A Minnesota family cites repeated neglect as being responsible for the death of their mother, 91-year-old Esther Rannow.
The poor care started when Ms. Rannow entered the Benedictine Living Community in St. Peter, MN in February 2007. In addition to developing a urinary tract infection that went untreated, the family also identifies episodes of poor nursing that cumulatively took a toll on their mother—and eventually claimed her life.
Specifically, the family identifies an episode in October 2007 when a CNA dropped their mother as she was attempting to place her into a bed from a hospital gurney. The dropping incident occurred just one month after Ms. Rannow was injured in a similar incident. The second incident occurred when one CNA attempted to transfer their mother to a wheelchair while the ‘care plan’ required a two-person assist.
The family’s reports of neglect at the nursing home were reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, but the agency was unable to substantiate the neglect based on their findings.
Not satisfied with the Department of Health’s investigative findings, the family has elected to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against Benedictine Living Community and its parent company Benedictine Health Dimensions.
In the lawsuit, attorneys for the family will likely have an opportunity to ask questions of the employees who have knowledge of this incident. Oral questioning or depositions, as they are commonly known, allow an attorney to ask questions of a witness under oath.
In many nursing home injury cases, a skillfully taken deposition can not only provide clarification as to how an incident may have occurred, but frequently can be effective in getting cases resolved—particularly, when facts that are unfavorable to the facility are disclosed by current or former employees.
As this lawsuit moves through the discovery phases, we will soon learn whose interpretation of events is more accurate.
Related:
Falls In Nursing Homes Are A Serious Threat To The Safety Of Many Patients
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against St. Peter Nursing Home by Dan Nienaber The Free Press, December 7, 2010