Placing a parent or grandparent in a nursing home is a difficult decision for a family. It comes with the expectation that trained and compassionate staff will ensure their safety and dignity. When that doesn’t happen, the results are often devastating, from untreated bedsores to other types of abuse or neglect, including physical, financial, or emotional harm.
If your loved one was hurt due to negligence in a nursing home, assisted living center, or long-term care facility, our Dallas nursing home abuse lawyers at Crowe Arnold & Majors are here to help you hold them accountable. Don’t wait. Signs of abuse can escalate quickly. Contact our team now for a confidential, no-obligation consultation. Your loved one’s safety may depend on it.
We’ve collectively spent more than 65 years representing injured Texans, including a $3 million nursing home abuse verdict and a broader track record of multi-million dollar results. Continue reading to learn how we can help your family.
What Qualifies as Nursing Home Abuse Under Texas Law?
Texas law gives nursing home residents specific legal protections, backed by state statutes and administrative rules that set enforceable standards of care.
The Texas Human Resources Code Chapter 102 establishes rights for elderly individuals receiving care in nursing and long-term care facilities, and Texas Health and Safety Code § 242.037 directs the state to enforce minimum standards of care, codified in 26 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 554, including:
- Adequate nutrition and sanitary conditions
- Sufficient, qualified staff to meet resident needs
- A baseline care plan developed within 48 hours of admission, tailored to each resident
When a facility falls short of these standards, whether through an isolated incident or a pattern of being short-staffed or poor supervision, it may be considered nursing home neglect or abuse under Texas law. The distinction matters. It shapes how a claim is investigated and what has to be established to hold the facility responsible.
Tap Here to Contact Our Office Now
Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Nursing home abuse attorneys in Dallas see the following patterns emerge most often in abuse and neglect cases:
- Physical abuse. The willful or negligent infliction of injury, unreasonable restraint, or cruel punishment that causes physical harm to a resident
- Sexual abuse. Any nonconsensual sexual contact, particularly involving residents unable to give consent
- Emotional or psychological abuse. Intimidation, humiliation, isolation, or threats that cause emotional harm; treated as abuse under Texas law when inflicted by a caretaker.
- Financial exploitation. A caretaker’s misuse of a resident’s funds, property, or personal information for their own gain, without the resident’s informed consent
- Neglect. A caretaker’s failure to provide the food, water, medication, hygiene, or medical attention necessary to prevent physical or emotional harm. A nursing home neglect attorney in Dallas can help you understand your options.
- Medication errors. Wrong dosages, missed doses, or dangerous drug interactions caused by inadequate staffing or training; treated as neglect when a caretaker fails to provide necessary medical care.
These categories often overlap in practice so that a single case may involve more than one type of harm. Even signs that seem minor deserve a closer look.
“Families trust nursing homes to care for the people they love most. When that trust is broken, we work to hold the facility accountable and help the family find some measure of peace.” – Crowe Arnold & Majors
Meet the Attorneys Who Stand With You
At Crowe Arnold & Majors, LLP, our attorneys bring decades of legal experience and a deep commitment to the people we serve. We understand that behind every case is a person—someone whose life has been disrupted by trauma, loss, or uncertainty. We don’t take that lightly. Our team is here to support you with the legal skill, empathy, and dedication you deserve. From board-certified expertise to high-stakes trial success, we’re proud to advocate for victims of serious injury and abuse with professionalism, compassion, and relentless determination.
We represent victims of nursing home abuse and neglect caused by care facilities, their staff, or corporate operators who failed in their duty of care. Our firm focuses exclusively on cases where a business, institution, or licensed facility is legally responsible for the harm caused—not those involving private individuals, family members, or informal caregivers.
If your loved one was hurt due to negligence in a nursing home, assisted living center, or long-term care facility, we’re here to help you hold them accountable. With decades of experience in facility-based abuse litigation, our attorneys work to expose systemic failures and pursue justice for families impacted by severe injury, neglect, or wrongful death.
John W. Arnold,
Partner, Trial and Appellate Attorney
With over 25 years of experience, John is a seasoned trial and appellate attorney known for delivering results.
David W. Crowe
Partner, Personal Injury
For more than 30 years, David has been a powerful advocate and fighting for individuals harmed by negligence and abuse.
D.G. Majors
Trial Attorney, Personal Injury and Product Liability
D.G. is a trial lawyer with a strong track record of results in personal injury, product liability, and commercial litigation.
Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse Families Should Watch For
Residents who are being mistreated don’t always feel able to speak up, whether out of fear, confusion, or a cognitive condition like dementia. That’s why it often falls to family members to notice when something isn’t right.
Warning signs may include:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, or fractures
- Sudden weight loss or signs of dehydration
- Bedsores or skin breakdown
- Soiled or unchanged bedding and clothing
- An unsafe, unsanitary, or poorly maintained living space
- Withdrawal from conversation or a noticeable change in mood
- Reluctance to speak in front of certain staff members
- Unusual financial activity on a loved one’s accounts
While none of these signs automatically confirms abuse occurred, together they call for taking a closer look, asking questions, and enlisting legal help.
What to Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse in Dallas
If you’re concerned about a loved one’s safety, act promptly rather than wait to see if things improve on their own. A few practical steps can help:
- Get medical attention first if there’s any sign of injury, illness, or abandonment has left your loved one without care. A hospital or your loved one’s primary care doctor can document injuries and create a medical record, separate from the facility’s own records, which may be important later.
- Document what you see. Take photos of injuries, bruising, or unsafe conditions in the room. Write down dates, times, and what staff members told you. Note conversations with your loved one, with facility staff, and with the resident’s roommate or other visitors if they’ve observed anything.
- Raise the concern directly with the facility’s administrator or director of nursing, not just floor staff, and ask for a written response describing what the facility will do about it.
- Report the situation to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Complaint and Incident Intake line at 1-800-458-9858, or file online through the Texas Unified Licensure Information Portal (TULIP). HHSC investigates complaints involving licensed nursing facilities.
- Contact a Dallas elder abuse attorney to discuss what you’ve observed and learn what legal options may be available.
Our legal team will review what you’ve gathered, request records the facility may not otherwise share, and get a clearer picture of what actually happened.
No Fees Unless We Win!
How Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuits Work in Texas
Nursing home abuse and neglect claims in Texas generally proceed as personal injury or wrongful death cases, depending on the harm involved.
To move forward, an attorney generally must establish that the facility (or its staff) owed a duty of care to the resident, that duty was breached, the breach caused harm, and the resident suffered real damages as a result.
Statute of Limitations
Texas generally requires nursing home abuse and neglect claims to be filed within two years of the date the abuse occurred. Exceptions can extend that window in limited circumstances, such as when the resident lacked the capacity to recognize or report the abuse.
Missing the deadline can mean losing the ability to recover compensation altogether, so it’s wise to consult with our attorneys well before it approaches. Learn more on our nursing home abuse statute of limitations page.
How Our Attorneys Build Your Case
Once you retain our firm, our attorneys review the facility’s records and staffing history, consult with medical experts to evaluate the standard of care, and gather Texas Health and Human Services inspection reports and prior complaint history where relevant. We then negotiate with the nursing home’s insurer on your behalf, with litigation remaining an option if a fair resolution isn’t reached.
What Compensation Is Available in a Dallas Nursing Home Abuse Case?
Every case is different, and there’s no way to promise a specific outcome in advance. However, Texas law allows victims of nursing home abuse or neglect to potentially recover economic damages, such as medical bills, the cost of relocating to a safer facility, and related expenses.
They may also be able to recover non-economic damages, which address pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life. In cases involving fraud, malice, or gross negligence, a jury may also consider exemplary damages, which are meant to punish the facility rather than simply compensate the victim or their family.
Get the Justice Your Loved One Deserves
Jury verdict after trial involving allegations of nursing home abuse and neglect, in which victim suffered sepsis and severe malnutrition and dehydration. (Oklahoma)
Settlement involving nursing home fall.
Settlement involving nursing home bed sore and infection death.
Our attorneys have recovered millions in nursing home abuse settlements, helping families across Dallas hold negligent facilities accountable.
Click here to see more case results
Fight Back Against Neglect Call Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers!
Why Families Choose Crowe Arnold & Majors for Nursing Home Cases
Nursing homes and the insurance companies behind them often have significant resources and legal teams of their own. Families going up against that on their own can feel outmatched, which is part of why so many turn to Crowe Arnold & Majors.
From the initial investigation through settlement negotiations or trial, our goal is to take some of the burden off your family so you can focus on your loved one’s recovery and well-being. We believe costs should never be a barrier to justice for a loved one. We work on a contingency basis, meaning there aren’t any upfront fees, and we only get paid if we recover compensation on your behalf.
If you’re ready to talk through what happened, schedule a free consultation with our nursing home abuse lawyers.
Serving Families Across Dallas and North Texas
Crowe Arnold & Majors represents families throughout Dallas, DFW, and the broader North Texas region, including Arlington, Plano, Garland, Irving, and Richardson. Wherever your loved one’s care facility is located, our nursing home abuse lawyers in Dallas, Texas, are available to review the details of your situation.
Suspecting abuse or neglect is never easy to sit with, and waiting to act can make it harder to gather the evidence a case may need. If something feels wrong, trust that instinct. Contact CAM Law today to talk with our team about your family’s situation.
Plus no fees unless we win!
Nursing Home Neglect FAQs
Q: Who are the most common perpetrators of elderly abuse?
A: According to surprising statistics provided by the National Center on Elder Abuse, it is estimated that 36% of nursing homes violate elderly abuse laws and 91% lack adequate staff to provide proper care for residents. Clearly, elder abuse is a huge issue in both residential homes and assisted living facilities.
Q: How do I find out whether my elderly loved one’s nursing home or assisted living facility is a good one?
A: You may contact your Long-Term Care Ombudsman for information about the nursing home or assisted living facility. You may also try Nursing Home Compare, a federal website that allows you to find Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes in your area and learn how they rate by various quality measures.
Q: What can I do if I suspect that my elderly loved one is being abused by his/her caretaker in a residential home?
A: You should call and discuss the suspicious situation with Adult Protective Services (APS), a Long-Term Care Ombudsman, or local law enforcement. They will ask you what you saw/heard/observed that indicated abuse and the identity of the suspected perpetrator. They will also inform you of who you can contact for further assistance.
Q: What if my elderly loved one is being abused in a state-operated setting or private assisted living facility?
A: If your elderly loved one is staying in a state-supported living center, state hospital, or community mental health/retardation center, get in touch with APS Facility Investigations. If s/he is staying in a psychiatric hospital or other medical facility, contact Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). If a nursing home, assisted living facility, private ICF/MR, or adult day care is involved, reach out to Texas Health and Human Services.
Tap Here to Call Our Law Office
Q: What will happen after I make a report to APS?
A: Upon receiving your report, APS will evaluate the situation and act accordingly. If it’s an emergency, APS will immediately forward the report to police or emergency medical staff. If not, your case will be assigned a priority response time based on the level of victim risk and an APS staff will eventually take on your case (if your report meets the APS target population).
The assigned caseworker will contact the victim, assess his/her risk factors, and his/her capacity to understand the situation and to give informed consent for further investigation.
If your elderly loved one expresses his/her consent and allows the investigation to continue, the caseworker will make arrangements to address and resolve problems with your elderly loved one’s health, home, and finances. The caseworker may continue to monitor service provision to assure that victim risk is reduced or eliminated.
Contact a Dallas Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer
If your loved one has suffered neglect or abuse in a Dallas nursing home, our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at Crowe, Arnold, and Majors, LLP are here to help. Our law firm focuses on serious cases where residents have endured life-changing injuries or wrongful death, and we know how to hold facilities accountable for the harm they cause.
Our team will move quickly to protect evidence, guide your family through the legal process, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Schedule a FREE case review or call to speak to a member of our team. Our law firm charges no fees unless we win your case.
Our Dallas Location
You can find our office in Bank of America Plaza at 901 Main Street in downtown Dallas. We’re near Dealey Plaza, the JFK Memorial, Renaissance Tower, and the AT&T Discovery District.
6550 Bank of America Plaza
901 Main St.
P: 214-231-0555
Additional Information