Can I Sue a Nursing Home for Mistreating My Parents?

Yes, you can sue a nursing home for elder abuse. Unfortunately, many cases of elder abuse occur in facilities that are supposed to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Nursing home neglect and mistreatment can take many forms — and too often, the signs are hidden, dismissed, or ignored until it’s too late.

Elder abuse can include neglect, such as failing to prevent bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition, infections, or falls. Many residents depend completely on staff for mobility, hygiene, and medication. When staff members ignore call buttons, fail to reposition residents, or leave them unattended for long periods, serious injuries can occur. Bedsores that go untreated can become life-threatening, and repeated falls often lead to broken bones or head trauma.

Abuse can also be physical, emotional, or even financial. Physical abuse may include hitting, roughly handling, or restraining a resident inappropriately. When a nursing home’s staff mistreats or neglects a resident, it’s not always an isolated incident — it’s often a systemic problem. Understaffing, lack of training, and poor supervision are common issues that create dangerous conditions in many facilities. Some nursing homes cut corners to save money, putting profits ahead of safety and care. They may then go to great lengths to hide signs of neglect or abuse, falsifying records, discouraging employees from reporting misconduct, or blaming injuries on “accidents.”

Because of this, holding nursing homes accountable often requires aggressive investigation and legal action. Medical records, staffing logs, and internal reports can reveal the truth about what really happened behind closed doors. A skilled attorney can help expose patterns of neglect, identify all responsible parties, and demand compensation for the harm caused to your loved one.