ANDREOZZI + FOOTE
NURSING HOME SEXUAL ABUSE
Reviewed by:
Benjamin D. Andreozzi, Esq.
- Last Updated: November 19, 2025
On This Page
- Why Choose Andreozzi + Foote for Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Cases
- How Common is Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes?
- How Nursing Homes Are Liable for Sexual Abuse
- Types of Nursing Home Abuse
- Who Are Common Abusers?
- How Long Can I Wait to Report Nursing Home Sexual Abuse?
- How the Law Protects Elder Abuse Victims
- Compensation in Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Cases
- Why Survivors Need Our Specialized Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Lawyers
- Reach Out to Andreozzi + Foote for Compassionate Help
Nursing home sexual abuse is heartbreaking because it betrays families’ trust. Moreover, it often goes unnoticed, unreported, or unaddressed, especially when survivors cannot speak for themselves. Families may fear not being believed, public exposure, or retaliation. If you or a loved one has suffered from sexual abuse at a nursing home, you’re not alone, and we’re here to help.
Filing a nursing home abuse claim can help your loved one secure the resources needed to heal while holding the facility accountable. Civil action can also prompt further investigation, stronger supervision, and policy reforms that help prevent future residents. Andreozzi + Foote nursing home abuse attorneys are here to help you fight back.
Why Choose Andreozzi + Foote for Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Cases
Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation’s leading law firms representing survivors of sexual abuse—we exclusively focus on such cases. Our trauma-informed attorneys listen first, create a safe and supportive space, and provide knowledgeable legal advice tailored to your situation.
We’ve obtained $2 billion in total recoveries and have taken a leadership role in high-profile matters nationwide, including the multi-billion-dollar Boy Scouts resolution. Our attorneys seek justice and accountability by focusing on institutional responsibility. We leave no stone unturned to uncover the truth and drive change to prevent future abuse.
Our attorneys take a personalized, client-centered approach to every case, listening to survivors and finding creative ways to obtain justice. We’ll keep you informed and involved at every stage and are prepared to pursue justice relentlessly.
How Common is Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes?
Nursing home sexual abuse is widely underreported because survivors may fear retaliation or blame, feel shame, depend on staff for basic care, struggle to communicate, or live in facilities that fail to report. Families also may not recognize the warning signs of sexual abuse, allowing the harm to continue in silence.
Taking legal action is often the only way to uncover the truth, preserve evidence, hold institutions accountable, and secure resources for medical care and counseling. Andreozzi + Foote can discreetly evaluate what happened, explain your options, and move quickly in the fight for justice.
How Nursing Homes Are Liable for Sexual Abuse
Nursing home sexual abuse rarely happens in a vacuum. It often results from systemic failures. A home can be held liable when its conduct or omissions enable the abuse to occur or continue. Issues that often contribute to or allow abuse include the following:
- Negligent hiring or retention
- Chronic understaffing
- Insufficient supervision
- Inadequate training and policies
- Failure to act on red flags
- Unsafe environments
- Reporting and documentation failures
These systemic lapses can support claims for negligent hiring, failure to protect, failure to report, and corporate negligence to place responsibility on the organization that should have prevented the harm.
Andreozzi + Foote focuses on organizational accountability, holding nursing facilities and their operators responsible for the failures that enabled the abuse and deterring such harm in the future.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
The following are the five common types of abuse in long-term care:
- Sexual abuse is any non-consensual sexual or sexualized conduct involving residents, including unwanted touching, groping, and rape.
- Physical abuse includes hitting, pushing, rough handling, or improper restraints that cause injuries.
- Emotional or psychological abuse manifests as threats, humiliation, isolation, or coercion that cause distress.
- Neglect is the failure to provide basic care, leading to harm.
- Financial exploitation includes misuse of money or property, pressured gifts, or unauthorized account access.
Sexual abuse is among the most devastating, but it often remains hidden. Such conduct can cause the victim severe emotional distress, but it frequently goes unreported and unresolved because the victims cannot speak up for themselves.
What Are Specific Types of Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes?
Any unwanted sexual contact is abuse. Notably, many patients in nursing facilities are incapable of giving consent. If a nursing home employee, family member, or another resident takes advantage of an older person in a sexual way, they may be subject to legal action.
Examples of sexual abuse include the following:
- Kissing
- Fondling
- Rape
- Assault
- Production of pornography
- Forced nudity for reasons beyond hygiene
If you or your loved one has experienced any of the above conduct in a nursing home, get immediate legal assistance to stop the abuse and prevent future serious injuries.
Injuries and Warning Signs of Nursing Home Sexual Abuse
Families often miss the warning signs of sexual abuse because they can be subtle or explained away. Physical indications of sexual abuse include genital pain, bleeding, or bruising. It can also include urinary or genital infections or torn or missing undergarments.
Behavioral indicators include a fear of specific staff, agitation during bathing or using the restroom, withdrawal, depression, or sudden personality changes. Sleep disturbance issues, panic, and refusing exams or routine care are also indicators that something isn’t right.
What Should I Do If I Suspect Nursing Home Sexual Abuse?
If something feels wrong, take action. You don’t need proof to take steps that prioritize safety, preserve evidence, and hold the facility accountable.
The first step is to ensure the safety of the nursing home resident. If there is immediate danger, call 911. Seek medical care right away and request a forensic exam when appropriate. Once the resident is safe, avoid changing their garments until they are examined and save any clothing. Also, try to take photos of injuries and write down key information like the dates, times, and names of those involved.
You should also notify facility leadership, submit a report to law enforcement, and get help from a nursing home sexual abuse lawyer. Andreozzi + Foote can offer advice on suing for nursing home negligence and will act quickly to protect your loved ones.
Who Are Common Abusers?
The following individuals may be responsible for sexual abuse in nursing homes:
- Nursing home staff members: Staff often become frustrated in a nursing home setting, which can lead to cases of physical abuse. In other situations, a staff member takes advantage of an innocent nursing home patient who lacks the awareness or capacity to fight off unwanted sexual advances.
- Nursing home administrators: A nursing home administrator may be responsible for nursing home abuse if they hire workers without performing a background check. If the administrator did not properly train their staff or provide safe premises for residents, they may also be responsible for the abuse of their nursing home patients.
- Other residents: Another resident with easy access to a victim’s room or personal space may commit sexual abuse.
- Family members: If a patient files a complaint about an abusive family member, the nursing home should take this seriously and intervene to prevent future abuse. Furthermore, the assisted living facility should be aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse when a family member visits.
How Long Can I Wait to Report Nursing Home Sexual Abuse?
The amount of time you have in which to report the nursing home abuse and seek compensation depends on where you live and the nature of the acts. Typically, victims are limited to a number of years following the incident, depending on local laws. For example, in Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations is two years following the day the abuse occurred.
For the best chances of holding nursing home employees and other abusers accountable for their actions, you should speak with a nursing home abuse attorney right away. Your lawyer can help you get compensation to cover medical bills, reimburse you for time missed at work, and more.
These legal matters are typically quite complex and time-consuming. You should not delay in seeking justice. Call our legal team right away for assistance in bringing a successful nursing home abuse suit against the negligent nursing home and preventing abusers from creating more future victims.
How the Law Protects Elder Abuse Victims
The federal, state, and local laws protect against elder abuse, including abuse and neglect in a nursing home. Violating a person’s rights to property and safety should not be left unaddressed. It can be intimidating to report nursing home abuse, but you don’t have to do so alone.
Your nursing home abuse lawyer can help you identify ways the nursing home violated your loved one’s rights. They can help gather evidence, including proof of bodily injury, evidence of mental health issues, testimonies from witnesses, surveillance footage, and more, to bolster your case. Your nursing home abuse attorneys will also document this evidence through images, medical records, and more to get you the full compensation you deserve.
Please don’t delay in seeking justice when a loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse. Depending on where you live, you may be prohibited from collecting compensation if the statute of limitations expires. This may be as little as two years from the date the abuse occurred, depending on your location. Act now to protect your loved one and future nursing home residents from suffering similarly. Reach out to our legal team for help.
Compensation in Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Cases
Nursing home abuse and neglect of a nursing home resident can make the victim and their family members eligible for compensation. The compensation varies depending on the unique circumstances of the case. However, most victims recover compensation for economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages compensate for the quantifiable financial losses. Examples of economic damages in nursing home abuse cases include:
- Past and future medical bills
- Medications
- Therapy services
- Lost wages for family members who missed time at work
- Modifications to the victim’s home
- Relocation costs
- Hospital stays
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are harder to calculate but are equally important in an abuse case. These may include:
- Emotional trauma
- Past and future pain and suffering
- Distress
- Depression and anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages seek to punish the defendant and deter future misconduct. They are not always awarded in nursing home abuse cases. However, a court may award them if the nursing home acted maliciously, intentionally, or fraudulently.
Why Survivors Need Our Specialized Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Lawyers
Proving nursing home sexual abuse requires a rapid, meticulous investigation. At Andreozzi + Foote, we have a long track record of taking on powerful, well-funded organizations, insurers, and corporate defense teams. We know their tactics and how to counter them to get you the results our clients deserve. In addition, our trauma-informed attorneys create a safe, confidential space, handle the hard conversations with the facility and authorities, and connect you with trusted support resources so you can focus on the healing journey.
Reach Out to Andreozzi + Foote for Compassionate Help
Your family deserves safety, answers, and accountability. We will listen first, protect your privacy, and act quickly to safeguard your loved one while fighting the institution that failed them.
Call (866) 311-8640 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
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We understand the courage it takes to reach out for help, and we are here to listen. At Andreozzi + Foote, our trauma-informed attorneys are dedicated to providing compassionate, confidential support every step of the way. With extensive experience in advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where your voice is heard and your rights are fiercely protected. Contact us today for a free, in-depth consultation and take the first step toward justice.