Client sustained life-threatening injuries after being hit by a driver who passed away at the scene. We obtained close to the policy limits with an additional claimant pre-suit and negotiated medical liens down over $250,000.
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Legally Reviewed by William Pemberton on September 30, 2026
You moved your family member into a nursing home because it felt like the right choice. You weighed the options, toured the facility, and trusted it to provide the care your loved one needed. So when something starts to feel off, like a bruise that does not have a good explanation, a sudden change in mood, or weight loss that nobody flagged, it can leave you second-guessing everything you thought you knew about that place. Those concerns are worth taking seriously.
Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm works with families throughout Waunakee who suspect that a nursing home has failed someone in their care. We handle these cases across Wisconsin, and our nursing home abuse lawyers know both sides of the table. That background shapes how we build cases and how we push back when facilities or insurers try to minimize what happened.
Abuse in a care facility rarely looks the way most people picture it. It is not always a visible injury. Often, it shows up in patterns over time: staff who seem evasive, a resident who stops talking freely, documentation that does not match what a family member actually sees.
According to the National Council on Aging, only 1 in 24 cases of elder abuse ever gets reported to authorities. These situations take many forms, including the following:
Even one of these situations warrants a serious look. Families often notice something is wrong before any formal complaint is made.
If you visit regularly and something feels different, trust that instinct. Patterns matter more than single incidents.
Unexplained bruises, repeated falls, or bedsores that keep getting worse are worth questioning. Bedsores in particular, also called pressure ulcers, develop when staff fail to move a resident who cannot reposition themselves. They are largely preventable with proper care.
Weight loss, dehydration, and infections that seem to keep coming back are also signs that basic nursing duties may be falling short. These are not inevitable parts of aging.
A resident who seems withdrawn, frightened, or reluctant to speak while certain staff are nearby may be communicating something without saying a word. Sudden anxiety or confusion that does not have a clear medical cause can also signal that something is wrong in the environment. These emotional changes are just as meaningful as physical ones.
When a nursing home resident is harmed, the fault does not always rest with one person. A staff member may be directly responsible, but the facility itself may share that liability if it failed to hire carefully, train adequately, or staff floors at safe levels. Management companies and corporate owners can also be pulled in.
Wisconsin law holds nursing homes to a standard of reasonable care. When a facility falls short of that standard and a resident is harmed as a result, there are grounds to pursue a claim. As personal injury lawyers, we look at the full picture when building a case, not just the most obvious target.
Some nursing home cases involve a resident who was seriously harmed and later passed away. In those situations, surviving family members may have the right to bring a wrongful death claim. These cases require a careful review of the timeline, medical records, and facility conduct. We handle them with the seriousness and sensitivity that the situation calls for.
If the harm involved a hazardous condition on the premises, such as a slip and fall, our team also evaluates whether a premises liability claim applies alongside other theories of recovery.
Wisconsin law generally requires that a lawsuit be filed within three years from when the abuse occurred or was first discovered. There are important exceptions and nuances that can affect the applicable deadline, particularly in cases involving incapacitated adults or deaths.
The sooner you reach out to an attorney, the better. Evidence gets harder to obtain over time, and early legal guidance can help you avoid mistakes that limit your options later.
At Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. We know how insurance companies think because we spent time on that side of the industry before building a firm dedicated entirely to injury victims. That background directly shapes how we put cases together and what we demand on behalf of our clients.
The Pemberton Promise reflects everything we stand behind: no backing down, no settling for less than what your case is worth, and a team that carries you through this process so you can focus on your family. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost to you unless we recover compensation.
If you have concerns about how a nursing home in Waunakee is treating someone you care about, we want to hear from you. Start with a free case evaluation and let us help you figure out what to do next.
Common signs include unexplained bruises or injuries, bedsores that are not healing, sudden weight loss or dehydration, poor hygiene, changes in mood or behavior such as withdrawal or fearfulness, and staff who seem evasive when asked questions. A resident who appears reluctant to speak in front of certain caregivers is also worth paying close attention to. If something feels off during your visits, those concerns are worth taking seriously and investigating further.
Responsibility can extend beyond the individual staff member who caused direct harm. The facility itself may be liable if it failed to screen employees properly, provided inadequate training, or maintained unsafe staffing levels. Corporate management companies and ownership groups can also be held accountable depending on how the facility operates. Wisconsin law holds nursing homes to a standard of reasonable care, and when that standard is not met, multiple parties may share liability for a resident’s injuries.
Wisconsin generally requires that a nursing home abuse or neglect lawsuit be filed within three years of when the harm occurred or was first discovered. However, certain circumstances can affect that deadline, including cases involving residents who are incapacitated or situations where the abuse contributed to a death. Waiting too long can make it harder to gather evidence and may limit your options entirely. Consulting an attorney as early as possible gives you the best chance of protecting your rights.
Yes. When nursing home neglect contributes to a resident’s death, surviving family members may have the right to bring a wrongful death claim in Wisconsin. These cases require a careful review of medical records, facility documentation, and the timeline of events leading up to the death. Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm handles these cases and understands both the legal complexity and the emotional weight they carry for families.
Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no upfront cost to hire us. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. This arrangement allows families dealing with nursing home abuse to pursue justice without worrying about legal fees while they are already managing a difficult situation. Your initial case evaluation is free, and we are glad to answer your questions before you decide how to move forward.
ABOUT THE ATTORNEY
William Pemberton
Personal Injury Attorney, Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm
William Pemberton is the founding attorney of Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm, representing injured Wisconsinites across Madison, Eau Claire, Baraboo, Fitchburg, and Sun Prairie. He handles car accidents, motorcycle accidents, dog bites, brain injuries, and wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis.
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Insurance companies have extensive resources and experience protecting their profits. They may deny valid claims, undervalue injuries, or pressure people into accepting less than they deserve. They know how to protect their interests.
At Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm, we understand the strategies insurance companies use to minimize claims, and we are prepared to challenge them. We carefully investigate each case, calculate the complete impact of our client’s injuries, and pursue the compensation available under the law.
When insurance adjusters see Pemberton involved, they know they are facing a legal team that will come prepared, stand firm, and fight for its clients.
You didn’t ask to be injured or forced into a dispute with a powerful insurance company. You deserve a legal team that will listen to you, explain your options, and stand beside you throughout the process.
We do not back down when an insurance company refuses to treat our clients fairly. Every client receives determined advocacy, compassionate support, and the preparation their case deserves.
Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Life following a serious injury can bring intense emotions and pain. Accident victims often hope to get their lives back on track, only to be held back by the demands involved with personal injury claims. This is especially the case for individuals who become hospitalized. Wherever you are in the process, we’d be glad to help.
Our injury lawyers in Wisconsin step up to represent you. At Pemberton, we provide this advocacy at every step in the injury claims process so you can be on your way to feeling like yourself again.
Contact our Wisconsin personal injury attorneys at (608) 448-6242 to speak with one of our experienced attorneys. We will create a plan together to help you protect your rights and get you back to your life.
$40M+ Won For Our Clients
Client sustained life-threatening injuries after being hit by a driver who passed away at the scene. We obtained close to the policy limits with an additional claimant pre-suit and negotiated medical liens down over $250,000.
In this car accident case, the client suffered catastrophic injuries in a head-on collision when the at-fault driver crossed the center line. Her injuries included multiple broken bones in the chest, ribs, wrist, and ankle, internal injuries requiring intestinal surgery, and a damaged artery in the spine. With medical expenses exceeding $4,000, we secured the at-fault driver’s full insurance coverage and pursued an additional $1,000,000 from the client’s own insurance policy. We also negotiated a reduction of more than $468,000 in outstanding medical costs to ensure the client received maximum financial recovery for her life-altering injuries and permanent impact on her ability to work.
The client’s loved one suffered a fatal injury in an auto collision that resulted in over $382,000 in medical bills. Acting as the family’s second attorney, we navigated difficult policy-limit issues and secured a $1,000,000 settlement. While the case had greater overall value and the family would have liked a higher recovery, they chose to settle to avoid prolonged litigation and move forward.
“Focus on healing and we will take care of everything on the legal side”
“If you ever need an attorney, he would be the first one I recommend”
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By submitting, you agree to be contacted by our team about your download and how we can help. We’ll never share your information. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.