If you ever need a reminder of the lingering impact nursing home neglect has on an individual, take a look at a a Post-Tribune article, "Woman who sued Northlake nursing home for malpractice dies".  As a society, we frequently forget about how victims of nursing home neglect frequently suffer long after a lawsuit is is resolved or news story is published.

The Post-Tribune article highlights how Mary Ann Jackson fought for years to live with horrible bed sore injuries she sustained during an admission Northlake Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Merrillville, IN (now closed).  What started as an 'ordinary' admission for rehabilitation following a stroke and treatment of a small bedsore, developed into a nightmarish 11-month stay at the facility-- that billed itself as a specialized wound care facility.

According to her sister, Shlli Jackson, "[y]ou could see the muscles and ligaments down to the bone.  Her bedsores were so bad she was stuck in a fetal position with her legs glued together."

Amazingly, Ms. Jackson fought to live for almost two years following her ordeal, eventually recovering from the pressure sores and an infection known as "sepsis" that required multiple surgeries and hospitalizations.  Ms. Jackson's will to live was apparent to the director of social services and admissions at the nursing home where she was eventually transferred to, Rick Lipscomb;

She had one foot in the grave.  I don't know how she didn't die.  I've seen animal carcasses on the side of the road that looked better than when she arrived here...

Episodes such as this are an important reminder to me that every patient--- regardless of their apparent condition--- deserves an opportunity to receive the best possible care following an episode of poor care at a nursing home.  Moreover, as a personal injury lawyer, stories like this demonstrate that more attention needs to be focused on the diminishment in quality of life that many nursing home patients have following an incident involving negligent care during the litigation and trial of nursing home negligence cases.

Related Nursing Homes Abuse Blog entries:

Stiffened Joints Or Contractures Can Exacerbate A Patients Risk For Developing Bed Sores

Contractures In Nursing Home Patients Put Them At Risk For Developing Decubitus Ulcers & Other Injuries

Are Protective Agencies Doing Enough To Protect Nursing Home Patients?

Survival rates for sepsis patients is dependent on how quickly the medical facility identifies the problem and implements treatment