case.

We can do this by:

• Interviewing possible witnesses to the abuse or neglect
• Gathering statements given to investigators or the facility about certain incidents
• Documenting your loved one’s injuries with photographs and videos
• Visiting your loved one’s living facility
• Obtaining your loved one’s medical records to show their condition’s severity
• Enlisting the help of medical experts who can offer insight into your loved one’s condition
• Gathering bills and receipts to show your family’s expenses and losses

You don’t have to lift a finger with The Hawk Firm on your side. We’ve advocated for families in your position since 1984. From the very beginning, you can trust your case is in good hands.

Damages Recoverable in an Augusta Nursing Home Abuse Case

We secure justice in the form of financial recovery. We often negotiate payouts with the facility and its insurance provider. We avoid going to trial in many cases. However, our trial lawyers can litigate any case we believe needs to go to trial and can represent your family’s best interests to the judge and jury. We fight for the outcome you and your loved ones deserve.

Whenever possible, we intend to pursue:

Medical Care Costs

Your family should not have to pay medical bills associated with your loved one’s injuries. We seek compensation for these expenses and any future needs.

This includes:

• Ambulance transportation (if needed for emergency situations)
• Medical bills
• Prescribed rehabilitation and therapy
• Medication costs
• Mental health care

Your loved one may require expensive, painful treatments for bed sores. You entrusted the nursing home to provide your loved one with the best possible standard of care. You shouldn’t have to pay anything out of pocket for the conditions the facility should have prevented.

Other Economic Damages

Your economic damages go beyond your medical bills.

We intend to seek recovery for every financial loss associated with your case, such as:

• Stolen property. Under the Nursing Home Bill of Rights, your loved one has the right to have and safeguard personal possessions in their care facility. If the home confiscated any possessions (or claims that your loved one “lost” them), we can seek compensation for their replacement.
• Relocation expenses. You may want to transfer your loved one to a different care facility after learning about their maltreatment. The facility should pay for these costs—not you.
• Any out-of-pocket expenses. You could accumulate a host of expenses after learning about your loved one’s situation. For instance, you may have traveled out of state to manage your loved one’s affairs. You may have paid out of pocket for accommodations while dealing with their situation. You deserve compensation for these expenses.

Non-Economic Damages

Our lawyers can seek compensation for your non-financial losses. You may wonder: “How much can I recover for these expenses?” That answer largely depends on your situation, including the extent of your loved one’s maltreatment.

Compensation for non-economic damages could include:

• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Mental health complications

State law does not cap how much you can seek for non-economic damages.

Wrongful Death-Related Damages

Not all seniors survive the injuries they suffer because of nursing home abuse or neglect. If your loved one passed away, we’re deeply sorry for your loss. We know financial recovery can’t account for your grief.

However, it can offer funds for certain expenses, such as:

• Funeral, burial, and memorial costs
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of your loved one’s income, such as disability or retirement
• Your loved one’s final healthcare expenses

We want to start building and managing your case as soon as possible. Our nursing home abuse attorneys in Augusta are eager to hear your story.

What Constitutes Elder Abuse and Neglect in Augusta?

The Hawk Firm advocates for seniors who have experienced:

Neglect

Neglect can occur unintentionally, but that doesn’t excuse it. Nursing home administrators must provide adequate care for all residents at all times. Failure to do so makes them legally responsible for any negative outcomes.

Neglect-related injuries occur when care providers fail to:

• Maintain reliable feeding schedules
• Help residents go to the bathroom
• Rotate bedridden residents
• Engage residents in social events and other stimulating activity
• Administer medications
• Respond to complaints

Common causes of neglect include overcrowded facilities, understaffing, and hiring untrained or under-trained workers.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is always intentional. The abuser uses force to restrain, shove, hit, or otherwise cause physical harm to the resident. Because many seniors are in fragile health, they are more likely to suffer serious injuries due to abusive behavior. Holding a senior down could cause bruises. Shoving them into a bed or chair could leave them with a fractured arm, hip, or another body part.

There is never any excuse for the physical abuse of a nursing home resident. If you see unexplained bruising or other injuries on your loved one, consider the possibility of abuse. The nursing home administrators must provide a safe environment for your loved one by preventing these instances and dealing with any abuser as soon as they uncover what happened.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse often occurs alongside other types of abuse that cause physical injuries. Emotional abuse can cause psychological symptoms in some seniors that decrease their quality of life and cause other mental health concerns. These seniors deserve treatment and justice.

Emotional abuse can be threats, humiliation, name-calling, and other bullying behavior. It could come from staff, volunteers, visitors, and others. The nursing home administration is responsible for identifying and stopping this behavior.

Sexual Abuse

Some sexual predators prey on nursing home residents. Their behavior could range from exposing themselves to making inappropriate comments. If your loved one has bruises on their breasts or genitals (or reports any inappropriate behavior), have their doctor examine them as soon as possible. Sexual abuse can cause significant physical and emotional injuries.

Our lawyers advocate for survivors of abuse and neglect. Even if you’re unsure whether your loved one has suffered harm, our lawyers can advise you of your options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Home Abuse Cases in Augusta

We want you to have all the information possible to make informed decisions on your legal matters. In the years we’ve advocated for injured people, we’ve noticed that we commonly get these questions:

Does My Nursing Home Abuse Case Have a Time Limit?

When we need to sue in a nursing home abuse case, there are time limits. Georgia law usually gives victims and their families only two years to begin a lawsuit. There are exceptions to this rule, but some reduce how long you have to act. By contacting us as soon as possible, we can set your case in motion and uphold your rights.

What Do People Have to Say About The Hawk Firm?

We have countless positive testimonials on our website.

When describing our legal team, clients have described us as:

• Helpful
• Knowledgeable
• Super easy to talk to
• Affable and welcoming
• Respectful
• Honest
• Responsive

We aim to make this challenging period as easy as possible. You can learn more about our commitment to client success during your free case review.

What Should I Do Now?

Your number one priority should be your loved one’s safety. If they’re in immediate danger, you should call 911 and have authorities visit the facility. You may also consider filing a report with the Division of Aging Services. This creates a paper trail of your loved one’s mistreatment and lays the foundation for your case.

Contact Our Augusta Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers to Learn More

We provide free consultations for nursing home abuse victims and their families. At The Hawk Firm, our team offers a chance to discuss your case, its possible solutions, and other details. We can answer questions and explain a possible approach based on the details of your case. We believe your loved one deserves justice after injuries caused by nursing home neglect or abuse. Let us help you fight for them. For more information, reach out to an Augusta personal injury lawyer.

Contact us today at (706) 724-8537 to get started. We can review your legal options now.

Client Testimonials

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Star Review

“Best Law Firm in the CSRA! Thank you Hawk Firm for handling all of my legal needs with outstanding professionalism! Highly recommend The Hawk Firm to anyone in need of legal services!” -Rob W.