When to Make a Nursing Home Abuse Referral: A Guide for Estate Planning Attorneys
Estate planning attorneys are often among the first professionals to notice when something is not right with a client in long-term care. Observations about a client’s physical condition, behavior, financial situation, or family dynamics can raise concerns of potential nursing home abuse or neglect.
Knowing how to identify those warning signs can help you understand when a nursing home abuse referral may be appropriate. Lanzone Morgan, LLP, collaborates with California estate planning attorneys to assess concerns of mistreatment and take action when facilities fail to protect residents.
Red Flags That May Indicate Nursing Home Abuse
Estate planning work often involves close contact with vulnerable people and discussions about their health, finances, and care arrangements. These interactions can reveal warning signs of potential abuse or neglect from nursing home staff or family members. Each type of mistreatment has its own indicators, and recognizing warning signs of abuse can help you determine when a client may be at risk.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse involves the intentional use of force that causes pain or injury to a nursing home resident. Such misconduct can include hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, pinching, choking, or using unnecessary restraints.
Common warning signs of physical abuse include bruises, black eyes, cuts, burns, fractures, or broken eyeglasses. Injuries that do not match the resident’s or caregiver’s explanation can be especially concerning. If injuries appear repeatedly or the resident has multiple injuries in different stages of healing, that can signal ongoing physical abuse.
Behavioral changes can be just as revealing as physical evidence. A client may appear fearful around certain staff members, flinch when touched, or suddenly appear withdrawn. Additionally, a caregiver may refuse to allow visitors to see the resident alone.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves any nonconsensual sexual contact with a nursing home resident. This type of abuse may involve unwanted touching of a resident’s private parts, coerced nudity, rape, or forced viewing of pornography.
Residents suffering from sexual abuse may report having pain in the breasts or genital areas. Reports of sexually transmitted infections or vaginal or anal bleeding may also be warning signs.
Sexual abuse may cause a resident to express a reluctance to be alone with certain caregivers or distress when discussing personal care. Clients may also experience increased agitation or sleep disturbances after suffering sexual abuse.
Verbal & Emotional Abuse
Verbal and emotional abuse involves any behavior meant to cause mental or emotional pain to a vulnerable adult. Caregivers engaging in this type of abuse may yell at, insult, threaten, intimidate, ridicule, or harass a nursing home resident. Other examples of mental mistreatment include isolating the resident from loved ones, using silence to control their behavior, or treating them like a child.
Changes in a resident’s mood or behavior often reflect the effects of this type of abuse. A client may appear anxious or agitated. They may become withdrawn or unresponsive to others’ attempts to engage. Nervousness around certain people may also suggest verbal or emotional abuse.
Some victims also exhibit unusual self-soothing behaviors typically attributed to dementia, such as sucking, biting, and rocking. A resident who expresses feelings of worthlessness or shame may also be at risk of suffering this type of harm. They may apologize excessively or appear fearful of saying the wrong thing.
Neglect
Neglect occurs when a nursing home fails to provide the care a resident needs to maintain their physical or mental health. Unlike abuse, neglect generally involves inaction, such as failing to monitor a resident, respond to medical needs, or provide basic daily care.
A resident experiencing neglect may lack adequate food, water, clothing, or medication. They may appear noticeably thin or weak due to inadequate nutrition or hydration. If they have pressure ulcers, they may complain of pain or avoid movement.
Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores or decubitus ulcers, are commonly associated with inadequate repositioning and monitoring in long-term care settings. Because these injuries are often preventable with proper care, their presence may indicate that a resident’s needs are not being consistently met.
Other warning signs include untreated medical issues, such as infections that worsen over time. Poor hygiene can present as unwashed hair, strong body odors, or dirty clothing. Visitors may notice soiled bedding, pests, or fecal or urine odors in the resident’s living environment. In some cases, a resident suffering from neglect may directly state that their caregivers are ignoring them or leaving them alone for long periods.
Reviewing Death Certificates for Signs of Abuse or Neglect
Estate planning attorneys are often among the first professionals to review the death certificates of their clients’ loved ones. Certain listed causes of death should prompt follow-up questions, particularly when they include fall-related injuries, fractured hips, pressure sores, decubitus ulcers, sepsis, malnutrition, dehydration, or urinary tract infections.
When these causes appear, it is important to determine where the injury or condition developed. If it arose during a stay at a nursing home or assisted living facility, further inquiry is likely warranted.
In situations where the circumstances suggest preventable harm, consulting experienced nursing home abuse counsel can answer questions and help determine whether neglect or substandard care contributed to the outcome.
Nursing Home Abuse Screening Questions
When concerns arise about a client’s care, asking the right questions can clarify whether abuse or neglect may be occurring. Here are some open-ended questions to ask your client or their loved ones if you have any reason to suspect mistreatment:
- Have there been any recent changes in your loved one’s health or behavior?
- Are staff responses consistent when you ask about injuries?
- Does your loved one seem fearful around certain staff members?
- Have there been recent incidents involving wandering or elopement?
- Do you feel safe and respected at the nursing home facility?
If the answers you receive to these questions heighten your suspicions, it may be appropriate to explore the situation further. You can refer concerned family members to our nursing home abuse lawyers in California or contact us directly to discuss whether the circumstances warrant investigation.
We Take Lead Referrals for Elder Abuse Cases Across California
Our firm’s primary focus is seeking justice for victims of elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes. With over 75 years of combined experience handling high-stakes nursing home cases, we’ve earned a national reputation as a leading elder abuse law firm. Our attorneys have a proven track record of impacting California case law and holding nursing homes accountable, recovering more than $250 million in settlements and verdicts for our valued clients.
We represent clients throughout California, are well-versed in the state’s elder abuse laws, and have deep knowledge of the court systems, the nursing homes operating across the Golden State, and long-term care practices. Nursing home operators and insurers are familiar with our work and know that we don’t back down when facilities fail to protect vulnerable residents. They don’t want to face our experienced trial attorneys in litigation, and that readiness often results in strong outcomes through negotiation.
When you refer a case to us, we’ll treat the client and their loved ones with urgency and respect. You can trust that your client will receive the same care and diligence you bring to your own work. We’ll take the time to get to know them personally, provide the resources they need to heal, and create a customized approach to meet their unique needs during a challenging time.
“As a criminal defense attorney, I’ve referred elder abuse and nursing home neglect cases to Lanzone Morgan, LLP, for over 15 years, and they continue to be the best nursing home abuse lawyers in California. Anthony Lanzone and Jim Morgan are incredibly knowledgeable and treat every referral with care and urgency. After their cases are over, my clients frequently reach out to thank me, often telling me how grateful they were for the support and results Lanzone Morgan, LLP delivered. They handle severe cases like bed sores, falls, and neglect with professionalism and heart. Although they’re based in Long Beach, they’ve helped my referrals across California. This is the one if you need a trusted elder abuse law firm.”
“As an elder law attorney who doesn’t practice nursing home litigation, it was an easy decision to enlist the help of my colleague Jim Morgan of Lanzone Morgan, LLP, in handling an uneasy, difficult, at times gut-wrenching situation… litigation against a nursing facility. Jim and his staff were very easy to work with and kept me abreast of developments along the way. This type of case is emotionally challenging, especially when it involves your loved one. I am very satisfied with Jim and his firm and the outcome we obtained.”
“I cannot speak highly enough of Lanzone Morgan, LLP, and the compassionate, dedicated team behind it. From the moment you reach out, they treat your family with dignity, respect, and genuine care. Elder abuse and neglect cases are emotionally difficult, but Lanzone Morgan approached every step of the process with sensitivity and professionalism. Their attorneys are incredibly knowledgeable about elder law and are ready to fiercely advocate on behalf of your loved one. You never feel rushed or overlooked—instead, you feel supported and empowered throughout the entire case.”
Millions Paid in Referral Fees to Our Partners
We value the trust other professionals place in our firm, and that shows in our consistent history of compensating our nursing home abuse attorney referral partners. Over the past two years, we have paid more than $3 million in referral fees to attorneys who referred nursing home abuse and neglect cases to us.
That total includes $1.87 million in referral fees paid in 2024 and $1.325 million paid in 2025. Referral fees we paid in 2025 included $90,000 in April, $80,000 in June, and $75,000 in September.
"We know the ins and outs of nursing home litigation. We know how the long-term care industry operates. Because we know how they operate, we're in the best position to get the best results for the clients."
Our Professional Referral Network
We are proud to collaborate with a wide network of attorneys who trust us to handle California nursing home abuse and neglect cases. These referral relationships reflect years of mutual commitment to protecting vulnerable clients.
Let’s Work Together To Stop Nursing Home Abuse
Quick intervention is key to protecting vulnerable adults from further harm. When warning signs point to possible nursing home mistreatment, it may be time to make a nursing home abuse referral. Lanzone Morgan, LLP, is a trusted resource for estate planning attorneys seeking experienced counsel to evaluate and pursue elder abuse and neglect cases.
If you would like to discuss a client’s situation or explore a potential referral relationship, please reach out. You can contact us through our online contact form or call 888-887-9777 to speak directly with our team.