- Home
- Biloxi Personal Injury Attorney
- Biloxi Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

It is a heartbreaking moment for families when they have to accept that their elderly loved one needs the kind of care that can only be provided by an around-the-clock nursing facility. That doesn’t mean you love them any less; it just means you can’t provide them with the kind of dedicated assistance they need to maintain a decent quality of life. It is the same decision that millions of families are dealing with.
That acceptance begins with the search for a caring place for your loved one. In Mississippi, you have 202 nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities to choose from, according to data collected by U.S. News & World Report. Unfortunately, another report from Mississippi Today finds that 99% of those nursing homes don’t meet new staffing requirements. That can lead to instances of neglect. If you suspect that is happening with your loved one, you need to activate the services of an experienced Biloxi nursing home abuse lawyer.
At Owen, Owen & Smith, PLLC, we understand the complexities associated with bringing a claim of abuse against a nursing home. It might not just be one individual who is responsible but the entire institute owned by a corporate conglomerate. We aren’t intimidated by the size of a company or the implications of bringing attention to these kinds of abuse, and we will always be strong advocates for our clients and their families.
How Common is Nursing Home Abuse?
One instance of nursing home abuse is too many. According to Senior Living, around 16% of nursing home residents reported being abused. Here are some of the other alarming statistics:
- In 2023, U.S. nursing homes received 94,499 health citations, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.5
- 1% of the citations (7,654) had to do with the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of nursing home residents.
- In 2023, U.S. nursing homes were fined $153 million for health violations of all kinds. This equated to about $10,000 per facility.
The nursing home where your loved one is a resident should provide you with their history of violations or citations. If they have a good record, there is nothing to hide.

We Can Help Protect Your Loved One
Common Types of Resident Abuse
When your loved one moves into a nursing home, they will have a supportive staff tending to their needs, but you are still considered their primary caregiver. If there is a change in their health or behavior, the nursing home will alert you about changes and discuss the best course of action. It is also your responsibility to keep a watchful eye on your loved one. If you suspect there are instances of abuse going on, you want to talk to a Biloxi nursing home abuse lawyer. They will be in the best position to advise how to handle the situation.
It starts by understanding the types of common types of nursing home abuse. Which of the following would apply to your situation?
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse in a nursing home happens when a resident suffers bodily harm inflicted by a staff member or another resident. Direct physical abuse can come in the form of punches, kicks, slaps, shoves, or the resident being put into restraints. You want to look for the following signs:
- Bruises
- Lacerations
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Muscle strains
- Spinal injuries
There are several nursing home residents who might be affected by diminished mental capacity that prevents them from identifying how they were injured. That doesn’t mean those signs should be ignored. If you see signs of physical trauma, you must immediately alert the staff and file an official incident report.
Neglect
Another way to think of neglect in a nursing home is when the resident is simply ignored. This might not be a deliberate action like an incident of physical abuse. Instead, it can be directly tied to a facility being understaffed. When a resident is neglected, their care lapses. That can mean failing to report an illness, ignoring a resident’s complaints, or leaving a resident unattended for extended periods of time.
The result of that neglect could be bed sores, complications from medication, or a minor illness that becomes serious.
Medication Errors
A majority of residents in a nursing home are on some form of prescribed medication. That means the staff is responsible for dispensing the medication to dozens of residents daily and at specific times with special conditions (food, liquids, etc.). The staff also has to monitor the residents for any adverse side effects with any new prescription. Mistakes with medications can seriously affect your loved one’s health.
Poor Personal Hygiene
One of the reasons you transitioned your loved one to a nursing home is so that they can be cared for with tasks like clean bedding, clothing, and personal hygiene. If those tasks are not kept up, it can lead to health problems.
Dehydration and Malnutrition
A nursing home is obligated to provide meals that meet its residents’ nutritional needs. Failing to do so can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and severe weight loss, which can all compromise the residents’ health.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is one of the most heinous types of abuse that happens in a nursing home. It relates to any unwanted sexual contact. In addition to the physical harm, these incidents can also be emotionally traumatic.
Emotional Abuse
If a resident is yelled at, insulted, or suffers other types of verbal assaults, it is considered emotional abuse. This type of abuse can include controlling a resident’s activities against their will and isolating them from family, friends, and other residents. It can also include making threats. This type of abuse can lead to changes in the resident’s mood or behavior.
Financial Abuse
It is a good idea to set up guardianship of your loved one before they transition to a nursing home. That will allow you to have power of attorney over their finances. You’ll be able to monitor those finances for any signs of abuse. Some unscrupulous staff members could access a resident’s bank account, open a credit card in their name, or otherwise abuse a resident’s checking, savings, or credit accounts.
Working With a Biloxi Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
If you suspect your loved one is suffering from some form of abuse, you have options. The first is to file an official complaint with the Mississippi State Department of Health. That complaint will put the incident on record, but it might not mean it is resolved. You should speak to Owen, Owen & Smith, PLLC, to achieve a thorough remedy. We have decades of experience helping families deal with issues of nursing home abuse.
We can help you identify the abuse and who to hold accountable. Even if your loved one is still residing at the facility, you are entitled to seek compensation for any financial losses, such as medical expenses and pain and suffering. It is also important to ensure that the nursing home is in compliance with the state regulations and standards of care.
We can provide you with guidance and an understanding of the laws that would be applicable to your case.
Call to set up a consultation to tell us what is going on. We’re ready to help.