Wisconsin Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers

Putting your loved one in a nursing home is always a difficult and emotional decision. Before you entrusted them to the care of a nursing home, you probably spent a great deal of time researching nursing homes to find one you could trust. When you discover that your loved one has not been cared for properly or may have been abused, the sense of betrayal can be overwhelming. Our Wisconsin nursing home neglect lawyers in Eau Claire, River Falls, and La Crosse can help.

For over 50 years, the nursing home abuse attorneys at Bye, Goff & Rohde have helped families get justice for loved ones. Our law firm will make sure that the people who mistreat the elderly at assisted-living facilities or senior communities are held accountable. Reach out to the compassionate Wisconsin personal injury lawyers at our firm to help your elderly loved one recover and relocate to a safe environment.

Signs There Is a Problem at a Nursing Home

It can be hard to believe that abuse or neglect is taking place in a senior care facility. Our aging loved ones may not always be able to tell us what is happening. You may not immediately recognize the signs that your loved one is being treated improperly. Some common indications that your loved one is being abused or neglected include:

• Falls: As we age, falling becomes a greater risk. Nursing homes should assess a patient’s risk of falling and take steps to ensure their safety. If your loved one is frequently falling, neglect could be the cause.
• Bedsores: A bedridden patient requires special care to ensure they are frequently repositioned. Bedsores may indicate that they are not receiving the proper care.
• Bruises: Elderly patients often bruise easily due to their age or as a side effect of common medications. However, if your loved one is frequently bruised or has an unusual number of bruises, they may be the victims of abuse or neglect.

Once you recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect in a senior home, it is important that you consult with one of our attorneys as soon as possible. We have the experience to help you navigate through the process of discovering exactly what has happened, getting your loved ones the proper treatment, and ensuring they are safe in the future.

Signs of Emotional and Psychological Mistreatment in Nursing Homes

Not all forms of abuse leave visible bruises. When a loved one seems withdrawn or fearful, or starts acting unusually quiet, it could point to something deeper happening behind closed doors. Emotional and psychological mistreatment is often subtle at first, but the damage it causes is just as serious.

Red Flags of Emotional Abuse You Might Miss at First

Mood changes can be easy to dismiss, especially when your loved one is already managing complex health issues. Sudden anxiety or agitation can be a red flag that should be noted right away. A growing fear of being left alone is another. In some cases, staff members isolate residents or speak to them in harsh, belittling tones. These behaviors leave no visible marks, but they can break down a person’s sense of safety and self-worth.

Psychological abuse is a serious violation under Wis. Stat. § 46.90, which protects vulnerable adults from treatment that causes mental harm. Our team works closely with families and facilities throughout the state. If you are seeing subtle signs of distress, our Wisconsin nursing home neglect lawyers can help look into what might be happening when you are not there.

Why the Elderly May Not Speak Up About Abuse

Many older adults are afraid to report mistreatment, especially if they depend on that staff member for daily care. Some worry they will not be believed. Others are afraid of retaliation. Some just do not want to cause trouble. Over time, that silence can become part of the abuse itself.

This is one reason emotional neglect is so difficult to catch. Your loved one may seem quiet or even deny that anything is wrong, despite visible signs of distress. A trusted nursing home neglect lawyer at Bye, Goff & Rohde can help gather information. We may also request records or take steps to protect your family member without escalating the situation or risking further mistreatment.

What Elderly Financial Exploitation Might Look Like in Wisconsin

When an elderly loved one is vulnerable, financial abuse can be just as damaging as physical harm. If you are working with our elder abuse attorneys, we can help you recognize whether financial manipulation is part of a bigger pattern of neglect or control. In some cases, these losses happen alongside isolation or confusion. Others occur when a serious injury prevents the resident from speaking up or asking for help. Watch for these red flags, which may point to financial abuse:

• Unexpected changes to bank accounts or estate plans
• Missing personal items such as jewelry, cash, or checkbooks
• A caregiver who insists on being present every time finances are discussed
• Bills that are left unpaid, even when there is money available
• ATM withdrawals that your loved one cannot recall authorizing
• A new “friend” who suddenly influences big financial decisions
• Pressure to sign documents without time to read or ask questions

Financial abuse often overlaps with broader neglect, especially when the person can no longer manage their money or track conversations. Under Wis. Stat. § 943.20, this kind of exploitation may legally qualify as theft, even when it involves someone the resident once trusted. Our nursing home neglect attorneys in Eau Claire, River Falls, and La Crosse know how to review financial records. We can trace missing assets and identify who may have taken advantage. We get results because we know how to take action when something feels wrong.

Legal Help for You and Your Family

Dealing with the consequences of your loved one’s abuse may cost you. The time spent protecting your family member could lead to lost wages due to time missed from work. In addition, it may require expensive medical treatment for your loved one and cause emotional trauma from seeing your loved one in pain.

You don’t have to go through this alone. Bye, Goff & Rohde advocates for families throughout the state of Wisconsin, offering strength and unwavering compassion through the most difficult times.

Getting Your Elderly Loved One Out of Harm’s Way

If you suspect ongoing abuse or neglect, removing your loved one safely is the top priority. However, doing so can feel overwhelming, especially if you are not sure what steps to take or who to call. The right support can make this process feel less daunting. It also makes it easier to act quickly and protect the person you love.

How to Take Action Without Making Things Worse

Families often worry that speaking up will create tension. Others fear the facility will retaliate or ignore their concerns entirely. Silence allows dangerous conditions to continue unchecked. If something feels wrong, you can ask questions, request official records, turn to a legal advocate for help, or report concerns to the state.

If you need legal help during this process, speak with our elder abuse lawyers to help intervene without exacerbating a potentially dangerous situation. Our law firm can work directly with the facility to raise concerns. We also help request safety plans and document everything the right way. Serious situations like these need serious lawyers, especially when someone vulnerable is being harmed behind closed doors. Bye, Goff & Rohde is here for you.

Emergency Removal and Protective Orders in Wisconsin

In urgent cases, legal action may be required to move a resident out of danger. If the senior care facility refuses to cooperate or family members cannot agree on next steps, a court order may be the fastest way to act. Under Wis. Stat. § 55.043, protective placements and emergency transfers are allowed when abuse or neglect creates unsafe conditions.

Our Wisconsin nursing home neglect attorneys can explain how emergency removal works and whether it applies to your situation. These cases can be emotionally overwhelming, especially when safety is on the line. Our job is to help protect your loved one with urgency, without adding more strain to an already difficult process.

Who Can You Trust to Investigate Suspected Nursing Home Abuse?

When something feels off, you are not overreacting by asking questions. One concern might not seem like enough, but small warning signs often add up. Our elder abuse attorneys in La Cross, River Falls, and Eau Claire regularly work with local advocates and professionals who know how to respond when a resident’s safety may be at risk. Here are some of the people and programs that families can turn to for support:

• Adult Protective Services (APS) and local elder care caseworkers
• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), including surveyors and investigators
• Long-term care ombudsman programs, both regional and facility-based
• Non-profit elder advocacy groups that specialize in resident rights and protection
• Doctors and nurses who document signs of neglect or trauma
• Legal teams that focus on nursing home standards and elder care violations

Under Wis. Stat. § 50.09, nursing home residents have legal rights that cannot be brushed aside. You can report concerns. You can also request reviews or ask questions without needing to build the case yourself. Our elder abuse lawyers can help you get answers while your loved one stays protected.

Why Staff Culture and Turnover Rates Matter in Nursing Home Cases

When a nursing home has constant turnover or burned-out employees, residents feel the impact. Missed meals can go unnoticed. Routine tasks may fall through the cracks. Calls for help might not get answered in time. If your loved one was left waiting for basic care, the issue may involve multiple employees or bigger problems with how the facility is run.

Short Staffing and Overworked Employees

When a facility cannot keep enough trained employees on each shift, it puts every resident at risk. Tasks like rotating immobile patients or refilling water often get skipped. Even responding to call lights becomes difficult when too few people are available.

Some families only find out after a fall occurs or an untreated infection is discovered. Nurses may care deeply. Aides may want to help. When they are stretched thin, though, the time and attention each resident receives suffer. If the signs of neglect line up with days of reduced staffing or frequent turnover, your nursing home neglect lawyer can review schedules and pull disciplinary records to support your case.

When Neglect Is a Pattern, Not an Accident

In many cases, repeated issues go unreported because staff fear retaliation or are too overwhelmed to document every concern. That silence creates a culture where cutting corners becomes routine, even when it harms residents. Families often say they were told everything was fine. Only later do they learn the truth, often after a preventable emergency.

Documentation logs can be revealing. As can internal audits or prior violations. If others have suffered under similar conditions, your story may point to something that has happened to others before. A nursing home neglect lawyer can explain how to request records and identify red flags that may not be obvious at first.

Inconsistent Caregivers

When a different staff member shows up every day, residents lose the consistency they depend on. New caregivers may not recognize what is normal. They might overlook existing conditions. They could also skip small but important steps in care. That kind of disconnection leads to real risks, especially when routines are essential for the safety and comfort of residents.

Older adults with cognitive decline are especially vulnerable. Constant turnover can lead to confusion. It can also create fear or refusal to cooperate when residents do not recognize the people helping them. If your loved one’s care suffered because no one knew what to expect or how to respond, a nursing home neglect lawyer can help determine whether inconsistent staffing contributed to the trauma your family member experienced.

Contact Our Wisconsin Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers

Your elderly loved one should never have had to suffer during their golden years. At Bye, Goff & Rohde, we want to protect families and make sure the mistreated get the justice and dignity they deserve. To request a free consultation with experienced nursing home abuse attorneys in Eau Claire, River Falls, and La Crosse, WI, contact our law firm today.