Fort Pierce Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers

When nursing home residents suffer abuse, they have the right to sue the facility or providers who are responsible. In order to secure a fair payout, though, they must prove both liability and damages.

As in other types of personal injury lawsuits, the burden of proof in cases involving nursing home abuse lies with the plaintiff; however, elderly victims should not have to worry about documenting everything or gathering evidence during such a trying time, and neither should their loved ones. By turning to seasoned nursing home abuse lawyers, the entire family can focus on what matters most while their case proceeds in good hands.

If your aging relative was abused or neglected in a long-term care facility, contact Donaldson & Weston. We will conduct a comprehensive investigation into each individual incident and then prepare the claim as if it is going to trial, even if a settlement is the expected outcome.

Your family has enough to worry about without having to navigate complicated legal proceedings; let us handle the logistics on your behalf. Call 772-266-5555 to schedule a free case evaluation with a nursing home neglect lawyer in Fort Pierce.

How to Prove Damages in a Nursing Home Abuse Claim

Victims of nursing home abuse may be able to recover compensation for several kinds of damages—as long as they can prove them. This can be incredibly challenging if your claim includes future damages, non-economic damages, and/or punitive damages. Fortunately, the experienced nursing home neglect attorneys at Donaldson & Weston can make sure your claim accounts for all potentially recoverable losses such as:

  • Medical expenses;

  • Pain and suffering;

  • Disability;

  • Disfigurement;

  • Mental anguish; and

  • Loss of enjoyment of life.


Proving such losses usually calls for several forms of evidence. As soon as you contact our office and we determine that your case has merit, we will start gathering evidence while it is still available and unaltered. Proof that may contribute to the strength of your claim includes:

  • Medical records;

  • Receipts and invoices;

  • Expert witness testimony;

  • Photographs of any visible wounds; and

  • Journal entries detailing the extent of the abuse.


In the state of Florida, nursing home abuse victims can also pursue punitive damages if the defendant’s actions were grossly negligent or intentionally malicious. To secure punitive damages, your attorney will have to demonstrate how the staff’s actions were deliberately abusive or intentionally neglectful. Critical evidence might include surveillance footage, eyewitness testimony, and statements from geriatric care experts.