Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse Lawyers in Philadelphia

Signs of Elder Abuse

• Bruising
• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Infections
• Falls
• Pressure Sores/Bed Sores
• Mismanaged Diabetes
• Broken Bones

While physical injuries are a red flag, not all abuse leaves a physical mark.  Emotional abuse—including yelling, mocking, intimidation, and social isolation—can deeply affect a resident’s well-being. Financial exploitation is another growing concern, where caregivers misuse a resident’s funds, steal possessions, or manipulate them into making large monetary transfers or changes to legal documents. Sexual abuse is also a concern.

In addition to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes serve as long-term options for loved ones with healthcare needs that cannot always be managed independently. Many of these facilities, however, are plagued by the same neglect and abuse issues common in nursing homes. These problems are frequently attributed to understaffing, which is typically a management-level decision intended to reduce expenses and increase profits.

Case Results Fighting for Elders and All Residents in Long-Term Care

At Feldman Shepherd, we are proud of the reputation our Philadelphia nursing home lawyers have earned in handling neglect and abuse occurrences at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. For example, in a case that other firms turned down, we secured a substantial confidential settlement and held two poorly run personal care homes accountable for the death of a 47-year-old man with developmental delays and a controlled seizure disorder. The case arose when the man was tragically evicted from his poorly run personal care home (PCH) after he complained about the facility's violations to the state. In retaliation, the home placed him in a second PCH that was even less equipped to handle his medical needs, where he suffered abuse and was deprived of his anti-seizure medication. Due to this severe neglect, he suffered a fatal seizure. His sister, who did not want to see other residents of these two PCHs suffer a similar fate, retained our firm after other attorneys declined the case because they did not see the value in pursuing litigation on behalf of an individual with no real work history and numerous pre-existing conditions. After meeting with his sister and hearing her story, we knew that this abuse and neglect could not go unpunished. 

Attorneys Alan M. Feldman and Andrew K. Mitnick achieved a $1.55 million settlement for an intellectually disabled adult who sustained serious physical injuries when he was abused on at least two occasions by staff at a group home. Mitnick also obtained a substantial settlement for a 100-year-old nursing home resident in a suburban Philadelphia county who was a victim of neglect and abuse. He additionally recovered a confidential settlement in a wrongful death case involving a senior apartment complex that advertised a 24-hour attended front desk that was often left unattended. When our client called 911 with respiratory issues, the paramedics could not get into the building. By the time they reached her, she was dead.

Attorney Ezra Wohlgelernter secured a substantial settlement for the family of a 75-year-old veteran who froze to death after wandering away from a state veterans’ home. The veteran, who suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s, was recorded by a surveillance camera walking unnoticed past a security desk wearing his pajamas.

Why We Are the Right Lawyers to Help Your Family 

Nursing home neglect and abuse is a highly specialized area of legal practice. Our Philadelphia nursing home neglect attorneys have deep experience in the unique legal principles that apply to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, including the laws and regulations that govern residents’ rights, quality of care, and facility standards. We can help your loved one and family secure all compensation to which you are legally entitled. This can include recovery for losses such as medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and holding wrongdoers accountable through punitive damages.

If you suspect someone you know may be a victim of nursing home, personal care home, or other long-term care facility abuse, trust that the attorneys at Feldman Shepherd can put an end to the abuse and address your concerns.