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What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need to Sue a Nursing Home?

A nursing home abuse lawyer is a legal professional who specializes in representing residents and families affected by abuse or neglect in long-term care facilities. They investigate claims, gather medical evidence, and pursue compensation when a facility has failed to meet its duty of care.

Unlike general personal injury lawyers, these attorneys focus specifically on cases involving vulnerable residents of care facilities. They work to ensure that the legal and medical complexities of nursing home care are thoroughly addressed.

Nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers:

  • Hold facilities accountable to help prevent future harm
  • Know nursing home regulations, elder law, and standards of care
  • Pursue full compensation for the resident’s family
  • Uncover signs of negligence others might overlook
  • Work with medical experts to review records and confirm abuse or neglect

Understanding what a nursing home abuse lawyer does is the first step for families considering legal action.

Find out which cases these lawyers handle, why their expertise is critical, and how they differ from other types of attorneys. This information can help you make informed decisions about seeking justice.

What a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Does

When a nursing home resident suffers harm, the work of a nursing home abuse lawyer goes far beyond filling out paperwork or negotiating a settlement. These attorneys start by digging into the details of daily care. This may include reviewing medical records, staffing reports, and incident logs to uncover patterns of neglect or misconduct.

A key part of their role is connecting the dots between the resident’s injuries and the facility’s legal obligations.

Here are 3 important responsibilities of a nursing home lawyer:

  1. Works with medical professionals, therapists, and former staff to establish whether the harm could have been prevented
  2. Looks for medication errors, missed treatments, or unsafe living conditions — things that can easily be overlooked by families or general lawyers
  3. Proves the facility failed to meet its legal and ethical duty of care, finding evidence of the abuse or neglect, and showing that it was the result of negligence

Experienced nursing home abuse lawyers guide families through this emotionally and legally complex process. They handle everything from filing claims to preparing for court, allowing families to focus on their loved ones.

“You don’t need to have all the answers to take action. A lawyer for nursing home neglect​ can listen to your concerns and help determine if your loved one’s rights may have been violated. It’s our job to ask the hard questions and protect residents who can’t speak up for themselves.”

Ricky LeBlanc, Nursing Home Abuse Attorney at Sokolove Law

Download our free checklist for hiring a nursing home attorney to help you find the best lawyer for your family’s case.

Free Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Checklist

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Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers vs. Other Lawyers: Why You Need a Specialized Attorney

Nursing home abuse lawyers differ from other attorneys because they focus specifically on cases involving long-term care facilities. Proving negligence in these cases is often complex.

They use their experience to gather the evidence courts and insurance companies need to award compensation.

Here are key ways nursing home abuse lawyers stand apart:

  • Ability to find and handle evidence: Skilled at collecting and interpreting medical records, staffing logs, incident reports, and other documentation to prove negligence
  • Regulations and elder laws: Understand federal and state-specific laws governing nursing home operations, which can vary widely from state to state
  • Connections with experts: Work closely with health care professionals to determine the link between a facility’s actions and the resident’s injuries
  • Investigative focus: Capable of uncovering systemic issues or repeated patterns of abuse that may not be obvious to families
  • Deadline-driven approach: Aware of statutes of limitations and other time limits critical to preserving legal rights
  • Resident-centered representation: Focuses on holding facilities accountable and protecting the rights and well-being of vulnerable adults, not just securing a financial settlement
  • Better able to maximize your payout: Build strong cases, making it more likely that negligent companies will settle for the most compensation possible in the shortest timeframe

Their legal, investigative, and medical experience helps them navigate complex elder care cases and gives families a better chance at justice.

Find a Nursing Home Lawyer Near You

At the Nursing Home Abuse Center, we understand how overwhelming it can be to consider taking legal action for mistreatment in nursing homes. Families are often juggling medical care, emotional stress, and the complexities of the legal system all at once.

Our team is here to help connect you with experienced nursing home abuse lawyers who can guide you through every step of the process. Our trusted legal partners have secured over $318 million in nursing home lawsuit compensation and can help families affected by neglect or abuse across all 50 states.

There are no upfront costs when you work with our team. Our network of experienced attorneys will handle your case on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if you receive compensation.

If you suspect abuse or neglect, don’t wait — get a free case review now to find a nursing home lawyer near you. It’s time to take the first step toward justice and accountability.

Nursing Home Abuse Support TeamLast modified:
Julie Rivers HeadshotReviewed by:Julie Rivers, MBA

Eldercare Advocate & Expert

  • Fact-Checked
  • Editor

Julie Rivers is an eldercare advocate with over 15 years of dedicated service to victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. Her journey in this field became deeply personal when she assumed the role of an unpaid caregiver during her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Nursing Home Abuse Center (NHAC) was founded to bring justice to those affected by nursing home and elder abuse. Our mission is to educate and empower victims of abuse and their families to take a stand against this unlawful mistreatment. We work to return dignity back to those who have been broken down by nursing home abuse and neglect.

  1. Medicare. (n.d.). Preventing abuse in nursing homes. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/resources/nursing-home/preventing-abuse.
  2. Sokolove Law. (2025). Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer. Retrieved from https://www.sokolovelaw.com/nursing-home-abuse/lawyer/.