Vulnerable adult abuse is all too common, especially in nursing homes. Fight against elder abuse by partnering with an ABQ nursing home abuse attorney from Will Ferguson & Associates in New Mexico.
Making the decision to put a beloved family member in a nursing home or elderly center is hard enough, but you do it because you believe they will be safe, loved, and well cared for. They should be safe in a place meant to protect and care for elderly adults in Albuquerque NM who can’t care for themselves.
That’s why it’s shocking and revolting to learn that instead of receiving the protection your loved one deserved, they’ve been mistreated, neglected, or abused.
No one deserves to be put through that state of mistreatment, and your loved one deserves justice for what’s happened to them. Working with an Albuquerque nursing home neglect lawyer can help you to hold those responsible to account for your loved one or family member’s abuse in New Mexico.
At Will Ferguson & Associates, we’ve spent more than 50 years standing up for vulnerable adults who can’t always fight for themselves. Nursing homes and care facilities are supposed to protect, not exploit, their residents. When they fail, we step in. With our TrialMetrix courtroom laboratory, we prepare cases in front of cameras and live mock juries to expose abuse and make sure the facility and its insurers know we’re ready for trial. That kind of preparation changes the balance of power.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Albuquerque
Nursing home abuse is defined as any type or state of abuse against an elderly individual who’s residing in a nursing home or care facility. There are many different types of abuse, and your loved one can experience more than one type.
One example of nursing home abuse is when an elderly adult client is not being cared for properly. This type of abuse is known as neglect. You may see signs of neglect, such as unwashed appearance, bedsores, torn or dirty clothing, malnourishment, or frequent illness.
A few other types of nursing home abuses in Albuquerque NM are listed below:
- Physical Elder Abuse – Punching, hitting, slapping, smacking, pushing, pinching, and scratching are all examples of physical injuries.
- Sexual Elder Abuse – Any sexual contact with a nursing home resident without their consent is considered sexual abuse. This includes sexual contact with those who can’t give consent.
- Financial Exploitation of the Elderly – This is using an elder’s diminished mental capacity to exploit their finances for personal gain.
- Emotional Elder Abuse – Yelling, blaming, belittling, or teasing an elderly adult by a nurse is a form of emotional abuse.
- Psychological Abuse of the Elderly – This form of nursing home neglect is often nonverbal and can include ignoring the elder, isolating their state, or preventing them from engaging in activities they love.
Warning signs are often subtle. A resident who suddenly becomes withdrawn, fearful, or anxious around certain staff may be experiencing emotional or psychological abuse. Unexplained injuries, rapid weight loss, or repeated hospital visits should never be brushed off as “normal aging.” Such signs demand a closer look right away. Families have to trust their judgment. When something doesn’t sit right, there is likely a reason.
Who Could Be Liable for an Albuquerque Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Case?
The person who perpetrated the abuse would obviously be liable for that abuse, but the nursing home facility can also be held liable in many circumstances in Albuquerque. If it’s found that the nursing home was negligent in preventing such state of abuses from occurring, then you might be able to file your claim against the facility as well.
For example, if a client staff member was responsible for abusing a resident and the nursing home knew about it but failed to act, or tried and provide to cover up the negligence, you can sue the nursing home.
It’s important to hold those who’ve had a part in your family member’s abuse accountable—not only for justice, but also to prevent other innocent elderly adults from being harmed, too. The following are a few of the parties who could be held liable for abuse:
- Staff members
- Doctors / nurses
- The facility itself
- Other client/ residents
- Visitors
Liability in these cases isn’t just about pointing to the individual abuser. The facility itself often bears responsibility for hiring, training, and supervision. If management ignored complaints, failed to perform background checks, or understaffed units to save money, they can, and should, be held accountable. Courts in New Mexico also allow punitive damages in some cases, which means facilities that act with reckless disregard can face financial penalties designed to punish and deter future abuse.
Suing Those Responsible for Nursing Home Abuse And Neglect
So how do you hold accountable a person who has abused a vulnerable adult? In some case the person might be criminally prosecuted, but you can also hold them liable in civil court. You can file a personal injury claim against the responsible party and receive monetary compensation for the nursing home your loved one suffered.
The money can be used to pay for medical expenses, lost wages, mental trauma, physical therapy, mental health services, and other related costs. Your ABQ nursing home injury lawyer’s job is to gather evidence of abuse, put together a claim, prove fault, provide calculated damages, and obtain the settlement that you and your abused loved one deserve in New Mexico.
Additionally, if an insurance company doesn’t want to pay out on the claim, your nursing home abuse attorney can take your cases to court.
At Will Ferguson & Associates, we don’t accept excuses from nursing homes or insurers. We dig into medical records, staff schedules, and surveillance footage to prove what happened. Our TrialMetrix system lets us rehearse witness testimony and cross-examinations to make sure the truth comes out in court. We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, because that’s how we get insurers and facilities to take our clients seriously.
The Stakes of Doing Nothing
When abuse or neglect goes unchallenged, it doesn’t just harm one person…it puts every resident at risk. Nursing homes that escape accountability often continue the same practices, leaving more families devastated. Acting quickly not only protects your loved one, but it also helps prevent future abuse. Evidence fades, memories blur, and records disappear the longer you wait. That’s why calling a nursing home abuse lawyer in Albuquerque early can absolutely matter We know how to preserve critical evidence before it’s gone and build the strongest possible case.
Exposing Patterns of Abuse in Nursing Homes
One case of abuse is never “just one case.” When we investigate, we often uncover a pattern of complaints ignored, injuries brushed off, or multiple residents showing the same signs of neglect. Nursing homes may try to dismiss each incident as an accident or an isolated mistake, but the truth is usually systemic: understaffing, poor training, and profit-driven decisions that put residents at risk.
At Will Ferguson & Associates, our nursing home abuse attorneys in ABQ dig deeper than the surface. We demand records of prior complaints, inspection reports, and state regulatory findings. When facilities cut corners, we prove it. And when insurers try to minimize what happened, we put evidence in front of a jury that shows a culture of abuse, not just an isolated event. That’s how we make sure your loved one’s case leads to accountability…and helps protect other families from going through the same nightmare.
Reach Out to our ABQ Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
When your loved one has been through abuse, you’re going to want to provide justice for them. Fighting against nursing home abuse and neglect is the right thing to do, and you don’t have to do it alone. Working with an attorney will give your nursing home abuse cases the best chance at success.
Don’t allow abuse to go unchecked. Work with an Albuquerque nursing home abuse lawyer on your claim today. To speak with an attorney for free during an initial case consultation, simply call Will Ferguson & Associates. You can also reach us through the consultation form below.
Our firm has been fighting for injured people in New Mexico for over five decades, and we’re known for taking on the biggest, toughest cases. We don’t bluff. When facilities and insurers see our name, they know we’re prepared to go the distance. Call us today to protect your loved one and make sure no other family has to suffer the same betrayal.
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