Nursing Home Abuse: 4 Damages You Can Claim in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Nursing home neglect and abuse can lead to death, and as you mourn your loved one’s passing, you may also wonder whether you can recover financial damages that were caused by the facility’s lack of proper care. Before you file a wrongful death lawsuit connected to a nursing home death, you may want to meet with an attorney to gain a better understanding of what kinds of damages you can claim in your case.

1. Loss of Companionship 

If your spouse was enrolled in adult daycare or lived in a nursing facility part-time, then you may be able to include loss of companionship in your lawsuit. This means that your spouse was taken from you by someone else’s negligence and you will no longer have the benefit of his or her company as you continue on. Because some states have varying laws regarding who can file a lawsuit, you may want to have your attorney inform you which may apply to your place of residence.

2. Funeral Costs 

Today’s average funeral services can cost over $12,000. Cremation costs may rival that of a casket and services, which can reach over $7,000. If your loved one’s death was the result of nursing home abuse or neglect, you may be able to include those costs as you calculate the value of the damages. If services and interment have already taken place, you may be reimbursed by the nursing home if the court finds it negligent in its actions.

3. Medical Care 

If you received medical bills connected with the death of your loved one, you may want to submit these to your attorney. For example, if your spouse or elderly parent was treated for bed sores but died from a resulting infection, you may be able to recover this money within your lawsuit.

4. Mental Anguish 

Losing your loved one due to the lack of nursing home’s care can affect you for the rest of your life. You may feel a variety of emotions, but the resulting grief may affect you mentally and cause depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. You can discuss these feelings with your attorney and ask if your state allows you to add such damages to your lawsuit, especially if you feel the negligence or abuse was willfully.

When your spouse or parent dies from nursing home or neglect, your world can change forever. However, help is available. Set up a consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer, like the attorneys at Davis & Brusca, LLC, as soon as possible to find out if you have a claim.