UPDATE: In light of COVID-19 and its devastating impact on the elderly living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities in our community, Berman & Simmons is ready to work with family members who believe their loved one died or contracted the virus due to a facility’s negligence. Determining if you have a viable lawsuit depends on the circumstances surrounding the victim’s contraction of the virus and requires specialized legal expertise. If you think you may have a claim, please contact our attorneys for a free case evaluation and consultation.
Many seniors need more medical care, treatment, and day-to-day assistance than their families can provide. When family members make the difficult decision to move an older relative into a nursing home or assisted living facility, they place their trust in the staff and management to care for their loved one with competence, compassion, and attentiveness. However, too often, that trust is betrayed.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of elderly residents are subjected to negligent care or even cruel treatment, leaving them with severe physical injuries and psychological scars. At the same time, their families struggle with guilt, anger, and a need to hold those responsible accountable for the harm they cause.
A 2017 congressional report outlined the troubling scope of nursing home abuse and neglect across the U.S., finding that there were 9,000 incidents of abuse at over 5,200 facilities during the two years they studied, and 1,601 of those incidents put the residents at immediate risk of serious injury or death. One study found that over 50 percent of nursing home staffs admitted to mistreating residents in their care over the prior year.
Maine’s vulnerable seniors deserve Maine’s best lawyers
At Berman and Simmons, Maine’s premier personal injury law firm, we don’t tolerate such misconduct and mistreatment. Our nursing home injury and elder care lawyers are fierce advocates for seniors and their families, obtaining the maximum amount of compensation available for residents throughout Maine who have suffered from abuse and neglect in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where seniors live or receive care.
Berman & Simmons is widely recognized as Maine’s best personal injury and medical malpractice law firm. But we work tirelessly every day to be not just the best trial firm in Maine, but one of the very best law firms in the country. With our exceptional legal talent, unmatched resources, and steadfast dedication, we have obtained some of the largest personal injury jury verdicts and settlements in the state’s history, recovering hundreds of millions for our clients.
We have extensive experience representing families in nursing home injury cases, and our elderly abuse and nursing home negligence attorneys are here to defend your loved one.
If you see signs of abuse and neglect, call us immediately
Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms, including:
- Medication mistakes
- Mistreatment leading to injuries
- Improper or medically unnecessary use of antipsychotic medications
- Bedsores
- Physical violence and assault
- Malnutrition
- Sexual abuse
- Avoidable drops and falls
- Dehydration
- Improper restraints
- Inadequate care for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Illegal “dumping” or involuntarily discharge of residents
Some indicators of mistreatment are subtle and difficult to detect, including signs of psychological and emotional trauma caused by threats, isolation, humiliation, and verbal abuse. Making things even more difficult, nursing home staff and ownership may also take steps to protect themselves and conceal their misconduct, sometimes going so far as to place blame on the victim.
If you see signs of abuse or suspect that your loved one is suffering, please call us as soon as possible so we can begin taking steps to protect him or her from further harm. Our nursing home neglect attorneys are here for your family.
A century of obtaining full compensation for our clients
We aggressively pursue compensation and seek justice on behalf of Maine seniors who have suffered injury or indignity – or families who have lost a loved one – at the hands of nursing home or assisted living facility staff and ownership.
When you hire us as your lawyers, you’ll learn why people in Maine and throughout New England have entrusted us with their injury claims and lawsuits for over 100 years. While our long track record of success obtaining full compensation for our clients speaks for itself, you can expect us to be by your side throughout the entire process; attentive, responsive, and committed to easing your mind and reducing your stress. While you take care of yourself or your family member, we will take care of getting you the compensation that can help you heal and move forward.
Speak with a Maine nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer at Berman & Simmons today
Please contact Berman & Simmons today at (207)784-3576 to arrange for a free consultation to discuss your nursing home abuse and neglect questions and concerns. You pay nothing unless we obtain compensation for you by settlement or jury verdict. We welcome the opportunity to help you.
We'll Take Care of the Heavy Lifting
Get Peace of Mind
It never hurts to consult an attorney regardless of whether you decide to move forward.
Many states have strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims.
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The other insurance company is likely already building their client’s case against you.
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Witnesses may become unavailable and evidence may be lost or degraded with time.
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You’ll need help navigating your medical care and dealing with financial pressures.
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You need peace of mind to focus on your recovery.
$8.5 Million
Paralysis due to mismanagement of
degenerative spine
$2.5 Million
Catastrophic injuries in a head-on car accident
$800,000
Wrongful death case involving negligent
motorist
$715,000
Plaintiff Rear Ended by
Telephone Truck
$5 Million
Delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer
$1.2 Million
Significant Head Injury Car Accident
Nursing Home Injury FAQs
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What do I prepare for the first call or meeting with you?
For your first meeting with us, simply tell us your story and explain in your own words what happened and how your life has been affected. If you’re meeting with us in person, you can bring notes about what happened to you, driver insurance information, names of any witnesses, photos of the accident damages or injuries, medical records, and other related paperwork if you have it and if it’s applicable, but that information isn’t necessary. Really all you need to do is be yourself, speak with us honestly, and be willing to tackle your problems with us.
Initial conversations between potential clients and our staff members are often done over the phone. Rest assured that everything we discuss is confidential and protected under law.
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How much will a lawyer cost me?
The lawyers at Berman & Simmons work on a contingency basis. That means you pay nothing up front and nothing unless we settle or win your case. We will consult with you, evaluate your situation, and do initial research free of charge. This is true even if we decide you don’t have a valid claim. We will also cover all necessary case expenses and you will not be obligated to reimburse us until and unless we recover monies on your behalf. if we do take your case and win a settlement or a jury verdict in your favor, a percentage of the compensation goes to pay for our costs and the work done by our legal team.
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How will I know if I have a case?
To pursue a case, we will need to prove that you suffered a substantial personal injury and the injury was directly caused by the negligence of another party. A bad result alone is not enough to establish negligence. We let you know upfront if we are able to move forward with the legal process, or if we don’t think you have a case. Generally, we will know if you have a case after our first phone call or meeting.
If we believe you have a valid claim and decide to move forward with litigation, our attorneys and staff will then take it from there and do everything else that needs to be done, including obtaining and reviewing records relevant to your case, such as accident reports and other law enforcement documents, employer records, medical records, and other information.
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How long will it take to resolve my case?
Every case is different, and there is no way to predict how long it will take for your case to be resolved. Some cases end in a matter of months, while the most complex and challenging cases, such as a medical malpractice case, can span several years. The vast majority of cases, however, are resolved before a trial and usually within a year.
The goal is to make sure you receive fair compensation for your injuries, no matter how long it takes whether that comes in the form of a pre-trial settlement, or with a jury verdict in your favor.
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How much is my case worth?
There are many factors that need to be considered when determining the value of your case. Every case is unique and it takes a team effort — including your attorney, staff researchers, and outside experts — to determine the extent of your damages and how much your case is worth. There are two types of damages for which you could receive
compensation: Economic and non-economic.If your case goes to trial and a jury agrees you deserve compensation, the jury members will decide how much the money you should receive for each category of damages.