Finding out that someone you love may have been mistreated in a nursing home can be upsetting and confusing. An injury may not match the explanation you received, or your loved one may seem uneasy around a caregiver. These changes can leave you wondering whether they are receiving the care and treatment they deserve.
A Portland nursing home abuse lawyer from Jenner Law can look into what happened and work to hold the companies or people who may be responsible. Our firm brings 70 years of combined experience to serious injury and abuse cases and takes a compassionate approach to sensitive matters.
Our goal is to uncover what happened and require those responsible to answer for the harm they caused. A Portland personal injury lawyer can sort through that evidence and pursue damages when the facts support a claim. Contact us today to tell us about what happened at the nursing home. Your consultation is free.
Our Portland Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Help Your Family Find Answers
Care notes, medication records, incident reports, staffing records, surveillance footage, and internal communications can help fill in missing parts of the story. Jenner Law digs into this evidence instead of relying only on the facility’s explanation.
Our Portland nursing home injury lawyers examine how the harm occurred and whether problems extended beyond one caregiver. Depending on what happened, that could include a staff member, facility operator, management company, medical provider, or another party.
Experience Handling Complex Cases
Jenner Law has experience investigating complex cases involving large companies and extensive records. Our verdicts and settlements include recoveries of $250 million, $200 million, and $52 million in complex cases.
Every case depends on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a similar recovery. We use our experience to help families document what occurred and seek accountability from those responsible.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer call,
(888) 585-2188
The Harm Nursing Home Residents Experience Can Take Many Forms
Oregon recognizes several forms of abuse involving older adults, including physical harm, neglect, emotional abuse, financial exploitation, and sexual abuse. In a nursing home, concerns may involve:
- Rough or improper handling of a resident
- Failure to provide enough food or water
- Medication being misused
- Leaving a resident without needed care or supervision
- Taking or misusing a resident’s money or property
- Threatening, humiliating, or intimidating a resident
- Unwanted sexual contact
- Using restraints improperly
Some incidents that occur in nursing homes involve the actions of only one person. Others may point to broader problems with supervision, training, or how the facility responds to known risks.
Changes in Your Loved One May Be a Reason to Look Closer
Families often notice changes that may not appear in a resident’s chart. Possible signs of abuse or neglect include:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, fractures, or repeated falls.
- Bedsores, dehydration, or sudden weight loss.
- Becoming unusually quiet, nervous, withdrawn, or upset around a particular person.
- Missing belongings, unexplained withdrawals, or unusual financial activity.
One sign does not necessarily mean your loved one is being abused. Their health, what they tell you, and the available records can help you understand what happened.
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What to Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
Call 911 if there is immediate danger, and seek medical care for any injuries. Document what you notice, including dates, injuries, photographs, messages, and conversations with facility staff.
Give your loved one room to describe what happened in their own words rather than filling in details for them.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Where to Report Suspected Nursing Home Abuse in Oregon
Suspected abuse or neglect of an older or vulnerable adult can be reported to the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) through the Oregon SAFEline at 855-503-SAFE (7233).
Complaints about licensed nursing facilities can also be made to the ODHS Nursing Facility Complaint Unit at 877–280–4555. Oregon’s Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman also helps residents address concerns about long-term care.
An agency can investigate care or regulatory concerns, while a civil case can seek legal relief for the resident. For a review of your legal options, call Jenner Law for a free consultation today.
Oregon Laws That May Apply to Nursing Home Abuse
The type of claim you can file depends on what happened and may involve negligence, medical negligence, wrongful death, or other Oregon law. Under ORS § 124.100, qualifying vulnerable people can pursue civil claims for certain physical or financial abuse.
A guardian, conservator, attorney-in-fact, trustee, or personal representative may also have authority to bring the action. This law does not apply to every nursing home defendant. ORS 124.115 contains exclusions for certain health care and licensed facilities, along with exceptions.
Our lawyer can determine which laws and claims apply to the facts.
Damages Can Address the Harm in a Portland Nursing Home Abuse Case
Recoverable losses may include:
- Medical treatment and related expenses
- Additional care made necessary by an injury
- Pain and physical discomfort
- Emotional harm
- Loss of money or property
- Other financial losses caused by wrongdoing
Oregon’s vulnerable-person statute provides specific remedies for a qualifying claim. Our Portland nursing home abuse attorneys can determine which damages and statutory remedies apply.
When Nursing Home Abuse Leads to a Loved One’s Death
If you lost a loved one and believe abuse or poor care may have contributed to their death, Jenner Law extends our deepest sympathy to you and your family. Questions about the care they received can make an already painful loss even harder to process.
Medical records, notes about their care, and other evidence may help explain what happened. If the evidence shows that wrongful conduct contributed to your loved one’s death, your family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Under Oregon law, the personal representative of your loved one’s estate brings the wrongful death action. The claim may benefit a surviving spouse, children, parents, and certain other family members recognized by law.
What a Wrongful Death Claim May Cover
Depending on what happened, your family could recover medical and burial expenses, lost financial support, and compensation for the loss of your loved one’s society, companionship, and services.
Our Portland wrongful death lawyer will review the care your loved one received and help your family seek answers and accountability for what happened.
Oregon Filing Deadlines for Nursing Home Abuse Claims
Under ORS 12.110, many Oregon personal injury claims generally have a two-year filing period, including certain claims involving medical care.
A qualifying physical or financial abuse claim under Oregon’s vulnerable-person laws may have a different deadline. ORS 124.130 generally allows seven years after discovery of the conduct giving rise to the claim.
If abuse or neglect contributes to a resident’s death, people generally have three years to file a wrongful death action that is subject to the specific rules in ORS 30.020. Different deadlines may apply to a case, so having the dates reviewed early can help protect your right to bring a claim.
Talk to Jenner Law About Suspected Nursing Home Abuse in Portland
If you are concerned about the treatment of someone you love in a Portland nursing home, contact the team at Jenner Law today to discuss what happened and what steps may be available.
If you don’t know exactly what happened, that is okay. An unexplained injury, a troubling change in your loved one’s behavior, or an account that does not match what you have seen may be enough reason to look more closely.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers in Portland will handle your legal matter on a contingency fee basis. We receive payment only if you or your loved one recover damages. Start today with a free consultation.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form