Naperville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
In 2023, Illinois state inspectors found nearly 960 serious resident care violations in nursing homes. There were over 10,000 complaints filed against long-term care facilities in our state that year, and almost 8,000 of those involved nursing homes specifically. Sadly, about 23 out of 24 cases of elder abuse go unreported.
If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse or negligence, you need to take action now.
Our Naperville nursing home abuse lawyers at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy will help put a stop to the maltreatment and make sure your loved one is safe.
- Se Habla Español
- 50+ Years of Combined Experience
- Risk-Free Consultations
- You Don’t Pay Unless We Win
Is Your Loved One Getting Abused? These Are the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
It is a horrible thing to watch someone suffer. If you suspect that your loved one is suffering nursing home abuse or neglect, you need to watch for signs and collect evidence to confirm your suspicions. Taking photos and videos helps our nursing home abuse lawyers make sure the liable party is held accountable for what they did wrong.
Nursing home abuse can take many forms—physical, emotional, financial, and even sexual. Neglect is just as harmful, and often harder to detect. Common signs of nursing home abuse and neglect include:
- Unexplained injuries – Bruises, cuts, burns, or fractures that staff can’t adequately explain may point to physical abuse or dangerous conditions.
- Sudden changes in behavior – If your loved one becomes withdrawn, fearful, or unusually agitated, it could indicate emotional or psychological abuse.
- Poor hygiene or soiled clothing – Dirty clothing, unwashed hair, and body odor can be signs that your loved one isn’t receiving proper personal care.
- Weight loss or signs of malnutrition – A significant drop in weight or dehydration can indicate that staff are failing to provide adequate food and water.
- Pressure ulcers (bedsores) – These painful wounds are often caused by staff failing to reposition immobile residents, which is a form of neglect.
- Medication errors – Missed doses, overmedication, or incorrect prescriptions may point to serious neglect or even intentional harm.
- Fear of specific staff members – If your loved one becomes visibly anxious around certain caregivers, pay attention—this may signal abuse.
- Unclean or hazardous living conditions – Filthy bathrooms, pest infestations, or cluttered walkways can indicate systemic neglect by the facility.
- Financial red flags – Missing money, unpaid bills, or sudden changes to a will or power of attorney may signal financial exploitation.
The moment you notice these red flags, it’s critical to take action. At Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy, we work quickly to investigate nursing home abuse, and we stop it in its tracks. We help families hold negligent and abusive facilities accountable and fight for the justice your loved one deserves.
Client Testimonials
“My wife was head on hit in her lane while driving home. She had multiple injuries and the car was totaled.
Although the at fault driver got 5 tickets for the violence driving, but the worst case was that driver does not have insurance.
Michael Knobloch helped us go through the difficult time. One year later, we got the settlement with my own car insurance company for the compensation, and my health insurance company for the huge medical bill. We are very happy with the results. Thanks a lot, Mike.”
Everyone was outstanding, great communication and helpful in explaining how this process would work.
I highly recommend Tom and his team.
I was unceremoniously included in a physics lesson that the driver behind me was forced to learn because a cigarette had the opportunity to demonstrate the laws of gravity as well as angular momentum to the driver. After the accident I wanted legal advice but all of the heavily advertised law firms had that “Better Call Saul” / ambulance chaser feel. What I wanted was a Law Firm that I felt comfortable with and I could trust. So, I asked my Uncle for a recommendation. Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy was at the top of his list as well as his friends list. My Uncle and his friends and been using this Law Firm for decades for much more serious injuries than mine. Thomas Chute was my lawyer and he was excellent. That said, what I was most impressed with was the staff. Each was a joy to interact with, got my dark sense of humor and were thoroughly knowledgeable about what questions they could and could not answer with regard to legal inquires. The fact that every person, including Thomas, was a joy to work work with speaks volumes to the leadership at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy.
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse
Here are some detailed examples of scenarios in which nursing home abuse and neglect were present to give you a better idea of what warrants a case.
- The resident was left unattended in a stairwell by staff without having their wheelchair secured. The wheelchair tumbled down the stairs, causing the resident severe injuries that were not noticed for over an hour, resulting in their death.
- A resident had been left to sit in their waste by a staff member. The resident had recently had surgery and lack of care resulted in a severe infection and sepsis.
- Nursing home staff were underfeeding a resident for a prolonged period of time, resulting in their patients becoming malnourished and underweight and developing a lowered immune response.
- A resident of a nursing home was rarely helped out of their room and out of their bed. They didn’t have assistance they needed getting to the bathroom and frequently soiled themselves, which led to a severe infection and sepsis.
How to Report Nursing Home Abuse
If you believe your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, don’t wait. Reporting nursing home abuse is a critical first step toward protecting your family member and holding the facility accountable. At Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy, we can help you take swift, effective action.
Steps to Report Nursing Home Abuse in Illinois
- Ensure the Immediate Safety of Your Loved One
If your family member is in immediate danger, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention right away. Document visible injuries or unsafe conditions with photos or videos. - Report the Abuse to Facility Management
Notify the nursing home administrator or staff supervisor in writing. Ask for a formal report and keep a copy for your records. While this step is important, do not rely on the facility to investigate itself fairly. - File a Complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
The IDPH investigates reports of nursing home abuse and neglect in Illinois. You can file a complaint online or by calling the 24-hour Nursing Home Hotline at 1-800-252-4343. - Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
The Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program can advocate for your loved one and help you navigate complaints against the facility. They can mediate issues and push for prompt resolution. - Speak With Our Naperville Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Reporting the elder abuse is only part of the process. To truly protect your loved one and pursue justice, you need legal representation. Our attorneys will investigate your claim, gather evidence, and help you take legal action against the abusers and the facility.
Why Legal Action Matters
While state agencies may investigate and penalize a negligent facility, they won’t fight to get your family compensated. That’s where we come in. Filing a civil claim allows you to recover damages for medical expenses, emotional suffering, and financial losses—and helps prevent further abuse of other residents.
How Our Naperville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help
If your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect in a nursing home, you need a legal team that doesn’t back down. At Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy, our nursing home abuse lawyers are committed to protecting vulnerable residents and holding negligent facilities accountable.
We bring decades of combined experience to every case, offering aggressive, strategic legal representation for victims of elder abuse. Here’s how we help:
Thorough Investigation and Evidence Collection
We act fast to gather critical evidence—medical records, witness statements, surveillance footage, and expert testimony—to build a solid case. Our team knows how to spot red flags that facilities often try to cover up.
Working with Medical and Forensic Experts
We consult with trusted medical professionals, elder care experts, and financial analysts to assess the full scope of harm caused. This allows us to accurately value the case and demand full compensation.
Filing Claims and Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Our attorneys handle all legal paperwork, filings, and deadlines, so your family can focus on healing. We’re skilled negotiators who know how to deal with corporate nursing homes and their insurers—and we don’t fall for lowball offers.
Pursuing Maximum Compensation
We fight to recover damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and wrongful death where applicable. If necessary, we’ll take the case to trial to get justice.
Protecting Other Residents from Harm
When you speak up, you’re not just protecting your loved one—you may be preventing others from experiencing the same mistreatment. Our legal actions often force facilities to make safety improvements and change harmful practices.
At Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy, we treat every case with urgency and care because we know what’s at stake. Whether the abuse involves physical harm, neglect, or financial exploitation, our Naperville nursing home abuse attorneys will stand with you and fight for what’s right.
Nursing Home Abuse Case Value
What Can Impact the Value of Your Case?
The total value of a nursing home abuse claim depends on factors such as:
- The severity of the abuse or neglect – More serious injuries, long-term harm, or wrongful death typically result in higher compensation.
- Medical expenses – Past and future medical costs, rehabilitation, therapy, and medication directly affect the case value.
- Pain and suffering – Emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and reduced quality of life can all be factored into a non-economic damages claim.
- Loss of dignity or enjoyment of life – Abuse or neglect that robs a resident of their independence or dignity often leads to significant non-economic damages.
- Punitive damages – In extreme cases involving willful misconduct or gross negligence, Illinois courts may award punitive damages to punish the facility and deter future abuse.
- Financial exploitation – If a nursing home or caregiver stole money or assets, the claim may also include recovery of lost funds and related financial damages.
- Impact on surviving family members – In wrongful death cases, families may be entitled to damages for loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and emotional trauma.
How Much Can You Expect to Recover?
There is no fixed settlement amount for nursing home abuse cases in Naperville or anywhere in Illinois. Some cases settle for tens of thousands of dollars; others result in six- or seven-figure verdicts. Our attorneys thoroughly investigate each case to determine its true value and pursue every dollar your family is owed.
