Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog

While Cynthia and Earl Wade look through a photo album, they remember their mother who was rushed to an emergency room less than 10 days into her stay at the International Nursing and Rehab Center. Their mother had explicit instructions on her medical chart not to administer dialysis through her left arm. However, the nurse ignored these explicit directions and inserted a needle into her left arm, sending her to the nursing home. Unfortunately, Luzella Wade could not recover from her injuries, and wrongfully died. Her attorney Steven Levin filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family in Cook County for the wrongful death of their mother. However, the story goes deeper, when the Chicago Reporter investigations revealed that this type of nursing home negligence occurs more in black nursing homes than those in white. In fact, Illinois has the highest number of poorly rated black nursing homes nationwide. Additionally nearly 85 percent of black nursing homes got the lowest rating for nurse staffing. To read more about the inadequacies in nursing homes, please read the Chicago Reporter.

Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers Steven Levin and Margaret Battersby of Levin & Perconti field a nursing home negligence lawsuit in Dupage County on behalf of Robert Gryncewicz for the personal injuries his mother sustained while under the care of the Arbor of Itasca nursing home in Itasca, Illinois. The injuries contributed to the mother’s death. She was admitted to Arbor of Itasca on October 7, 2004 after suffering a stroke that left her with decreased mobility. When she was admitted to the nursing home she was assessed as requiring supervision and assistance with activities of daily living, bed mobility and transferring to prevent falls and accidents. She first fell when she was improperly transferred from her bed to her wheelchair. The fall resulted in a fractured knee that was treated at a local hospital. Several weeks later, she fell out of her wheelchair in the hall of her nursing home. This incident required yet another hospitalization and aggravated the previous injury. After the falls, her elderly negligence lawsuitcondition rapidly deteriorated. The mother developed serious pressure ulcers on her hell and sacrum. She was never able to fully recover from these injuries and passed away on August 4, 2008. Robert believes that the nursing home negligence caused his mother’s death. The alleges that the Arbor of Itasca was negligent on several levels. The complaint alleges that the nursing home failed to appropriately asses the woman’s risk for falls and accidents and failed to prevent falls and accidents from occurring. If you or a loved one has experienced elderly abuse, please find an Illinois nursing home neglect lawyer.

Illinois public health officials plan to try to close an Oak Lawn, Illinois nursing home despite the fact that the Regal Health and Rehab Center is now complying with state regulators. Inspectors from the Illinois Department of Public Health conducted their annual inspections of the nursing home in February and found it in violation of several regulations, including deficiencies in medical equipment, personnel and supervision of residents. While the health department gave the Regal permission to remain open, the state remains concerned about the quality of care for the 83 current residents. Recently a resident hooked up to an oxygen machine was able to sneak a cigarette into his room, causing a small fire. The man died a week later. Earlier this month, Oak Lawn inspectors found elderly negligence including dirty water fountains and appliances, water-damaged ceilings and rodent droppings on the floors at Regal. Additionally, the inspection revealed that employees were smoking inside the building and were washing their hands in the same sinks that contained food. Regal is owned by Michael Lerner, who also owns Forest Hill Health & Rehab Center. Currently Levin & Perconti has filed several nursing home negligence cases against Michael Lerner. To read more about the Oak Lawn nursing home negligence, please click the link.

The family of a 69-year-old woman has filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit against an Illinois nursing home for failing to protect her from being sexually assaulted by a 21-year-old mentally ill resident. The Elgin facility tried to cover up a brutal rape by calling it consensual sex. This is an example of how mixing frail elderly residents and younger mentally ill tenants in nursing homes can lead to violence if facilities do not monitor potentially dangerous residents. The 21-year-old was missing at bed check, but “no search was made or alarm sounded to alert residents and staff that a young, aggressive, sexual frustrated, convicted felon was prowling the halls oft he nursing home,” the suit alleges. A night shift nurse heard an elderly woman moaning and entered her room. She then found the woman in her bathroom and was trying to call 9-1-1 to report someone attacking the woman. The suit was filed in Cook Count Circuit court and seeks at least $50,000 in damages. The man has pled not guilty to aggravated sexual assault. To read more about the Chicago nursing home abuse , please click the link.

Two sisters are on trial, charged with criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly person, after their mother was found dead in their care. Prosecutors in Kane County, Illinois believe that malnourishment, dehydration and the bed sores on the woman’s body were contributing factors in the elderly woman’s death. The medical examiner outlined the damage to the woman’s body at the time of her death, indicating she had 9 bed sores on her back, a curved spine and cancer. The victim had a 4-inch bed sore on her back that was so severe that it provided a direct way for infections to move into her bone marrow. A patient-care technician testified that when the woman was brought into the hospital her clothes were wet with urine. She also had fecal matter on her legs and ants on her clothing. To read more about the elderly abuse, please click the link.

A 49-year-old Illinois woman was charged with felony theft and 20 counts of felony forgery after she admitted to writing 20 checks from the account of an 86-year-old woman she was caring for. Prosecutors say that the elderly woman was financially exploited out of $740. When police arrested the woman she told officers she felt bad about writing the checks and meant to tell the family, but didn’t have time. If you believe you are a victim of elderly financial abuse, find an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the elderly financial abuse, please click the link.

“Break the Silence” has become a phrase used to raise awareness to raise awareness for the reporting of elder abuse. People should report to the local authorities if they are suspicious of any elder abuse. Many times callers can remain anonymous as investigations are conducted. Oftentimes when a person becomes older and increasingly frail and isolated they oftentimes become a victim of elder abuse. There are several types of elder abuse. The types range from physical and sexual to emotional abuse. Additionally, financial exploitation has become quite common in places like Chicago, Illinois. If you believe you or a family member is a victim of elder abuse, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer. To read more about types of elder abuse, please click the link.

A Lake County man who is oftentimes running for politics is facing charges that he swindled nearly $200,000 from his ailing mother. The man turned himself into Lake County, Illinois authorities on a warrant for theft over $100,000 and unlawful financial exploitation of the elderly. Both are Class 1 felonies. He is accused of taking $190,000 from his mother when he was supposed to be responsible for her expenses. The man was put in charge of her expenses after she became ill and other family members notified authorities that he may be misusing the funds for different purposes. Financial exploitation of the elderly is all too commonplace. To read more about the elderly abuse, please click the link.

Sharoia Hill of Danville was arrested for alleged assault against a nursing home resident at Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana. According to a report in the Champaign News-Gazette, Champaign County police arrested Hill, a CNA at the home, for allegedly hitting a resident in the face. The 87-year-old man is a patient in the nursing home’s Alzheimer’s unit. He did not suffer serious injuries from the incident that was witnessed by two other people at the home. The administrator at Champaign County Nursing Home did not comment on the Sharoia Hill but did say that the nursing home is investigating the matter.

Each year, many incidents of elder abuse occur in Illinois, often leading to injury or death. In many instances, caregivers and health care workers play a role in this abuse. The attorneys of Levin & Perconti have handled hundreds of cases involving physical assault in Illinois nursing homes. If you believe that a loved one may be the victim of nursing home abuse, please call our offices at 312-332-2872 for a free consultation to discuss your case.

To read more about the alleged nursing home abuse at Champaign County Nursing Home follow the link.

Images of filth were the first things testified to at an elderly neglect trial. A paramedic described the cluttered home where ants crawled along the foot of an ailing 84-year-old woman’s bed. He immediately knew something wasn’t right. He testified that he found a cluttered home with a “distinct” smell of urine and feces. There was also testimony as to “an overall layer of filth” and unwashed dishes on the kitchen counter. The elderly woman appeared to be dehydrated and “emaciated” estimating her weight to be around 75 pounds. He also noticed fecal matter under her fingernails and urine soaked clothing. The man is mandated by law to report suspicions of elder abuse and thus told authorities that his 84-year-old patient could be a victim of elder neglect. The home was in Geneva, Illinois. The two sisters who were to take care of their ailing mother have pled not guilty to charges of criminal neglect of an elderly person. To read more about the elderly neglect, please click the link.

Attorneys Steven Levin and Margaret Battersby of Levin & Perconti have filed a lawsuit against Alden Poplar Creek Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Hoffman Estates. Levin & Perconti filed the lawsuit on behalf of Warren Osborn for the wrongful death of his 94-year-old mother, Mildred Osborn, who was a resident at the nursing home.

When admitted, Mildred was assessed at being as high risk for falls and accidents which required her to have supervision and assistance with activities of daily living. Attorney Steven Levin noted that, “Mildred could not get around independently; she had difficulty walking and needed assistance moving from her bed to wheelchair. She relied on the staff at Alden to help her with almost everything.” After an initial fall, the nursing home developed a plan so that she would not suffer anymore falls. However, she two more times and required hospitalization. Doctors diagnosed her with a laceration above her left eye, a hip fracture and a subarachnoid hemmorage, or bleeding around the brain. She passed away four days later an her autopsy listed her cause of death as being attributed to the injuries she sustained at Alden Poplar Creek.

“Falls can have devastating effects on older people, leading to serious injury or death,” said Steve Levin. “In Mildred’s case, the nursing home knew she was at risk for falls and allowed her to fall on several occasions. Even after these falls, they neglected to implement new precautions to prevent her from falling again, and failed to consistently implement the fall precautions that were already required. Mildred’s death could have been prevented if Alden had only taken the proper steps to ensure her safety.”

In a recent Daily Southtown article, the writer spoke with the son of an elderly man who is accused of elder abuse homicide. According to the medical examiner’s office, the neighbors found the elderly man bruised and severely dehydrated at his home duct-taped and tied with a dog leash to a chair. He died from the elder abuse four days later.

To read more about the Illinois elder abuse homicide.

A Lake Zurich, Illinois nursing home has been accused of negligence in a Levin & Perconti filed nursing home negligence suit. The suit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The elderly negligence suit was filed against Lexington Health Care Center of Lake Zurich on behalf of Edna Kneided, an 83-year-old woman, after she suffered a hip fracture at the nursing home. The fracture has left her permanently immobile. Attorney Steven Levin of Chicago, Kneidek was admitted to Lexington Health Care after living in an assisted lving facility. Levin points out that when the woman was admitted, she was assessed as being at-risk for falls. Despite this assessment, the nursing home allowed her to fall five times from February through August of 2007. One fall resulted in her being transferred to the hospital for X-ways for five days, which revealed her left hip was shattered. The woman was also diagnosed with pneumonia. Edna had to have extensive surgery in order to repair her hip. "Edna's family trusted Lexington to care for her, but the home was negligent on a number of levels," Levin said. "The nursing home failed to properly assess Edna's risk for falls or protect her from falling. After allowing her to fall, the home did not respond to her complaints of pain or transfer her to the hospital in a timely fashion." To read more about the nursing home negligence, please click here.

A police investigation into the death of a 90-year-old man has not turned up evidence supporting a ruling that the Cook County medical examiner’s office that he was a victim of elder abuse. The paramedics took the man from his home after a neighbor reported finding him duct-taped to a living room chair. The elderly man wrongfully died in an area hospital.

The medical examiner’s office last week ruled the case a homicide and died of dehydration and elder abuse. The man told his family he wanted to die at home, so they did everything they could to make sure he didn’t go back to a hospital. The Will County state’s attorney’s office said the elderly abuse case is still under investigation.

To read more about the elder abuse, please click here.

A 90-year-old Steger, Illinois man was allegedly found duct-taped taped to his living room chair. The man had wrongfuly died from dehydration and elder abuse. The police chief was alerted to the case after paramedics transported the senior to the local hospital. The police chief believes that elder abuse over the weekend caused his death. The medical office ruled the elderly man’s death a homicide. Police also retried a dog leash from the home that had been used to bind the man’s legs. To read more about the wrongful death, please click the link.

A woman was sentenced to two years in prison for abusing a 60-year-old woman in her care last year outside the woman’s home. The Cook County judge sentenced the former live-in caregiver as part of an agreement in which she pled guilty to events in the victim’s back yard in Inverness, Illinois. Neighbors reported seeing the woman hosing down the naked victim as she sat in a lawn chair. They also saw the woman strike the victim in the face with the hose’s metal nozzle and attempt to hit her with a mop. Police arrived and the woman refused to let him in the house. The police noticed old bruises on the elderly woman’s body and red marks on her face. The woman did admit that she had hosed the woman off, but denied striking her face. The woman was sentenced to two years in jail for elderly abuse. To read more about the Illinois abuse, click here.

A court has ordered the inspection of an Illinois nursing home that allowed a resident to wander out into the cold and die in January. The inspection comes in connection with the wrongful death lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of 89-year-old Sarah Wentworth. Relatives are alleging elderly neglect and abuse against the nursing home that the woman had lived for almost three years. While prosecutors continue their investigation into the Itasca, Illinois nursing home, the woman’s family is conducting their own investigation. It appears that after the woman froze to death, nursing home employees tried to hide the real circumstances surrounding her death. Nursing home workers had told authorities that the 89-year-old woman, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, wandered outside on her own. However, the woman’s family is questioning how an elderly woman who used a walker, ended up without outside without help. Additionally, there is evidence that a 23-year-old female worker watching television ignored the security alarm triggered by the woman’s electronic ankle bracelet. This Illinois elderly abuse case highlights the importance of ensuring that nursing home residents are not able to wander. It is the duty of the nursing home staff to ensure that all residents are properly accounted for. To read more about the wandering death, click here.

Criminal charges are expected in the case of a nursing home resident who was found frozen to death outside. Authorities now believe that that woman may have been the victim of elderly neglect and a cover-up. The three daughters of the woman have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Illinois nursing home. Authorities believe that four women who work at the facility made the woman appear as though she had died in her sleep. The medical examiner’s report revealed that hypothermia was part of the reason for her death. It appears that the woman did signal an alarm, but a nursing home employee negligently ignored it because she was watching television. This nursing home negligence case is outrageous, and the DuPage state’s attorney’s office must investigate. To read more about the elderly negligence cover-up, click the link.

An employee at an Illinois nursing home was too absorbed by an episode of “Dog the Bounty Hunter” to respond to a security door alarm sound. The alarm was most likely triggered by the electronic bracelet worn by an 89-year-old resident who wandered outside the nursing home. The woman wrongfully died of exposure to the cold. Law enforcement believes that after the employees found the elderly woman in the subfreezing cold, they allegedly tried to cover up the tragedy by returning the deceased woman to her bed. The former Chicago woman, who suffered from dementia and other health problems, was a resident at the nursing home for nearly three years. At the moment, the nursing home is facing both criminal and civil charges after they originally told officers that the elderly woman died while asleep in her bed. Authorities became suspicious because the woman was dressed in a hospital gown and covered in blankets and lying on a gurney while hooked up to an oxygen machine. To read more about the wrongful nursing home death, please click the link.

An East Moline, Illinois nursing home employee is facing a felony sexual assault charge for an alleged elderly abuse incident involving an 82-year-old female resident. Police were called to the nursing home to investigate the alleged sexual assault. This alleged elderly sexual abuse took place at the Parkview Terrace nursing home in East Moline. Currently, Levin & Perconti has a nursing home negligence suit against this home. Levin & Perconti filed the suit after a resident wrongfully died. To read more about the sexual abuse, please click here.

An Illinois man is behind bars after police say he sexually assaulted an 82-year-old woman at a Parkview Terrace nursing home. He was arrested after a nursing home employee saw him raping a woman. The court records show that a 57-year-old worker at the nursing home had sexual intercourse with an 82-year-old resident. Another employee walked into the room and saw the man having sex with a woman who could not give him consent. The Illinois Department of Public Health has concluded an investigation and says that the nursing home did not violate any rules or regulations. Elderly sexual abuse cannot be tolerated at any nursing homes, and background checks must be done to ensure this does not happen. To read more about the sexual abuse, click here.

Charges of nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect are rising across the country, but there are certain things that families of nursing home residents can do to spot elder abuse before it causes wrongful death or severe injury. Examine your loved one for bedsores and bruises. Ask your loved one questions – if they are agitated, restless, or out of sorts, this could be a clue that things at the nursing home are not right. Issues like rape, sexual assault, physical assault, and elder abuse need to be reported immediately to law enforcement.

For the full article.

An Illinois woman caring for a woman with terminal brain cancer was sentenced to 180 days in jail for stealing money from the victim’s Illinois home. The caregiver was also placed on 2 years probation in this case of Illinois elder abuse.

For the full article.

Steven M. Levin and Margaret P. Battersby of Levin & Perconti filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit against an Illinois nursing home last week. The nursing home lawsuit was filed in Cook County and brought on behalf of a 77 year-old woman. The Illinois nursing home lawsuit alleges that the nursing home failed to monitor and treat pressure sores that ultimately contributed to the 77 year-old’s death.

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A federal government website is releasing nursing home ratings. If it is a good nursing home with no indication of nursing home abuse, the home is rated five stars. More than 25% of Illinois nursing homes received only one star. This indicates that Illinois nursing home abuse is still prevalent.

For the full article.

For the map of bad nursing homes.

The daughter of an elderly woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against an Illinois nursing home, claiming her mother died after being attacked by a patient with violent tendencies. The lawsuit was filed in the Cook County Circuit Court against Lexington Health Care Center of Streamwood, Illinois. The suit claims that the victim was admitted to the nursing home in 2006 suffering from dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and hypertension. In November the woman was physically attacked by another resident. Prior to the attack the resident had repeatedly threatened the victim with violence while in the presence of staff at the nursing home. Nursing home staff members were also made aware of the resident’s “violent propensities”. The victim suffered multiple bruises and suffered a stroke following the attack. The lawsuit alleges that the physical attack caused or contributed to her death. The suit alleges that the nursing home staff failed to protect the victim from abuse and neglect; failed to provide services with professional standards; failed to timely inform the victim’s family that she had been attacked by another resident; failed to maintain records; failed to provide adequate care for the victim and failed to notify the victim’s family of changes in her condition. To read the full story, click here.

Kurt Johnson, a 49-year-old certified nursing assistant of Golden Living Center in Wisconsin Dells, has been charged with three counts of second degree sexual assault. According to the criminal complaint, Johnson’s co-workers witnessed the sexual elder abuse. In particular, they saw him fondle female residents’ breasts on three separate occasions while working in the facility’s Dementia/Alzheimer’s unit in September and December 2007.
For the full story, click here.

The corporate owner of a Forest Park, Illinois nursing home pleaded guilty to felony gross neglect that resulted in the death of a long-term patient. The woman died at the Pavilion of Forest Park, owned by Forest Park LLC, in 2002. In September 2005, a Cook County grand jury indicated the company, along with its former medical director and wound-care physician. The woman lived at the home from May 2002 until her she died in September 2005. She was taken to the hospital where doctors diagnosed her with severe bed sores and tissue damage to the bone. Cook County Circuit Judge James Schreier ordered the company to pay a $25,000 fine and $75,000 in investigation and court costs for the nursing home negligence. The company also was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 30 months conditional discharge; however the nursing home had been sold to another company the past year. The charges began after the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Bureau and the Illinois state Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted an investigation. The case against the owner for elder abuse is still pending. To read the full story, click here.

An Illinois nursing home is facing a nursing home neglect lawsuit from a widow whose husband’s death was caused by a nursing home’s negligence. The law firm of Levin & Perconti filed a complaint on behalf of the victim’s family, stating that the victim died of renal failure and sepsis caused by dehydration.

For the full article.

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against one of the nation’s largest nursing home operators alleging the chain implemented illegal admissions policies. According to the lawsuit, the chain sought to admit more seriously ill patients while decreasing its staff. The suit further alleges that the nursing home chain used this policy as a means to receive higher reimbursements from Medicare/Medicaid. Attorneys for the Plaintiff claim that by admitting more acutely ill patients without increasing staffing the nursing home is putting profits ahead of people.

For the full story, click here.

A nursing home is facing a lawsuit from a widow who is accusing the facility of negligence that led to her husband’s death in East Moline. Levin & Perconti filed the suit for the family of the victim against Parkview Terrace. The victim died of renal failure and sepsis caused by dehydration. The suit was filed in Cook County courts. When the family went to the hospital the emergency room doctor told them it was the worst case of dehydration he had ever seen. When the man was admitted to the nursing home, the staff determined he was at risk for dehydration. The staff members were supposed to help him with his meals and watch his intake of food and fluid. However, when his family members returned a week later, the victim was lethargic and medications were running out of his mouth. He died 36 hours later. This is the second lawsuit Levin & Perconti has filed against Lakeview Terrace. The first involved a woman who also had died of dehydration. To read the full story, click here.

A nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit against River Valley Supportive Living Residence in Kankakee, Illinois and its former employee was settled for $500,000, the facility’s insurance policy limit, by Steven M. Levin, of the Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti, and James Spiros of Spiros & Wall. The suit was filed on the behalf of a 93 year-old woman who was a resident at the nursing home. The complaint alleged that she was sexually and physically assaulted by a 22 year-old former employee of River Valley, who now faces criminal charges of aggravated sexual assault. The complaint also alleged that River Valley’s administration ignored numerous complaints of sexual and physical assault by the victim in addition to ignoring reports from other residents that the victim claimed to have been raped. Further allegations included that the nursing home ignored obvious signs such as the inordinate amount of time that the employee spent in the victim’s room and the unusual amount of attention that he provided her, especially during bathing times. Instead of investigating the claim, the staff dismissed the charges as possible early signs of dementia, subjecting the victim to further abuse. During the victim’s final two months at River Valley, she suffered multiple personal injuries, including unexplainable bruises to her face, around her eye, on her elbow, inner arm, back, and wrist.

The settlement was reached back in June, 2007, but its details were not allowed to be made public until the recent unsealing of its terms by a judge. The Circuit Court of the 21st Judicial Circuit, Kankakee County, sealed the settlement, preventing both sides from disclosing the terms prior to the former employee’s criminal trial. The public announcement comes as state attorneys prepare to take the criminal case to trial.

One of Lake County’s largest nursing home negligence lawsuits ended this week with a $1 million payment to the family of a nursing home negligence victim. Lake County agreed to pay the seven-figure settlement to the family of an Alzheimer’s patient who died at 83 while a resident at Winchester House in Libertyville. A lawsuit filed on behalf of her husband and three daughters claimed that the nursing home failed to take proper measures to prevent her continuous falls. The woman was admitted to the nursing home as her dementia increased. Before she was admitted, her gait had become unsteady and she had trouble walking. Attorney Steven Levin argued that despite her unsteadiness, the woman never had a fall assessment completed by the nursing home’s staff. The woman fell six times in her first eight months there and the nursing home never took appropriate measures. Even after they implemented a wheelchair and bed alarms, they did not use the technology properly. The woman then fell two more times and these falls caused her to suffer brain injuries and hip and elbow fractures. The nursing home’s $1 million said is the largest nursing home negligence settlement in Lake County history. To read the full story, click here.

One of Lake County, Illinois’s largest nursing home negligence lawsuits ended after the county agreed to a $1 million payment to the family of the woman. Lake County agreed to pay the settlement to the family of an Alzheimer’s patient who died at age 83 while she was a resident at the Winchester House in Libertyville. Levin & Perconti filed the lawsuit on behalf of the woman’s husband and daughters claiming that the county-operated nursing home failed to take proper measures to prevent the woman’s continuous falls. The woman was admitted to the Winchester House in January 2004 as her dementia had increased and she became unsteady in her walking. Attorney Steven Levin argued that despite her unsteadiness, the woman never had a fall assessment completed by the staff at the nursing home. He also stated that the nursing home took no significant action to prevent further falls after she tumbled six times in her first eight months at the home. Levin stated that the nursing home had six opportunities to assure future injuries would not occur. By September of 2004, nurses at implemented wheelchair and bed alarms, but the technology was not used properly and the woman fell two more times. These falls caused her to suffer brain injures and hip and elbow fractures. She died in early January 2005. According to Levin, the $1 million settlement is the largest nursing home settlement in Lake County history. To read the full story, click here.

On October 24,2008, a lawsuit was filed against Washington Heights Nursing Home by John J. Perconti, of the Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti, for nursing home abuse and neglect. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the family of Stanley “Ted” Dancy, is for personal injuries that Ted sustained while under the nursing home’s care, which contributed to his death.

In September, 2007, Mr. Dancy began experiencing confusion and changes in his mental health status, prompting his doctors to recommend temporary rehabilitative care. Upon this recommendation, he was admitted to Washington Heights Nursing Home. At the time of his admission, Mr. Dancy had no evidence of skin breakdown or pressure sores but, after just one month at the Chicago nursing home, it was necessary to send him to Mr. Sinai Hospital where he was diagnosed with four advanced-stage pressure ulcers (or bed sores), a urinary tract infection, and malnourishment. After being treated at the hospital, his family decided to send Mr. Dancy to a different nursing home. Charlotte Parnell, Mr. Dancy’s daughter, stated, “there was no way that we were sending him back to Washington Heights. Unfortunately, by that time, it was too late to reverse the deterioration of his condition.” Unable to recover from the injuries that he suffered at Washington Heights, Ted Dancy passed away on December 12, 2007.

“We trusted Washington Heights to rehabilitate our father, but their lack of care or concern for him was astonishing. They clearly did not do all that they could have done to try to better his condition, instead they made him much worse,” said Ted Dancy’s daughters, Charlotte Parnell and Delorise Dancy-Johnson.

A nursing home negligence lawsuit was filed against South Shore Nursing & Rehabilitation Center by attorney John J. Perconti of Levin & Perconti on Friday, October 24, 2008. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the family of Lula Moore of Chicago, is for the personal injuries Lula suffered as a resident at South Shore, which lead to her death on November, 17, 2007.

Lula Moore was admitted to South Shore in August of 2007 after her doctors recommended that she be moved into a nursing home in order to receive constant care necessary for her Alzheimer’s. “We did a lot of research and we chose South Shore because of its reputation and that it was close to home to make visitation easier. We placed our faith and trust in this facility and thought we made the best choice for our mother,” said Brenda and Karen Moore, Lula’s daughters.

Lula had no signs of pressure ulcers, or bed sores, when she entered South Shore but just 3 days after her admission the staff discovered an ulcer on her tailbone. This sore progressed and required Lula to be hospitalized twice to surgically treat the wound, which ultimately declined to the point of infection. Lula’s doctors diagnosed her with Sepsis, a blood infection, and her health continued to deteriorate rapidly. On November, 17, 2007, 3 months after being admitted to South Shore, Lula died. The cause of death was determined to be sepsis as a result of her infected pressure ulcer.

The Illinois Department of Public Health investigated the circumstances leading up to Lula Moore’s death, found several deficiencies in the care provided by South Shore, and cited the facility for improper nursing care. John J. Perconti, the attorney who filed the case, stated, “Lula Moore’s case is a devastating example of nursing home negligence. The staff at South Shore failed to carry out a simple plan of care that would have prevented the pressure ulcer from forming. The facility also failed in its treatment plan, allowing the wound to become infected, requiring surgery and ultimately contributing to her death.”

The class action lawsuit against Extendicare Nursing Homes has been expanded to include additional charges. The company, which owns 15 nursing homes accused of nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect has been charged with accepting patients regardless of if they had the ability to help them out in the way they required, for advertising care beyond what they provided and for violating a law that did not allow patients to sign waivers to keep them from suing for personal injuries or property loss. The main issue is that the nursing home company cared more about boosting their business and protecting themselves from liability than they did about the wellbeing of their patients. This type of nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect is far too prevalent all over the country and is often not dealt with properly. For the full story click here.

A report found that a nurse repeatedly told administrators that she feared a coworker was improperly drugging patients to keep them quiet during her shift. The Illinois Department of Public Health report states that the administrators did nothing to stop it. The nursing supervisor allegedly giggled and gave the nurse permission to continue playing “angel of death.” That supervisor is currently facing criminal charges. The former administrator and co-owner are denying that she knew that drugs were allegedly being mishandled two years ago. Steve Levin, who has filed a nursing home negligence suit on behalf of one of the victims, stated that many of the individual nurses had reported the incident to the administrator and the director of nurses. He further argues that the individual nurses has a responsibility to report this to the police when they did not get a response from the administration. The nurse had allegedly told co-workers that a particular patient “would not be bothering her” because she had given him a drug “cocktail”. To read the full story, click here.

A state report issued after there were six mysterious deaths at a Chicago, Illinois nursing home shows that the deaths may not have been mercy killings. The report indicates that the nursing home residents were killed because they were too difficult to deal with. The shocking report shows that the nurse talked openly of sedating or giving overdoses of drugs to patients who were either difficult to handle or who had lived long enough. The nurse in question has been charged with criminal neglect and possession of a controlled substance and her supervisor has been also been charged. Attorney Steve Levin stated that, “Other nurses had been reproving to the administration that the nurse under investigation was acting in strange and unusual ways and the administration ignored, if no encouraged, her actions.” The attorneys at Levin & Perconti have already filed on behalf of a nursing home victim. The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued one of the largest fines against a nursing home, $300,000. To read the full story, click here.

A report has found that the death of six elderly patients at a nursing home in 2006 may have been the work of a nurse overdosing patients she found to be troublesome or believed had lived long enough. A 130-page report from the Illinois Department of Public Health claims that the nurse told co-workers she gave restless patients drug cocktails to keep them calm and flatly stated that “she made sure” one patient would not make it through the day. The report was generated as part of a 15-month state investigation into six mysterious deaths at the Illinois nursing home. The nurse faces criminal neglect charges alleging she intentionally gave four patients unsafe doses of drugs, including morphine. All four residents died within some hours of receiving the drugs. The nurse is alleged to have told co-workers that she gave difficult patients a medication cocktail so that she could have a quiet shift. Levin & Perconti have already filed lawsuits on behalf of victims of the “Angel of Death” case. To read the full story, click here.

A McHenry County, Illinois nursing home was fined nearly $360,000 after regulators alleged that an employee used drug cocktails to ensure residents “would not be bothering her during her shift.” These fines were imposed after the Illinois Department of Public Health concluded that improper use of drugs like morphine sulfate contributed to the deaths in 2006 at the Illinois facility. The nurse is accused of stating that she made sure that a patient would not make it through the day. The nursing home was fined a record $300,000 by the state and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services added another $57,350 in penalties. The Department of Public Health said the most serious violations involved the use of “chemical restraints” which are drugs used to sedate patients. State law prohibits using drugs to discipline nursing home residents or as a staff convenience. Levin & Perconti have already filed lawsuits on behalf of victims of the “angel of death” case. To read the full story, click here.

An employee of a McHenry County, Illinois nursing home is at the center of an investigation into suspicious deaths is accused of mixing drug cocktails to make sure that troublesome residents “would not be bothering her during her shift.” A 130-page report of an investigation by the Illinois Department of Public Health says that improper use of drugs such as morphine sulfate contributed to five suspicious deaths in 2006 at the Woodstock, Illinois nursing home. Allegedly a supervisor told a nurse, “I do not care if you play the angel of death, just don’t let me know about it.” The report by the Department of Public Health does not name the nurses, but the criminal indictment alleges that the supervisor made the angel of death comment to the nurse. The Department of Public Health report also refers to a 56-year-old man with Down syndrome who died in April 2006 and quotes a nursing telling a co-worker: “Those people aren’t meant to live that long. They are meant to die in their teens and I’m going to help him along.” Levin & Perconti have already filed lawsuits in the angel of death case. To read the full story, click here.

The family of a former Chicago area nursing home resident has filed a lawsuit against the nursing home for his wrongful death. The suit claims that he received an “unnecessary” dose of morphine and died one day later as a result. This case is of particular interest because it was filed just a couple weeks after the family of another nursing home resident from the same home filed a wrongful death case for the death of their family member. The suits do not claim that the staff intentionally killed these patients, but that they did give them unnecessarily high doses of unnecessary medication which led to their untimely and wrongful deaths. The suits also point out that two other patients died around the same time in similar manners while under the care of the same staff. The nursing home fails to comment on the accusations for nursing home abuse and neglect and on what the causes were in the four patient deaths. There are allegations that one of the nurses and the nursing supervisor were acting as “angels of death” and that they were responsible for the mercy killings of these patients. The accused nurse and nursing supervisor are currently awaiting trial. For the full story click here.

A second wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed against the former owners of a Woodstock, Illinois nursing home. Two former nurses are at the center of a police investigation into suspicious deaths in the home. The mother of a 52 year old resident who wrongfully died at the nursing home filed a suit that her son was given lethal doses of morphine. Named as defendants are WRHC & RC Inc, two former nurses, a former administrator, the patient’s doctor and a nurse practitioner. The two nurses were indicted in April on criminal neglect and other charges. This suit comes after a Levin & Perconti filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit on behalf of a second victim who also wrongfully died. To read the full story, click here.

Levin & Perconti filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County against WRHC & RC, INC., licensee of Woodstock Residence, and two employees on behalf of the daughter of a woman who died in 2006 at the age of 78. The complaint alleges that the employees administered lethal doses of morphine to the woman beyond her physicians’ orders, thereby causing her premature death. The complaint goes on to allege that several staff members of the nursing home were aware of the actions and failed to report them. Both employees were arrested on charges of overdosing the woman and other residents with lethal doses of morphine. The “Angel of Death” case further highlights the negligence found in nursing homes all over Cook County.

Levin & Perconti filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County on behalf of the daughter of a nursing home resident who sustained personal injuries while under the care of Rest Haven South Nursing Home in the Chicago suburb of South Holland, IL. The victim, O.D. Lyons, was admitted to the nursing home for short-term rehabilitation. Rest Haven was aware of O.D.’s risk for falls when he was admitted to the home. He fell three times at the facility and his fourth fall resulted in a hip fracture that required surgery. The nursing home failed to implement the proper precautions to prevent O.D. from falling and fracturing his hip, even though they were aware of his history of falls. O.D. returned to Rest Haven after the surgery and immediately fell from bed. He was once again admitted back into the hospital. After this last fall, his family decided that he must be placed in a better facility. Levin & Perconti filed the case because the nursing home violated their trust by repeatedly neglecting to care for him in an appropriate manner.

Levin & Perconti have filed a wrongful death suit against a Woodstock Residence nursing home on behalf of the daughter of a patient who is alleged to have died as a result of an overdose or morphine. In the suit, the plaintiff contests that the morphine sulfate was being administered to residents without an order and/or outside prescribed parameters. The suit claims that the nursing home was aware that this morphine was being improperly disposed. The lawsuit highlights that two nurses at the nursing home have been indicted for, amongst others, counts of criminal neglect of a long term care resident, unlawful delivery of a controlled substances and obstructing justice. The claim alleges that the elderly patient’s death is a direct and proximate result of the nursing home’s negligent acts or omissions. The deterioration of her physical and/or mental condition which caused or contributed to her death is a result of the unlawful doses of medications, according to the suit. The 78 year old patient died on September 9, 2006. To read the full story, click here.

Levin & Perconti filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County on behalf of the family of a nursing home resident for personal injuries she suffered while under the care of Forest Hill Health & Rehab Center in East Moline, IL. The resident, Olive Fletcher, injuries were a result of nursing home abuse and neglect that ultimately led to her premature death. Olive had suffered from progressive dementia and began wandering the house during the night. Her daughter decided to place her in a safe environment when she and her family felt that they could no longer provide her with significant care. In the months after entering the nursing home, Olive suffered three falls and sustained several cuts, bruises and lacerations. She also suffered from malnourishment that resulted in significant weight loss. She had to be admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with severe dehydration. Olive’s doctor suspected that she had been a victim of nursing home abuse. A week after being admitted to the hospital, her condition declined and she died of renal failure as a result of severe dehydration. The lawyers at Levin & Perconti filed the case against the nursing home which is currently under scrutiny from the Service Employees International Union. The company that owns the home is owned by Michael Lerner who has carried a number of violations and operates his homes without proper insurance.

Levin & Perconti filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Iroquois County on behalf of the family of a nursing home resident who sustained personal injuries while under the care of the Watseka Rehabilitation Center. The victim, Jospehine Kusman, sustained injuries that were a result of nursing home abuse and neglect and led to her death. Watseka failed to asses Josephine’s condition, implement a plan to care for her needs, and provide necessary medical services, leading her to develop horrible pressure sores and become malnourished and dehydrated. She was subsequently admitted to the hospital with multiple pressure sores, including a sore on her heel that was so infected and gangrenous it required a below-the-knee amputation. The staff allowed Jospehine to lie in her own urine and feces, her call light was frequently not answered, and her son was not timely informed of his mother’s pressure sores. Her son feels that there was a lack of staff members and the few present were not adequately caring for their patients. Levin & Perconti filed the case because the nursing home violated the trust given both to their residents and family members when they neglected Josephine’s medical and personal care needs.

Death of Elderly Victim Draws Attention to Home Health Care

In late 2006, a bedridden elderly woman was killed in her California home by her home health care aide. Her killer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison. This event has drawn attention to the growing number of home-care providers being charged with abuse. Prosecutors state that there are a growing number of cases of abuse, negligence and fraud when the aides abuse the elderly. Most abuse cases involve nonmedical aides hired to help around the house. Also, older people are sometimes afraid to report home-care abuse. Due to these great number of elderly abuse cases, many are calling for better oversight of an expanding industry. Currently 1.6 million people are employed to care for the elderly. It is cheaper for Medicaid to pay for home care which costs $6,000 than a nursing home which costs $20,000.
The great number of abuse and neglect cases has prompted Illinois to enact legislation that requires all home-care agencies to be licensed and screen their employees. To read the full story, click here.

The death of a 90 year old woman that passed away in early June has been ruled a homicide due to neglect. She was checked into a hospital for malnutrition and infected bed sores but died shortly after being admitted because her condition was so bad. The details as to who was taking care of her when this neglect occurred and whether a wrongful death suit will be filed are still not known. Authorities are beginning a full investigation into her death. Elderly abuse and neglect is a very prevalent issue all over the country, including in Chicago, Illinois. For full story click here.

In a recent study on elderly abuse done by the University of Chicago, it was found that approximately 13% of elderly people are currently subject to abuse. The forms of elder abuse addressed in this study included verbal, financial and physical abuse. This study is one of the first of its kind to be done in that it is much more comprehensive and inclusive than previous studies that regarding elder abuse and draws from a more representative sample. The large sample allowed for it to be seen that the types of abuse differ in different situations (verbal abuse was found to be the most common) as well as the reporting of abuse differing based on factors such as gender, age and race. For the full story click here.

The family of a nursing home resident that died after a cerebral hemorrhage due to a fall while in her nursing home has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the nursing home. The patient had suffered four falls during her brief stay at the nursing home prior to her death, causing it to seem that the nursing home was neglecting to provide the appropriate care to their patients. While many nursing homes including ones in Chicago, Illinois have issues with staffing shortages which can lead to inadequate patient care and could lead to patient accidents, this nursing home seems to have neglect issues. This case is just one of many lawsuits that the company that owns this particular nursing home has received that claim similar neglect or wrongful death. An employee of the nursing home was previously sued for felony elder abuse after a patient showed signs of head injuries consistent with being beaten. The issue of nursing home abuse and neglect is a prevalent issue and is seen all over the country, including in Chicago, Illinois. To read the full story click here.

Levin & Perconti has filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of Reverend Clarence Ballenger’s family for his death as a result of nursing home abuse and neglect and common law negligence at Pavilion at Forest Park nursing home. The Reverend is survived by ten children and thirty-five grandchildren. Levin & Perconti filed the suit on July 15, 2008. Reverend Ballenger was a resident at the Pavilion at Forest Park, 8200 W. Roosevelt Road, Forest Park, Illinois and was under the medical care of several doctors.

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Levin & Perconti has filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of Theresa Alexander’s surviving family members. Theresa was a resident at Glenshire from February 2006 to February 2007. Theresa entered Glenshire at 22660 South Cicero Avenue in Richton Park, Illinois without any pressure ulcers. While at Glenshire, Theresa was noted to be at risk for falls and for decubitus ulcers, commonly known as bed sores. Despite these known risks, the nursing home did not care for her properly.

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The wrongful death of a nursing home resident has lead to a nursing home negligence lawsuit. A resident in a Chicago, Illinois nursing home was beaten by his nursing home roommate. A lawsuit has been filed against the nursing home for negligence in its placement of an Alzheimer’s patient with a non-Alzheimer’s patient. The nursing home abuse and beating caused the death of a Chicago, Illinois nursing home resident. To read more about this story and the lawsuit click here.

A Chicago man was found beaten to death in the South Side nursing home All Faith Pavilion. The Cook County medical examiner's office determined that the Alzheimer's patient was beaten to death in the nursing home. All Faith Pavilion has a history of Illinois Department of Health Violations for nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect, having paid upwards of $80,000 in fines since 2004. The home's record of elder abuse includes two prior deaths. According to police information, the man's death was ruled a homicide.

See video coverage here.

Levin & Perconti has filed a nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit in Cook County on behalf of Michael Tadelman’s daughter and guardian under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. The suit was filed on July 22, 2008.

Mr. Tadelman suffered multiple falls while in residency at Abington of Glenview. As a result, he had special designation as a fall risk and the nursing home was required to monitor him closely. Abington of Glenview and its staff failed to care for his needs properly: he suffered multiple falls during his residency.

Read the entire press release here.

Steven Levin and John Rushing of Levin & Perconti have filed a nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Levin and Rushing filed the suit on behalf of Mr. James Floyd who suffered at the hands of his nursing home care providers.

Mr. Floyd was a resident at Rest Haven Illiana Christian Convalescent Home in Palos Heights, Illinois. On the day before he would return home, Mr. Floyd’s care was neglected by the nursing home staff. The nursing home knew that he was a high risk for falls but failed to take adequate steps to prevent his falling. As a result of this neglect, Mr. Floyd fell from his bed and broke his hip.

Continue reading "Levin & Perconti Files a Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawsuit against Rest Haven" »

Steven M. Levin was once again recognized as a leading authority on nursing home abuse and neglect. In an interview with Lawyers and Settlements, Levin discussed the state of the nursing home industry and the role litigation plays in defining the limits of acceptable behavior. The article focuses on Levin’s success with Levin & Perconti in procuring record judgments and settlements against nursing homes for violations of the standard of care. Levin also discussed the fact that, instead of addressing the main cause of nursing home issues - namely understaffing, facilities are adjusting their governance structure to avoid liability. This would only further deteriorate the struggling nursing home industry.

For more information, click here:

Levin & Perconti has filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of Reverend Clarence Ballenger’s family for his death as a result of nursing home abuse and neglect and common law negligence at Pavilion at Forest Park nursing home. The Reverend is survived by ten children and thirty-five grandchildren. Levin & Perconti filed the suit on July 15, 2008. Reverend Ballenger was a resident at the Pavilion at Forest Park, 8200 W. Roosevelt Road, Forest Park, Illinois and was under the medical care of several doctors.

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Governor Rod Blagojevich launched the 4th annual “Break the Silence” campaign and declared July to be Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Illinois. The campaign is designed to increase reporting of suspected abuse of elders, an increasingly challenging problem in nursing homes and other assisted living facilities. “Our seniors have the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and to feel safe and secure. Unfortunately, many seniors find themselves victims of abuse and neglect which is unacceptable,” said Governor Blagojevich. “The sooner we know about a case of abuse, the sooner we can put a stop to it. But in order to keep up the fight against abuse and neglect, we need everyone to do their part. If you suspect a case of elder abuse report it. Elder Abuse prevention will help keep thousands of seniors safe each year.”

It is estimated that 80,000 elders in Illinois have been abused in some way, either physically, mentally, financially, or simply through neglect. Since the inception of the campaign, reporting of elder abuse has increased by 16%. However, a majority of incidents of elder abuse remain unreported.

For more information, click here.

A nursing home resident died today after the police have determined he was a victim of the most extreme nursing home abuse possible, that of murder. The nursing home murder tops all cases in Chicago, Illinois homes placing nursing home neglect and nursing home abuse cases into perspective. The improper nursing home treatment is a growing problem in the city as seniors and other vulnerable populations suffer from lack of supervision, inadequate nursing home staff and in this case extreme neglect and abuse to the highest degree. The deceased victim was a resident of All Faith Pavilion a nursing home which has received nursing home citations and nursing home fines from the state for its lack of adequate service and staff. To read more about this tragic nursing home murder click here.

The Seventh Circuit recently ruled that Alden Management Services, which operates seven nursing homes in or near Chicago, is required to back pay 119 foreign nurses. The decision was premised on the Immigration Nursing Relief Act of 1989, which allowed facilities to secure visas for foreign nurses. However, the Act requires the facility pay foreign nurses the same amount as registered nurses who are U.S. citizens. Alden violated this provision. The fear with underpaying nurses is that this will result in an equivalent drop in the standard of care. As a result, the court decided to require Alden to pay back the entire difference from since its first use of foreign nurses.

For the full decision, click here:

A missing nursing home resident has left the facility he was residing in. A search continues for the 56 year old missing nursing home resident. Problems with resident wandering and resident elopement are often related to a nursing home failure to supervise its residents. So far no nursing home lawsuit has been filed against the facility. To read the full story and see a picture of the missing resident click here.

Nursing home abuse victim, Maratta Walker, was found after wandering from nursing home in a local Chicago, Illinois motel slain to death. Police investigations on the alleged nursing home negligence case have turned up a suspect in the brutal slaying. A nursing home lawsuit was filed for alleged nursing home abuse and neglect yesterday. It is likely that the suit alleges not only a survival suit but also a wrongful death suit. To see the most current news on this story click here.

A nursing home lawsuit is to be filed by the family of a woman who was prone to nursing home wandering. The woman, a 46 year old, with a history of seizures and brain injuries was found naked in a motel in Chicago, Illinois after wandering off from an alleged negligent nursing home. The woman found in Cook County was beaten to death and had suffered serious personal injuries caused by an unknown suspect. The woman went missing after leaving Somerset Nursing Home. The family will likely also file a wrongful death suit against the defendant nursing home. To see the full story on this alleged Somerset Nursing home abuse click here.

Those Seeking Trust & Solace in Nursing Homes Often Disappointed
Nursing home complaints are sweeping the nation as Nursing Homes fail to provide adequate care and prompt responses to patient’s medical needs. The struggles faced in such homes and nursing home blunders associated with patient care have been chronicled extensively. Many nursing home failures lead to personal injuries, medication errors and even death. To read stories and see photos on those who have experienced nursing home deaths and paraplegic nursing home care errors click here.

Levin & Perconti has filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of Theresa Alexander’s surviving family members. Theresa was a resident at Glenshire from February 2006 to February 2007. Theresa entered Glenshire at 22660 South Cicero Avenue in Richton Park, Illinois without any pressure ulcers. While at Glenshire, Theresa was noted to be at risk for falls and for decubitus ulcers, commonly known as bed sores. Despite these known risks, the nursing home did not care for her properly.

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A nursing home lawsuit was filed on behalf of a man whose mother was killed after wandering from a nursing home. The nursing home failures included a failure to ensure its residents were kept safe and cared for within the home. The wrongful death nursing home lawsuit follows after the man’s 94 year old mother became a car accident casualty after the nursing home failed to keep her within its premises. A nursing home's failure to supervise its residents can lead to multiple consequences including nursing home resident falls, nursing home resident wandering and nursing home resident elopment. To see the full story click here.

Penny Whitlock, a former nurse and director of nursing at the Illinois nursing home, Woodstock Residence, now called Crossroads Care Center of Woodstock, requested that three charges against her related to nursing home abuse and neglect be thrown out. The charges allege that she neglected three nursing home residents by failing to blow the whistle on the mistreatment of another patient. Whitlock filed a motion asking the judge to throw out three charges for neglecting long-term care facility residents, claiming she cannot be charged for neglect of patients other than the one who she allegedly knew was being mistreated. In total, Whitlock is charged with five counts of criminal neglect of a long-term care facility resident and two counts of obstructing justice. Additionally, former Woodstock Residence nurse Marty Himebaugh was charged with, and pleaded not guilty to, four counts of criminal neglect of a long-term care facility resident, one count of obtaining morphine by fraud, and one count of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. At the heart of the issue is whether Whitlock failed to take action after receiving complaints from other staff members alleging that Himebaugh was overmedicating nursing home patients with morphine and whether Whitlock urged Himebaugh to continue being an “Angel of Death.” The charges touch on nursing home abuse , nursing home neglect, medication errors, and physical or chemical restraints.

In a related suit, Levin and Perconti has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Woodstock Residence, Whitlock, and Himebaugh.

Read more here.