Life has a way of eventually coming full circle. Just as children need someone to take care of them, the elderly are sometimes unable to care for themselves after a certain age or illness. In some cases, when older people require around-the-clock care, they must live in a nursing home to receive the assistance they need. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for neglect or abuse to occur in nursing homes. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, one out of 10 Americans over the age of 60 has experienced some form of abuse. You always want what is best for your loved ones and the thought that someone could be neglecting or even abusing your family member is awful. However, you can only take action against an abuser or facility if you know that abuse is occurring. The following are serious warning signs that your loved one is being neglected or abused in a nursing home.

What Is Elder Abuse?

Many people think that elder abuse (the kind of abuse that occurs in nursing homes) is just a physical type of abuse. In reality, elder abuse and neglect can manifest and appear in a variety of ways. The National Council on Aging states that elder abuse can include the following:

Although the first day of fall is not until September 23, Labor Day marks the last day of summer for many. Summertime is when increased highway traffic results in more accidents than any other time of the year, but Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest weekends of the year when it comes to alcohol-related traffic accidents. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 36 percent of traffic fatalities that occurred during Labor Day weekend in 2017 were due to alcohol-impaired driving, compared to the annual average of 29 percent. Being involved in an accident with a driver who is under the influence of alcohol can be devastating, but you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries depending on the circumstances.

Proving Negligence

Negligence is defined as the failure to do something that a reasonably careful person would do or doing something that a reasonably careful person would not do in the same circumstances. In cases involving a drunk driver, it is not enough to prove that the driver was intoxicated. You must also prove that the driver being impaired is what caused the accident and that the collision caused your injuries. Therefore, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible as quickly as possible. Further, if the motorist is convicted of or pleads guilty to driving under the influence (DUI), this helps your case significantly.

When a family brings a loved one to see a medical professional, they are expecting the highest quality of care. While the vast majority of doctors throughout the United States are incredibly consistent and display a high level of experience, the reality is that some are not as qualified. The same can be said for nursing homes. Nursing home personnel are supposed to take care of those who can no longer take care of themselves, but many seemingly fall short of this job. One of the most dangerous shortcomings, as it pertains to nursing home medical care, is a misdiagnosis.

The Consequences of a Misdiagnosis

When an elderly person’s health condition is misdiagnosed by a nursing home's on-call or on-staff physician, the results can be downright frightening. Some of the most common implications of misdiagnosis, especially among older patients, include bodily pain, depression, fever, and even infection.

In warm weather months, many Chicago-area residents head outdoors for leisure activities, such as running or biking. For pet owners, summer is an ideal time for taking their dogs on long walks. While the vast majority of dogs are friendly and docile, others can show signs of aggression, especially toward children who can often lack the ability to recognize aggressive or dangerous behavior. Below are some of the health ramifications due to dog bites as well as the steps that should be taken to ensure you will receive the compensation you and your family deserve.

The Dangers of Dog Bites

According to studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dog bite injuries are much more common than people would like to assume. Estimates by the CDC found that approximately 4.7 million dog bites occur throughout the United States each year. Considering the fact that children are much smaller in stature,  bites in sensitive areas such as the neck and head can result in facial scarring and significant damage to the throat.

On June 11, a Palatine man was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident in Elgin. Despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet, the injuries suffered in the collision ultimately proved fatal. Every year, thousands of people are fatally injured in motorcycle accidents throughout the United States.

According to statistics compiled by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), just under 5,000 people were fatally injured in motorcycle accidents, throughout 2017. Due to the limited protection that motorcycles provide their riders, the injuries suffered can be increasingly life-threatening. Motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries in an accident, than standard motor vehicle passengers. If you or a loved one is injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to significant injury compensation.

Seeking Injury Compensation

In the aftermath of a serious injury, it is entirely common to feel helpless. For motorcyclists, injuries suffered can range from spinal cord injuries to brain trauma. These types of serious injuries can leave a person with astronomical medical expenses and an inability to return to work for some time. Because of the severity of many motorcycle injuries, it is incredibly important to secure compensation in the aftermath of an injury.