Cook County Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyers

Compassionate Attorneys for Injured Nursing Home Residents in Chicago, Oak Lawn, Berwyn, and Schaumburg

Nursing homes are supposed to be places of safety, dignity, and professional care. When a loved one moves into a long-term care facility, families trust that trained staff will provide medical attention, personal assistance, and supervision. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect remain serious problems in Cook County and across Illinois, and when they happen, the consequences can be devastating.

At John J. Malm & Associates, we are dedicated to protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community: seniors and adults with disabilities who have suffered abuse or neglect in nursing homes. With decades of combined experience handling complex injury and wrongful death cases, our team has the knowledge, resources, and determination to hold negligent facilities accountable. Families across Cook County and the suburbs have trusted us to uncover the truth, fight for justice, and secure the compensation their loved ones deserve. When a nursing home violates that trust, we step in to ensure residents’ rights are protected and their voices are heard.

“When a family entrusts a loved one to a nursing home, they deserve honest, compassionate care,  not neglect or abuse. At John J. Malm & Associates, we hold negligent providers accountable, and secure justice for families harmed by poor care.” — John J. Malm, Cook County nursing home injury lawyer

List of Cook County Nursing Homes

Below is a short list of some of the nursing homes and skilled rehabilitation centers in Cook County.

How Common is Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Cook County?

Quantifying abuse and neglect is difficult because many incidents go unreported. Still, available data show that threats to resident safety are real and persistent.

• The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) routinely posts quarterly reports listing nursing homes cited for serious violations; the third-quarter 2024 report included hundreds of completed violation reports affecting facilities across the state, including Cook County. These violations range from care-quality problems to the most serious “AA” violations when resident death is involved.
• Illinois Adult Protective Services (APS), the agency that investigates allegations of elder abuse and neglect, documents thousands of reports each year. The FY 24 APS report shows a wide variety of maltreatment types statewide (from physical abuse to self-neglect).
• According to a nursing home database analysis, Cook County has 261 active skilled nursing facilities and 42,818 beds. As of January 2025, 31,321 people were living in nursing homes for a citywide occupancy level of about 73%.
• Nationally, nursing homes receive thousands of health inspection citations each year, and a meaningful percentage are related to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. One broad summary of citations shows how care and safety issues in long-term care facilities remain significant.

These statistics illustrate that although many facilities provide adequate care, a non-trivial portion of nursing homes in Cook County continue to have compliance, safety, and care-quality issues. Checking inspection histories and resident complaints is an important step before choosing or evaluating a nursing home.

What Constitutes Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect?

Abuse and neglect take many forms. Recognizing the different types of mistreatment is critical for families and advocates. Some types of abuse and neglect include:

• Physical abuse: hitting, rough handling, inappropriate restraint, or any physical force that harms or injures a resident.
• Emotional or verbal abuse: threats, humiliation, intimidation, or isolation of a resident from friends and family.
• Sexual abuse: any non-consensual sexual contact or contact with a resident who is incapable of consenting.
• Neglect and willful deprivation: failing to provide necessary care such as assistance with hygiene, feeding, repositioning (for bedbound residents), wound care, medication, hydration, or medical treatment. Neglect can be passive (due to understaffing or inadequate care policies) or active (deliberate withholding of food, water, medication, or medical attention).
• Financial exploitation: theft, coercion, misuse of a resident’s funds or property, forging documents, or otherwise taking advantage of a resident for financial gain.
• Abandonment or confinement: leaving a resident without needed care or intentionally restricting their movement or access to services.

Under Illinois law, all of these behaviors can be actionable under licensing rules, may prompt regulatory citations from IDPH, trigger criminal investigations, or provide bases for civil lawsuits.

Why Abuse and Neglect Happens in Cook County Nursing Homes

Understanding the root causes of nursing home problems can help families know what to look for and how to prevent harm:

• Staffing shortages and turnover: Chronic understaffing, high turnover, and overworked staff can lead to residents not receiving timely care or supervision, which increases the risk of neglect and medical complications.
• Inadequate training or supervision: Staff who are not properly trained in dementia care, safe transfers, medication management, or skin care are more likely to commit mistakes that lead to injuries, falls, pressure ulcers, or medication errors.
• Poor management and facility culture: Some facilities emphasize cost-cutting over resident safety. A culture that tolerates shortcuts, understaffing, or neglect can become systemic, making abuse more likely.
• Regulatory non-compliance: Violations of federal (CMS) and Illinois regulations, such as medication administration, infection control, wound care, staffing levels, and resident care planning, are often linked to resident harm. IDPH and CMS citations can reflect these compliance failures.

Warning Signs Your Loved One May Be Experiencing Abuse or Neglect at a Cook County Nursing Home

Be alert for changes or red flags that could indicate mistreatment:

• Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, or fractures, especially in places not typically prone to falling injuries.
• New or worsening bedsores (pressure ulcers), particularly in locations that should have been addressed by repositioning and regular skin care.
• Sudden weight loss or signs of dehydration without an obvious medical explanation.
• Repeated, untreated, or slow-healing infections or recurrent illnesses that suggest poor oversight of wound care, hygiene, or hygiene assistance.
• Medication problems, including overmedication, missed doses, repeated emergency room visits for medication complications, or confusion that wasn’t present before.
• Behavioral changes: sudden withdrawal, fearfulness around staff, depression, agitation, or quick mood shifts, especially if the resident seems frightened of or reluctant to interact with certain employees.
• Poor hygiene or unsanitary living conditions, such as consistently soiled bedding or clothing, body odor, unclean rooms, or smells of urine or feces.
• Sudden changes in financial circumstances: missing personal items, suspicious withdrawals, changes to legal documents or wills, or unexplained gifts or transfers out of the resident’s accounts.

If you notice a combination of physical signs and behavioral withdrawal, act quickly, document your observations, and escalate the concern. Early detection can prevent further harm.

Immediate Steps to Take if You Suspect Abuse or Neglect in a Cook County Nursing Home

Taking prompt action can reduce harm and preserve vital evidence:

1. Obtain medical attention: If your loved one is injured or in immediate danger, call 911, get them to an emergency room, or otherwise secure medical care. Have medical personnel document injuries and conditions.
2. Document what you observe: Keep detailed, dated notes about what you saw, when you saw it, who was involved, staff who were present, and any conversations you had with facility personnel. Take photographs or videos of injuries and living conditions if possible.
3. Report the incident: You can file a complaint with Illinois Adult Protective Services (APS) and with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), both of which investigate nursing home abuse, neglect, and care-quality complaints. Families can also report incidents directly to facility administrators or call the state’s nursing home abuse hotline.
4. Request evidence preservation: If legal action may follow, ask the facility, in writing, to preserve records, staff logs, video footage, incident reports, and medication administration records. A formal preservation or “litigation hold” can prevent destruction or alteration of evidence.
5. Speak with a Cook County nursing home abuse attorney: Legal counsel experienced in elder abuse and nursing home litigation can help you navigate reporting, evidence preservation, civil claims, administrative complaints, and coordination with APS or law enforcement.

Legal Options Against the Nursing Home

Families often have multiple avenues for accountability and justice.

Administrative Remedies

• Filing complaints with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) can trigger facility inspections, citations, and corrective actions. In severe cases, facilities may be fined, placed under special monitoring, or lose licensure.
• Federal oversight via CMS (through Medicare/Medicaid compliance reviews or “Nursing Home Compare” inspections) can also result in penalties, enforcement actions, or public listings of deficiencies.

Criminal Prosecution

• Physical, sexual, or financial abuse, or even willful deprivation, can lead to criminal investigations by law enforcement and prosecution. APS often forwards cases to police when criminal behavior is suspected. Criminal charges can result in jail or prison time, fines, and professional discipline.

Civil Lawsuits

• Victims or their families may file a civil lawsuit for negligence, wrongful death, or intentional torts, seeking monetary compensation for medical treatment, pain and suffering, future care needs, and other losses.
• Civil litigation allows access to discovery, such as internal documents, staff depositions, incident reports, and expert testimony, that can reveal systemic failures and liability.
• Plaintiffs may bring claims against the facility itself, supervisory staff, individual caregivers, or external parties (such as contractors or manufacturers) in appropriate cases.

A Cook County nursing home injury attorney can assess which legal pathway (or combination) is most suitable based on the facts, evidence, and goals of the family.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Cook County Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

Q: Who investigates nursing home abuse in Illinois?
A: Illinois Adult Protective Services (APS) investigates abuse reports involving older adults and adults with disabilities. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) inspects nursing homes, responds to complaints and can impose licensing actions. Local law enforcement handles criminal investigations when abuse, theft, or neglect may involve criminal wrongdoing.

Q: What if the nursing home retaliates after I report abuse?
A: Retaliation, such as reduced services, isolation, or changes in care, after a complaint is unacceptable and should be reported immediately. Families should document any retaliatory behavior and report it to APS, IDPH, and legal counsel. Retaliation can signal systemic issues and strengthen legal claims.

Q: Can a nursing home be forced to preserve records or video evidence?
A: Yes. A formal request or “preservation notice” from you or your attorney can ask the facility to preserve medical records, incident reports, staffing logs, video footage, and other potentially relevant materials. In cases where litigation is expected, attorneys often issue a “litigation hold” to ensure evidence is not destroyed.

Q: How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Illinois?
A: Illinois imposes statute of limitations deadlines on personal injury, neglect, and wrongful death claims. The deadline depends on the type of claim and circumstances, including whether the victim has a legal guardian or the claim involves medical malpractice. Consulting a Cook County nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible is critical to ensure your legal rights are preserved.

Q: What kinds of compensation can families recover in a civil case?
A: Depending on the circumstances, a civil lawsuit can seek medical expenses, future care and rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, emotional distress, long-term care needs, and wrongful death damages (if applicable). In cases of intentional harm or gross negligence, punitive damages may also be pursued.

Contact the Award-Winning Cook County Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys at John J. Malm & Associates

If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect in Cook County, act quickly. Secure medical care for your loved one, report the incident to APS and IDPH, document your observations, and contact an experienced Cook County nursing home abuse attorney. At John J. Malm & Associates, we have litigated complex elder-abuse and nursing home cases and know how to coordinate with APS, medical experts, and investigators to preserve evidence and pursue accountability. Call our office for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our attorneys can explain your rights, help preserve vital evidence, and outline the best steps for protecting your loved one and seeking justice.