In order for positive change to be implemented at nursing homes, facilities must identify existing problems and create a plan to rectify them. In an ideal world, deficiencies would be nipped in the bud—before the lapses translate into real problems for patients. While I’m sure some issues are indeed identified and remedied preemptively, my experience… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: wrongful death lawsuit
Failure To Provide Blood Thinning Medication Results In Stroke & Subsequent Death Of Nursing Home Patient
Posted in Medication ErrorsLike many nursing home patients, Milton Aucoin was a sick man who was reliant on a nursing home to attend to medical needs. In particular, he needed the nursing home staff to properly administer necessary medications that were prescribed by his physicians. As part of his rehabilitation from a stroke, Mr. Aucoin was to receive… Continue Reading
Nursing Homes Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Patient Falls & Fractures Hip
Posted in Hip Fracture, LitigationFalls in nursing homes are one of the biggest safety threats encountered by patients. Statistics tell use that more than one-third of all adults over age 65 fall unintentionally every year. A sizable percentage of these falls result in severe injury or death predominately due to complications from head injury or hip fractures. Recognizing… Continue Reading
Are allegations of poor nursing home care really cause for concern?
Posted in Bed Sore Lawsuit, Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure UlcersA steady stream of news headlines highlighting problems at nursing homes across the county is an ongoing concern amongst families with loved ones at facilities. After a while, I see first hand how the barrage of discouraging new stories begins to rattle the confidence of families have placed in the facilities that they have selected… Continue Reading
Bed Sore Prevention Is An Ongoing Process For All Nursing Home Patients
Posted in Bed Sore Lawsuit, Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure UlcersUpon entering a nursing home, staff must conduct an assessment of various aspects of patient needs in order to assure the best possible care. Federal law requires that part of the assessment incorporate both a skin assessment to determine if the patient has any existing pressure sores and to develop a plan of care… Continue Reading
Failure To Keep Bed Elevated To Blame For Nursing Home Patient’s Death From Aspiration Pneumonia
Posted in Feeding Tube ComplicationsThe failure to follow basic doctor’s orders is to blame in a recently filed wrogful death lawsuit filed by the family of a patient in a Florida Nursing Home. William Foster’s family claims that Miracle Hill at Miracle Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was negligent when they ignored orders to keep the head of… Continue Reading
Family Blames Nursing Home For Mother’s Infected Pressure Ulcers & Death
Posted in Bed Sore Lawsuit, Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure UlcersA pending wrongful death lawsuit in Georgia, claims that a nursing homes poor care resulted in the development of pressure ulcers. It is alleged that the pressure sores eventually became so infected that they necessitated the amputation of the woman’s leg and eventually caused her death. Like many families, the deceased woman’s daughter brought her mother… Continue Reading
Mutiple Nursing Errors Results In $2 Million Settlement From County Nursing Home
Posted in Litigation, NeglectA really horrific case of nursing home neglect was recently reported regarding a County-run nursing home in California. The case involved the death of 50-year-old, Alton Stovall who died from a bleed he sustained after falling from his bed at Edgemoor Hospital in March of last year. According to an investigation completed by California authorities,… Continue Reading
Jury Blames Assisted Living Facility For Fall-Related Death Of 99-Year-Old Woman
Posted in Assisted Living Facilities, Nursing Home Falls, Wrongful DeathPerhaps one of the more frustrating aspects of my job is attempting to convey the value of a senior’s life to a defense lawyer, insurance carrier or jurors. Particularly, when evaluating the value of a nursing home or assisted living case, I find that people generally have a difficult time appreciating the significance of life’s… Continue Reading
Illinois Nursing Home With Longtime Problems Named In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Posted in Illinois Nursing Homes, Wrongful DeathA wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family of Doris Scharperkoetter in St. Clair County Circuit Court. The lawsuit alleges that The Lincoln Home and its owner, Weiss Management Group LLC were negligent in the care of Ms. Scharperkoetter during the time she was a patient at the Belleville, IL nursing home. The… Continue Reading
Judge Denies Assisted Living Facilities Request For Arbitration In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Posted in Assisted Living Facilities, Elopement & Wandering, LitigationLike all families placing a loved one in a nursing home, Erik and Ronald Kuentzel wanted the best for their mother after selecting Sunshine Villa Assisted Living Facility (Santa Cruz, California) for their mother’s residence. With a known desire to walk, combined with the fact their their mother had dementia, the brothers knew of the… Continue Reading
Family Of Neglected Nursing Home Patient Receives $3.5 Million In Wrongful Death Settlement
Posted in Litigation, Neglect, Wrongful DeathThe family of a 97-year-old Washington nursing home patient has received $3.5 million under the terms of a settlement related to a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit stems from neglectful care at Everett Rehabilitation and Care Center over the course of several months in 2007 when staff at the facility failed to provide medical treatment… Continue Reading
Family Of Neglected Nursing Home Resident Awarded $42 Million By Jury
Posted in LitigationJoseph Clint Offutt lived an admirable life. Like many of his generation, Mr. Offutt served in World War II, working on the farm and was a dedicated husband for 58 years. Yet despite all of his accomplishments in life, age began to creep up on Mr. Offutt. After suffering a stroke in 2007, Mr. Offutt’s… Continue Reading
Jury In Nursing Home Abuse Trial Doesn’t Buy Argument That Patients Bed Sores Were ‘Unavoidable’
Posted in Bed Sore Lawsuit, Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure UlcersWe recently discussed a pending wrongful death trial in Texas where the family of a deceased nursing home patient has been pursuing a civil claim against the skilled nursing facility where the bed sores allegedly developed and advanced to the point that the wounds became infected. After just a day of jury deliberations, the jury… Continue Reading
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Ensues After Nursing Home Patient Is Struck By A Freight Train
Posted in Elopement & WanderingThe family of a deceased nursing home patient has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Hunter Acres Caring Center and other affiliated entities. The lawsuit comes after a March 18, 2010 incident in which the patient wandered from the Missouri nursing home onto the nearby train track where she was struck and killed by a… Continue Reading
Chicagoland Manor Care Facility Named In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Posted in ManorCareA recently filed wrongful death lawsuit alleges that ManorCare’s Hinsdale, IL facility was negligent in caring for a 74-year-old patient at the facility. According to the lawsuit, filed in Cook County, the patient died from acute renal failure that was brought about by severe dehydration within 30 days her he admission to the facility due… Continue Reading
Sheesshh!! Move Along, Nursing Homes Trying To Cover Up Incidents Involving Sexual Abuse
Posted in Sexual Abuse & AssaultIn a world full of crazy people, some have managed to infiltrate the world of nursing homes. While occurrences involving the sexual abuse of nursing home patients are certainly not a common place occurrence, the incidents do occur— yet too often they are brushed aside by nursing home staff whom may attempt to hide the… Continue Reading
Lawsuit Aginst Nursing Home Alleges Maggot Infestation Contrbiuted To Patient’s Death
Posted in LitigationIf the facts alleged in a recent wrongful death lawsuit against an Oklahoma nursing home prove to be true, perhaps they will serve as a new definition of nursing home neglect. The recently filed wrongful death lawsuit alleges that The Vian Nursing Home’s neglect resulted in a patient developing an infestation of maggots in his… Continue Reading
Family Claims Assisted Living Facilities Neglect Resulted In Death Of Mentally Disabled Woman
Posted in Assisted Living Facilities, Wrongful DeathThe family of a 51-year-old woman with cerebral palsy has brought a lawsuit against the assisted living facility where she was a patient. The lawsuit alleges that Country Crossing Assisted Living Facility (Georgia) failed to properly care for the mentally disabled woman during the course of her four year stay and intentionally hid her physical… Continue Reading
Despite Their Avoidability, Bed Sores Continue To Plague Nursing Home & Hospital Patients In All Demographics
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, Osteomyelitis, SepsisAlthough the news regarding the horrific physical and emotional impact of bed sores (also called decubitus ulcers, pressures sores or pressure ulcers) surely is on all respectable medical professionals radar screens, bed sores in nursing homes and hospitals continue to plague individuals in all demographics. In order to improve patient care, bed sore prevention must be… Continue Reading
Colorado Invalidates Nursing Home Arbitration Agreements Signed By Healthcare Proxies
Posted in LitigationThe Colorado Supreme Court handed down a decision in the matter of Lujan v. Life Care Centers of America that invalidates nursing home arbitration agreements entered into by a healthcare proxy. The Colorado Court held that the power to make medical decisions is different from the ability to consent settle disputes via a private system–… Continue Reading
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Claims Nursing Home Negligently Administered Allergy Inducing Drugs To Patient
Posted in Medication Errors, Wrongful DeathThe Estate of a deceased nursing home patient has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility where she died and other parties who allegedly contributed to her death. The crux of the lawsuit alleges that the staff and physicians at the nursing home failed to note the woman’s allergy to medications containing Sulfonamide, a… Continue Reading
Poor Training & Under-Staffing Blamed For The Death Of A Nursing Home Patient Who Died From Injuries Sustained After She Was Dropped By A CNA In A Minnesota Facility
Posted in Nursing Home Falls, Nursing Home Staff, Wrongful DeathA report issued by the Minnesota Department of Heath has cited White Community Hospital and Nursing Home (Minnesota) for errors made by a nursing assistant during the transfer of a patient out of her bed. The incident occurred when the CNA attempted to transfer a disabled patient from their bed to a wheelchair using… Continue Reading
Recovery for Loss Of Spouse’s Services, A Loss Of Consortium Claim
Posted in Illinois Nursing HomesIn a situation where your spouse is injured or killed because of nursing home abuse or neglect, you may be entitled to bring a claim for the loss of your spouse’s services that occurred as a result of their injury or death. The amount of recovery depends upon the personal nature of your relationship with… Continue Reading