Selecting the Best Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer in Los Angeles
Southern California’s population is aging. As Los Angelinos get older, the need for nursing homes and assisted living centers has increased in Southern California. Unfortunately, the elderly are vulnerable to abuse and neglect in these facilities.
Nursing home negligence incidents are on the rise in California. In the event of nursing home negligence, it is essential to find a narrowly focused nursing home attorney to represent you and your family.
There are several factors to consider when choosing an LA nursing home abuse attorney. Below, our elder abuse attorneys explain how to choose the best nursing home abuse attorney in Los Angeles.
For a free consultation with Senior Justice Law Firm, call our LA nursing home abuse attorney now at 213-297-5277 or submit your case facts below.
1. Experience Matters When Choosing a Nursing Home Lawyer in Los Angeles
When searching for the best nursing home abuse lawyer in L.A., you will obviously want a lawyer with experience. An experienced attorney will have a better understanding of the California laws surrounding nursing home abuse litigation.
Most of these cases travel under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA). The EADACPA was enacted to protect California’s elders by providing enhanced remedies which encourage private, civil enforcement of laws against elder abuse and neglect. Significantly, California’s elder abuse statute provides that the Plaintiff can recover attorney’s fees and costs in addition to compensatory damages. When hiring a Los Angeles nursing home abuse lawyer, it is critical that he or she understands California’s Elder Abuse Act.
An experienced LA elder abuse lawyer also knows how to navigate the legal system to obtain the compensation you deserve. They will also have knowledge of the specific nursing home defendant, as well as challenges and local legal requirements in Los Angeles County.
So how do you determine if your would-be lawyer has the requisite experience? You should ask them about their experience (total cases, years of practice, etc.) in handling Los Angeles nursing home abuse cases. You can also check their track record and read reviews from past clients. Ask your potential LA nursing home lawyer about their win/loss percentage and how much these cases typically settle for.
When it comes to litigating elder abuse cases in Southern California, experience really does matter. You need to make sure your lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours.
2. A Focus on Long Term Care Liability Litigation
You need an attorney who specializes in the nursing home negligence area of law, and not 8 other practice areas. You have heard the cliché; “a jack of all trades is a master of none.”
Look for an attorney who has experience in nursing home abuse cases, specifically in Los Angeles and Southern California. An attorney with expertise in this area will be familiar with long-term care facilities in Los Angeles, their ownership structures, and which defense counsel will likely defend them.
Further, elder abuse cases present unique injuries that a traditional personal injury lawyer might not appreciate. A bedsore or broken hip are quite different from a whiplash injury in a car crash case. Finding a narrowly focused Los Angeles nursing home abuse lawyer will ensure they have experience litigating the kinds of injuries your loved one suffered.
This familiarly will also help digest complex medical records and diagnoses commonly found in elderly patients.
3. Character and Fitness
An attorney’s reputation in Los Angeles is a huge factor in your decision. If you know legal professionals in the community, ask about your potential attorney. Are they respected litigators? Do they regularly communicate with clients? Have they had success in trial?
Google your potential attorney and check online reviews and ratings on websites like Martindale-Hubbell. Additionally, verify that the attorney has not been sanctioned by the California Bar. And if you are still on the fence, request a 15 minute telephone consultation with your prospective lawyer. Sometimes, you need to hear it from the lawyer themselves. There is no shame in requesting a phone, zoom, or in person consultation prior to hiring a Los Angeles nursing home abuse attorney.
Don’t just hire the first lawyer you find because their website said ‘free consultation.’ Find an LA elder abuse attorney that enjoys a reputation as a seasoned litigator that treats clients right.
4. Financial Requirements When Choosing the Right Los Angeles Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Your L.A. nursing home abuse attorney should work on a contingency fee arrangement, which means you pay nothing out of pocket. He or she will pay the costs of the case. And these costs may be extensive.
Simply put, nursing home cases require money. Nursing home abuse cases require vast resources, including medical experts, investigators, and court reporters. It should be a requirement that your lawyer is capitalized and able to spend money on prosecuting your case. Further, with contingency fee agreements like the ones commonly signed in California elder abuse claims, you should not be paying for court costs or expert fees. Your lawyer should advance all costs.
When choosing an attorney, ask about their ability to pay for your case-related costs. Make sure they have access to the necessary experts and have the financial resources to take your case to trial if necessary.
5. The Ability to Communicate
Like any good relationship, the ability to communicate is critical. Communication is a necessary ingredient when selecting the best lawyer for your case. If you cannot get your questions answered, look elsewhere.
Select an attorney who will keep you informed about your case. Make sure your attorney gives you their direct dial, and not the number of a paralegal or case manager.
Look for an attorney who communicates timely and directly, in the manner you prefer (via Zoom, telephone calls, emails, or in person meetings).
Before signing, insist on speaking with the attorney personally. Examine how they communicate. Are they responsive to your phone calls and emails? Are you communicating with the attorney? Or a series of staff?
6. Fees Associated with Hiring an L.A. Nursing Home Negligence Attorney
At the end of the day, most families have the same question. What does it cost to retain a high powered Los Angeles nursing home abuse attorney?
Most nursing home abuse attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means they only get paid if they win your case. The attorney gets paid a percentage of the gross recovery you make.
For example, if a nursing home case settles for $100,000 and there is a 40% contingency fee, the fee would be $40,000. However, when prosecuting a claim like this, you should not pay out of pocket for your attorney’s fees, or the cost incurred in pursing the case. In the prior example, the $40,000 fee is only paid out of the settlement. You do not need to write your lawyer a check for that amount.
If searching for a California elder abuse attorney, make sure you ask questions about their fees and costs, as well as expected outcomes. Ensure you understand how the contingency fee structure works.
7. Personal Connection
Finally, you want an attorney with whom you feel a personal connection. Nursing home abuse cases can be emotional and stressful, and you want an attorney who is not only experienced and knowledgeable but also someone who you trust and feel comfortable working with.
During your initial consultation, pay attention to how the attorney treats you. Do they show empathy and understanding for your situation? Do you feel comfortable discussing your concerns with them? Remember that you will be working closely with this attorney for an extended period, and it is crucial to have a good rapport with them.
Free Los Angeles Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Consultation
Choosing the best nursing home abuse lawyer in Los Angeles ultimately comes down to how you feel about your prospective attorney. Factors in making your decision include the connection you have with the attorney, their fee structure, their responsiveness in communications, their ethics, their ability to pay for the litigation, their specialization in elder abuse law, and their past experience in litigating nursing home negligence cases in LA.
Do your research, find a narrowly focused attorney that practices in the nursing home neglect field, and most importantly, choose the lawyer that you feel most comfortable with.
At Senior Justice Law Firm, our firm focus is on elder abuse litigation. Representing families impacted by nursing home abuse and neglect is all we do.
If you are considering hiring legal counsel to represent your family after a tragedy occurs inside a facility, speak with our Los Angeles nursing home abuse attorney today by calling us at 213-297-5277 or submitting your case facts below.
