Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

Finding out that a caregiver is abusing your loved one is a devastating discovery.

Nursing home abuse attorney Lynn C. Harris can help you hold negligent or abusive caregivers responsible for their actions.

Find out how our legal team in Salt Lake City, UT, has helped victims and their loved ones obtain justice for nursing home abuse...

What Are the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse is the mistreatment or neglect of an elderly resident in an assisted living facility. It can involve emotional, physical, financial, or sexual abuse, or the neglect of a resident.

Physical Abuse

Elder abuse is often committed by caregivers, making victims afraid, unwilling, or unable to report the mistreatment they suffer. For this reason, it is important that family members are familiar with the warning signs of physical abuse, which can include:

  • Bandages, bleeding, or bruising
  • Open wounds, cuts, burns, or bed sores
  • Ligature marks around the mouth, throat, wrists, or ankles
  • Injuries from restraint or lack of restraint
  • Unexplained falls
  • Sudden changes in weight
  • Poor hygiene, soiling, urine or feces odor
  • Serious infections
  • Hair loss
  • Torn, stained, or bloody clothing or bedding
  • Overall uncleanliness of living quarters
  • Indications of sexual abuse

Emotional Abuse

While the physical signs of nursing home abuse may be evident, emotional abuse is more difficult to detect. Emotional abuse can include insults, threats, humiliation, or intimidation of the patient. To help identify abuse, family members should be alert to changes in the patient’s behavior, such as:

  • Listlessness or unresponsiveness
  • Infantile or other unusual behaviors
  • Physical or emotional withdrawal
  • Depression
  • Refusal or reluctance to speak
  • Changes in sleeping patterns or wakefulness

Financial Exploitation

In addition to physical and emotional abuse, nursing home residents are sometimes subject to financial exploitation. The most apparent indication is sudden or unusual financial transactions. Like all forms of abuse, if you suspect any financial wrongdoing, contact the authorities immediately and then seek legal representation to help protect your family’s rights. Some of the signs of financial exploitation include:

  • Unusual withdrawals or charges
  • Large withdrawals or charges
  • Changes to wills or other financial documents
  • Missing valuables
  • An addition of a person to a financial account

Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing homes should maintain adequate security to prevent residents from placing themselves in danger and prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the facility. Other types of neglect can include:

  • Failure to provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter
  • Failure to provide needed medical care
  • Failure to prevent falls
  • Failure to prevent malnutrition and dehydration
  • Failure to assist with personal hygiene

It is always a good idea to act fast and consult our attorneys about the time limitations for filing a lawsuit. For some government-run nursing homes in Utah, the time limit is as little as one year.

Contact an Attorney for Help with Your Case

If your loved one has suffered because of neglect or abuse in a nursing home, attorney Lynn C. Harris can provide the representation needed to secure the compensation you deserve.

He has been practicing law for more than 40 years, and is a member of the Utah Association for Justice, Utah State Bar, and The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100.

To learn more about how a nursing home abuse lawyer can help you file a successful claim, schedule a free consultation with us. We have offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, Lehi, and Park City. Contact us online or call us at:

(801) 609-6828

attorney lynn harris

What Should I Do If I Suspect Abuse?

Get Medical Care

Have a doctor from another medical facility examine your loved one. A doctor can check your loved one's health and identify signs of physical abuse.

Document the Abuse

Keep a record of any information related to the abuse. Witness statements, photographs, bank statements, and other documents can be invaluable evidence of elder abuse, helping Mr. Harris build a stronger case.

Move to Another Facility

If you suspect nursing home abuse is occurring in your loved one's current facility, move to a new facility as soon as possible. A good senior home will keep your loved one safe.

Report Incidents of Abuse

When a loved one is showing the signs of nursing home abuse, contact local or state authorities so they can investigate the claim and have a record of the incident(s). You should also notify the facility of the abuse. Non-emergency situations can also be reported to Utah Adult Protective Services.

Contact an Attorney

Contact our practice to schedule a free consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer. Attorney Lynn Harris and our team will review your claim and help you determine how to move forward with your case. We have offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, Lehi, and Park City to serve you.
Lynn C. Harris has been practicing law for more than 40 years, and is a member of the  Utah Association for Justice, Utah State Bar, and The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100.

Statutes of Limitations in Utah

Get the Specifics on Time Limitations

It is always a good idea to consult attorney Lynn Harris in Salt Lake City about the time limitations for filing a lawsuit. In general, the following statutes of limitations apply to these types of cases:

Medical Malpractice

Many nursing home neglect and abuse cases involve medical malpractice. In these cases, victims have two years from the date of the injury, or two years from the date the injury should have been discovered, to file a lawsuit. However, all claims must be filed within four years of the act that caused the injury.

Personal Injury

If you have grounds for a personal injury claim against the nursing home, you must file suit within four years from the date of the accident.

Wrongful Death

If a loved one dies as a result of negligence or abuse at a nursing home, eligible family members must file a wrongful death lawsuit within two years from the date of the death.

Lynn C. Harris

Lynn C. Harris

Lynn Harris is a personal injury attorney dedicated to helping victims rebuild their lives. He does not collect compensation unless you do

He can arrange to meet you at the location nearest you. If you or a loved one has been injured, reach out to our firm online or call (801) 375-9801 today.

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Ste 200
Provo, UT 84604

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