If your loved one has become the victim of sexual abuse in a nursing home or assisted living facility, contact Peck Ritchey, LLC for help immediately. The perpetrators of sex crimes in nursing homes often target the most defenseless victims. Victims sometimes can’t explain what happened to them. Sometimes, their memory is fading. They feel shame, humiliation, and fear. They have experienced pain and might have even been exposed to sexually transmitted diseases. Most heartbreaking, victims often believe they have no recourse.
Perpetrators of this abuse can include employees, fellow residents, or even people visiting. Regardless of the identity of the perpetrator, the nursing home has a duty to keep your loved one safe, and when they fail in this duty, they can be held accountable with the assistance of a skilled nursing home abuse lawyer. At Peck Ritchey, LLC, we have skilled, experienced attorneys who have the know-how to confront nursing homes about their insidious actions.
Your loved one deserves a safe, nurturing environment with caretakers who treat them with dignity and respect. We want nursing homes to pay when they allow sexual predators to harm nursing home residents. We want you to get justice. To schedule a free case consultation with an attorney from Peck Ritchey, LLC, call us today at (855) 328-5787.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help?
Personal injury attorneys understand the laws and statutes that govern nursing home sexual abuse cases. They have experience challenging nursing homes and saying no to insurance companies that offer lowball settlements to victims of even the most heinous crimes. And because victims sometimes find it difficult to or are reluctant to describe what happened to them, insurance companies try to get away with shirking all blame.
That makes it more critical to use a personal injury lawyer to facilitate discussions, negotiations, and legal actions. Sexual abuse allegations are particularly susceptible to skepticism, because physical evidence can be difficult to find. Please don’t let that discourage you from seeking legal advice. There is no way to know whether your case is winnable without first evaluating it with a professional. The process is much more arduous and chances of winning much slimmer without a lawyer on your side.
Why Choose Peck Ritchey, LLC?
At Peck Ritchey, LLC, we are relentless lawyers who do not tolerate our elderly citizens being abused, taken advantage of, or injured. We are extremely involved in elder law, frequently speaking at continuing education programs for other attorneys, appearing on news programs about elder abuse, and assisting to draft and pass new legislation in Illinois. Our entire practice is focused on issues affecting senior citizens, from elder abuse to estate planning.
We are a highly decorated firm, having been named Super Lawyers, received a perfect 10 rating on Avvo, and included in various organizations such as the Elder Care Matters Alliance. We have over 100 years of experiencing protecting the elderly citizens of Illinois.
Our clients trust us to be warriors for them. They trust us to be unyielding when we face opponents. And we have worked hard to earn that trust. The award-winning lawyers at Peck Ritchey, LLC can be counted on to serve our clients’ best interests.
Types of Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Cases We Handle
Nursing home sexual abuse is one of the most horrific acts that can occur in a nursing home. Sexually abusing a nursing home resident is a conscious decision by someone who works in, resides in, or visits a facility. It is the nursing home’s responsibility to screen employees, to keep residents safe, to monitor the actions of those who care for them, and to ensure visitors and facility residents cause no harm.
Unfortunately, terrible incidents of sexual abuse in nursing homes do occur. At Peck Ritchey, LLC, we handle a variety of nursing home sexual abuse cases, including:
- Rape/Sodomy
- Inappropriate Touching
- Unnecessary or Forced Nudity
- Sexual Harassment
- Sexual Abuse Threats
These violations are unfortunately common, but are rarely obvious. Look out for the following signs of sexual abuse:
- New STDs or STIs
- Stained, torn, or bloody undergarments
- Bruising on or around genitals or breasts
- Vaginal or anal bleeding
- Unexplained changes in behavior, particularly becoming withdrawn, quiet, fearful, or unwilling to be touched
- Tension between your loved one and a caregiver, or seeming fearful when the caregiver is around
- Not being allowed to spend time alone with your loved one
If you notice any of these signs, or anything else that seems suspicious, contact Peck Ritchey, LLC right away. Even if your loved one refuses to talk about what is occurring, or even denies the abuse outright, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Nursing Home Sexual Abuse is Widespread
A stunning report put out by CNN, “Sick, Dying, and Raped in America’s Nursing Homes” exposes terrible cases of sexual abuse in nursing facilities across the country. The exposé, while terrifying to read, illuminates how widespread the problem is and explains how inadequate the response to abuse allegations is. It uncovers detailed cases of abuse and cover-ups.
70% of all sexual abuse committed on the elderly occurs in nursing homes. In nursing homes, residents tend to be isolated. Many have dementia, which makes them particularly vulnerable targets because confusion and memory loss make it much less likely that a complaint will be filed or that the victim will be taken seriously.
Contact Peck Ritchey, LLC for Help
When you make the difficult decision to place your elderly loved one in a nursing home, you trust that the facility you choose will be able to provide them with the best possible care. When the nursing home violates your trust and your loved one becomes the victim of sexual abuse, your family deserves justice and compensation. Peck Ritchey, LLC is here to help you get it. To learn more about how our nursing home abuse lawyers can help you and your family, contact us today at (855) 328-5787 to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.