How Much Will it Cost to Hire an Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?

Nursing home malpractice, also known as nursing home abuse, is any intentional act or negligence committed by a nursing home professional that has the potential to cause physical, mental, or psychosocial harm to nursing home residents. Illinois attorneys that handle nursing home malpractice cases are known as nursing home abuse attorneys. If you need help finding such a lawyer please contact us to be pointed in the right direction. All calls are free and confidential.

Any act or failure to act caused by a nursing professional that causes harm to a patient is considered nursing home malpractice. Physical signs that may indicate a patient has been victimized by nursing home abuse can include: bedsores, pressure sores, infections, dehydration, malnutrition, burns, slip and fall accidents, medication errors, inappropriate physical restraint, and sexual abuse.

Nursing home abuse attorneys typically take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not have to pay any money up front. If your case wins your attorney receives a certain percentage, typically 1/3, of what you recover. If your case loses, the attorney is paid nothing. This means that all the financial risk is put on your nursing home abuse lawyer and not you.

The contingency fee, which covers the attorney’s fees, is different from the costs associated with your lawsuit. Your nursing home abuse lawyer will pay certain costs, such as the filing fee, fees for obtaining copies of medical reports and expert witness fees, as they crop up during your case.

Your attorney may require reimbursement for these expenses out of your settlement, or ask for the money up front. If they ask for money up front we see this as a bad sign for two reasons: it could mean that the law firm doesn’t have the money to back a case, meaning they won’t be able to afford to take your case to trial and get you the highest settlement possible, or they aren’t established.

Do not hire a nursing home abuse attorney that won’t work on a contingency basis or tries to get you to pay money upfront to cover costs. Also, be sure to get the fee agreement in writing, to prevent any later misunderstandings or unanticipated costs. Every attorney we recommend fronts all of the costs for the case and only gets paid if they win. More importantly they also have a proven record of success.

If you or a family member has suffered abuse in the nursing home setting, you should speak with an experienced Illinois nursing home abuse attorney who will work to ensure that your legal rights are fully protected. If you have any questions about nursing home abuse or would like a referral to a qualified and experienced Illinois nursing home abuse attorney with a proven track record of success, please contact us.