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Denver Neglect Attorneys

Neglect can change a vulnerable person’s life in an instant. One moment your loved one is receiving care at a nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospital. Next, they may be suffering from bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, falls, or untreated medical conditions. What should have been a safe environment can suddenly become a place of harm and suffering.

Vulnerable individuals in Denver care facilities face unique risks. Unlike people living independently, nursing home residents and hospitalized patients depend entirely on others for basic needs. There are no second chances when staff fail to turn bedridden patients, miss medication doses, ignore call buttons, or leave dangerous conditions unaddressed.

At Frenkel & Frenkel, our Denver neglect lawyers understand the challenges families face when a loved one has been harmed. Nursing homes and hospitals often minimize responsibility and try to blame the victim’s age or pre-existing conditions, even when staff negligence caused the harm. We investigate the facility, gather the evidence needed to prove neglect, and fight for the full compensation our clients deserve.

If you or a loved one suffered harm due to neglect in a Denver care facility, contact us for a free consultation. We handle neglect cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Quick Answer

Do I need a lawyer if my loved one suffered neglect in a Denver care facility

Yes — and time matters. Nursing homes and hospitals work quickly to protect themselves after neglect incidents. You need an attorney who moves just as fast. Frenkel & Frenkel investigates the facility, obtains medical records and care logs, identifies every liable party, and handles the claims process -- so you can focus on your loved one's recovery. You pay nothing unless we win.

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What type of accident?
This helps us connect you to the right attorney.

How do you know if you have a neglect case?

You may have a neglect case if your loved one was harmed while receiving care at a nursing home, hospital, or assisted living facility. The key question is: Did the facility fail to provide adequate care?

Look for indicators such as:

  • Unexplained bedsores
  • Missed or incorrect medications
  • Signs of being left soiled, hungry, or dehydrated
  • Falls resulting from unanswered call buttons
Colorado law allows families to hold facilities responsible — including nursing homes, hospitals, individual staff, or management companies — when they fail to meet the standard of care under CDPHE and federal CMS regulations.
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Helpful Information

What should you do if you suspect neglect?

Seek Medical Care: Get them medical attention immediately, even for minor-seeming issues.

Document Everything: Photos of injuries, bedsores, bruising, or unsanitary conditions. Keep copies of medical records, care plans, and incident reports. Save all communication with staff.

Write It Down: Note dates, times, names of staff, and specific observations.

Report Concerns: File a complaint with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) at 1-800-886-7689 or cdphe.hfdintake@state.co.us. Contact the Colorado Long-Term Care Ombudsman (303-862-3524) for advocacy support. Report suspected abuse or exploitation to Colorado Adult Protective Services (APS) through your county office.

Talk to an Attorney: Two-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered the neglect (C.R.S. sec. 13-80-102). If the facility is government-run, the CGIA notice window is only 182 days — act quickly.

WHEN A CRASH CHANGES YOUR LIFE, WE FIGHT BACK.

If your family member was neglected or abused in a care facility, we are ready to listen. Contact us today for a free case review.

How long does a nursing home neglect case take?

Every case is different. Some cases settle in a few months. Others may take a year or more, depending on how complex they are. A few things can affect the timeline. How serious is the harm? Are government agencies or multiple facilities involved? Is the evidence clear or does it need expert medical testimony? These factors all play a role. Our team works to move cases forward as quickly as possible. At the same time, we do not rush into a settlement that may not be fair to your loved one’s needs. We keep you updated along the way so you always know where things stand.

What does it cost to hire a nursing home neglect lawyer?

At Frenkel & Frenkel, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront. We only collect a fee if we recover money for you.* There is no charge for your first consultation. You can call us, tell us what happened, and we will let you know if we think we can help. There is no pressure and no obligation.

How We Prove Neglect— Our Evidence-Driven Approach

We build a fact-based record using policies, nursing notes, MARs (medication records), incident reports, staffing schedules, and video surveillance. Medical, nursing, geriatric, and safety experts help translate these records into evidence showing exactly how rules were broken and injuries followed.
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Quick Answer

Can I recover more compensation if multiple parties are responsible for my loved one's neglect?

Potentially yes. Each liable party may carry their own insurance policy or assets. Identifying multiple defendants — such as the nursing home, individual staff members, and the management company — can open up multiple sources of recovery that a single-defendant case would not. This is one of the most important reasons to hire an attorney who investigates the full picture, not just the facility.

  • Nursing Home Facility — failure to maintain adequate staffing and safety standards
  • Individual Staff Members — abuse, neglect, failure to follow care plans
  • Management Company — cost-cutting, inadequate training, poor supervision
  • Corporate Owner — systemic failures across multiple facilities
  • Medical Provider — failure to diagnose or treat bedsores, infections, or other conditions

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different.

Get a Free Case Review — (720) 807-3985
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Compensation You Can Pursue

A neglect case can seek payment for emergency and ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, counseling, and safety-related costs (relocation, home modifications). You may also recover lost income and loss of earning capacity, and the human losses—pain, suffering, mental anguish, scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life. When conduct is especially reckless, punitive damages may be available to punish and deter similar misconduct.

Why Choose Frenkel & Frenkel?

Decades of Combined Legal Experience

Our attorneys have spent over decades fighting for nursing home residents and families harmed by neglect. We have the knowledge and resources to take on even the most complex cases against nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and corporate healthcare operators.

We Know How the Other Side Thinks

Our founding attorneys used to defend insurance companies. Now, they use that inside knowledge to fight for injured people like you. We know the tactics companies use, and we know how to counter them.

A Track Record That Speaks for Itself

We have recovered over $1 Billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients.* For 16 straight years, our attorneys have been named among the Best Lawyers in Denver.

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Case Results

These results reflect outcomes in specific cases and should not be used to predict what may happen in your case.

$12 MILLION

Settlement - Catastrophic Injury Case

$4.5 MILLION

Verdict - Commercial Vehicle Collision

$35.5 Million

Settlement - Trucking Accident Case

$18 Million

Settlement - Serious Motor Vehicle Wreck

Colorado Law Statistics

Filing Deadline

Two years from the date of discovery (C.R.S. sec. 13-80-102). CGIA notice required within 182 days for government-run facilities.

Severe Deficiencies

Approximately 40% of Colorado nursing homes were cited for severe deficiencies in 2025, up from 14% in 2019.

Profit-Driven Facilities

About 83% of Colorado nursing home facilities are for-profit.

Settlement Rate

About 75% of cases end in settlement when documentation is strong (industry data).

Colorado Complaints

Colorado care facilities recorded 7,426 formal complaints in fiscal year 2025 — roughly 20 per day — up from 6,342 in 2023.

Staffing Crisis

Colorado faces a projected shortage of more than 13,000 licensed nursing staff by 2034, with a current 47% annual staff turnover rate.

Adult Protective Services

Colorado APS receives more than 25,000 reports of suspected mistreatment or self-neglect statewide each year.

Pre-Trial Resolution

Over 85% of cases settle before trial when liability is clear (industry data).

Common Causes of Nursing Home Neglect

Understaffing
One of the most common problems in nursing homes is not having enough staff. When facilities cut costs by reducing staff numbers, residents do not get the attention they need. Call buttons go unanswered, meals are missed, and residents are left in soiled bedding for hours. This is neglect, not an acceptable business decision.

Inadequate Training
Staff members may mean well but lack proper training in patient care, dementia care, or safety protocols. When employees do not know how to turn bedridden patients, recognize signs of infection, or safely transfer residents, serious harm results. Facilities have a duty to train their staff properly.

Poor Supervision and Monitoring
Nursing homes must actively supervise vulnerable residents. When staff fail to check on residents regularly, monitor changes in condition, or follow care plans, preventable injuries occur. Bedsores develop, dehydration goes unnoticed, and medical emergencies are missed until it is too late.

Medical Neglect
Residents have the right to proper medical care. When facilities delay treatment, miss medication doses, ignore symptoms, or fail to call doctors when needed, health conditions worsen. Some nursing homes prioritize cost savings over resident health, and people suffer as a result.

Hygiene and Dignity Neglect
Residents deserve clean clothing, regular bathing, and dignity in their care. When staff leave residents in soiled diapers, fail to provide oral care, or allow unsanitary living conditions, it is both neglect and abuse. These failures can lead to infections, skin breakdown, and emotional harm.

Failure to Prevent Falls
Falls are a leading cause of injury in nursing homes. Facilities must assess fall risks, provide assistance with walking, keep floors clear, and respond quickly to call buttons. When these safety measures are ignored, residents suffer broken bones, head injuries, and other serious harm.

Types of Nursing Home Neglect We Handle

Pressure Sores (Bedsores)

Bedsores are almost always preventable with proper care. When staff fail to turn bedridden residents every two hours, serious ulcers develop. These wounds can reach muscle and bone, causing infection, sepsis, and even death. If your loved one developed bedsores, the facility may be liable.

Malnutrition and Dehydration

Residents need help eating and drinking. When staff are too busy or fail to monitor intake, residents become malnourished and dehydrated. Weight loss, weakness, confusion, and organ failure may result. These are signs of serious neglect.

Medication Errors

Missing doses, giving wrong medications, or failing to monitor side effects can cause serious harm. Some residents receive medications meant for someone else. Others go without critical medications for days. These errors are preventable and often indicate systemic problems.

Fall Injuries

Nursing home residents are at high risk for falls. When facilities fail to assess fall risks, provide walkers or assistance, answer call buttons promptly, or keep floors clear, residents suffer broken hips, head injuries, and other trauma. Many falls are preventable with proper care.

Hygiene and Personal Care Neglect

Leaving residents in soiled diapers, failing to bathe them, or ignoring basic grooming needs is both neglect and a dignity violation. This type of neglect can lead to skin infections, urinary tract infections, and emotional distress. All residents deserve clean, dignified care.

Emotional and Social Neglect

Isolation, lack of stimulation, and emotional abandonment harm residents' mental health. When staff ignore residents, leave them alone for hours, or fail to provide social interaction, depression and decline follow. Emotional neglect is real harm that the law recognizes.

Frequently Asked Questions

It occurs when a facility fails to provide adequate care, supervision, or medical attention, violating standards set by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and federal CMS regulations (6 CCR 1011-1, Chapter 5 for nursing homes).

The main types are medical neglect (failure to provide proper healthcare), personal care neglect (hygiene, feeding, assistance with daily activities), safety neglect (failure to prevent falls or protect from harm), and emotional neglect (isolation and lack of stimulation). All of these involve the facility failing to meet the basic needs of residents in their care.

We handle all types of nursing home and elder care neglect cases, including bedsores, malnutrition and dehydration, medication errors, fall injuries, hygiene neglect, and emotional neglect. We also handle cases involving nursing homes, assisted living facilities, memory care units, and other long-term care settings throughout Denver and Colorado.

Yes. You may file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the estate within two years of the date of death (C.R.S. sec. 13-80-102).

Liability may rest with the nursing home, individual staff members, management corporations, or medical providers, depending on the investigation.