Statistics show that Iowa nursing home complaints have risen roughly 35% over the last several years. As a result, during the last several years, Iowa has revoked the licenses of six nursing homes, and roughly several dozen nursing homes are currently facing a denial of Medicaid funding. Fines against nursing homes in the state increased from 2004 to 2005 to $787,000 -- up 38% from the previous fiscal year. Unfortunately, the situation across the U.S. is just as frightening. The National Center On Elder Abuse reports that elder/nursing home abuse occurs in around 30% of all nursing homes across the United States. In the span of 24 months alone, early on in the new millennium, there were more than 9,000 instances of abuse reported across America .

Elder/nursing home abuse presents itself in many different forms ranging from physical, sexual and psychological abuse to malnutrition, financial exploitation, and pure neglect. If you have made the difficult decision to place a family member in a nursing home, you and your family member shouldn’t have to suffer through any type of neglect or abuse at the hands of a caregiver or even other residents. If you suspect that someone you love has been abused or mistreated in a nursing home, you should contact an Iowa elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney. If you or someone you love has suffered any kind of abuse in a nursing home, you should contact an Iowa elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney immediately. If you or someone you love has suffered any type of abuse at the hands of another resident, you should also contact an Iowa civil lawyer or attorney if you are seeking damages outside of the facility.

An Iowa elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney will more than likely offer a free nursing home abuse consultation where they will evaluate your case, explain your legal rights, and assess any damages they feel you are entitled to as a result of abuse or neglect caused by an Iowa nursing home. An Iowa elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney will also be well-versed in Iowa’s complicated nursing home abuse laws, so they will be well-equipped to argue (and win) your case.

If you are ready to contact an Iowa elder/nursing home abuse lawyer or attorney, visit the American Bar Association and utilize the site’s lawyer locator. Access to the site and the lawyer locator is free.