Nursing Home Abuse

Leighton Law is committed to aggressively pursuing cases of nursing home abuse. We apply our extensive knowledge of state and federal protections on behalf of nursing home residents and their families. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities who neglect and abuse our older citizens are subject to civil liability.

John Elliott Leighton has been successful in winning recoveries for victims who have suffered injuries as a result of nursing home neglect and abuse, as well as the families of those who have lost loved ones at the hands of such institutions. He has lectured to other trial lawyers in seminars, conventions and trial skills colleges on nursing home litigation. A few of his recent lectures in the area include:

• Keynote Speaker, “Recognizing and Evaluating Nursing Home Cases,” Monroe County Bar Association luncheon meeting, Key West, FL, April 2000.
• ‟The Nursing Home Industry vs. Government and Advocates: Legislation, Litigation and Bankruptcy”, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, New Orleans, LA, February 2001.
• Course Chairman, “Misdiagnosis, Mistreatment and Malpractice in the Nursing Home,” Failure to Diagnose and Treat Diseases, National College of Advocacy, Waikiki,Hawaii, Feb. 2001.
• Course Chairman, Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Houston, TX, April 2001.
• Course Chair and Lecturer,“Screening Nursing Home Abuse Cases,” Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Phoenix, AZ, October 2001.
• Co-Chair,Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy, Austin, TX, March 2003.
• Course Chair and lecturer, Litigating Nursing Home Cases seminar, ATLA/National College of Advocacy, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, March 2005.
• Fundamentals of a Hospital Chart – What’s There and What’s Not,” Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Seattle, WA, July 2006.

Patients who are in nursing home or assisted living facilities deserve the highest level of care. When they don’t, and someone is injured, we will aggressively pursue all legal claims. Certain injuries re commonly seen as a result of abuse or neglect, which include:

• Bedsores
• Malnutrition
• Wandering
• Physical abuse
• Mental abuse
• Unexplained Falls
• Dehydration
• Elopement (walking away from the area or facility)
• Sexual abuse
• Poor personal hygiene
• Unsanitary and unclean conditions
• Dirt, soiled bed, fecal or urine odor

Elder abuse occurs with frequency, but is often hidden from public view and requires aggressive investigation.

Mr. Leighton has represented many victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. In one case, our client, who had dementia, was allowed to fall 10 times, including one requiring surgery for subdural hematoma. Mr. Leighton obtained a $1 million settlement for our client and was instrumental in having the state authorities investigate the nursing home in question, which was engaged in numerous fraudulent activities including falsified records.

In another case, Mr. Leighton’s client was in an assisted living facility. For reasons unknown, she was taken off of her required medication, which resulted in drastic changes in her personality and affect. We were able to obtain a $300,000 settlement due to the negligence of the facility. In other cases, Mr. Leighton has obtained $425,000, $600,000, $500,000, $550,000 and $200,000 settlements on behalf of residents who have been mistreated.