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 personal injury lawyer Steve Levin of Levin & Perconti was featured in a Chicago Reporter article that highlights the differences in care received in black seniors’ homes when compared to white seniors. Attorney Levin is representing Cynthia and Earl Wade in their suit against International Nursing and Rehab Center. Since 2004, the nursing home has been sued 18 times in the Cook County Circuit Court. The article focuses on the difference in care that seniors receive in minority care centers than that given in predominately white nursing homes.

Westshire Nursing & Rehab Center in Cicero, Illinois has received a Type “A” Violation and a fine of $35,000 after inspectors found that the nursing home did not prevent pressure sores. Additionally, an inspector found that a resident had a diaper soiled with feces.

The Illinois Department of Health produces quarterly reports on nursing home violators. To access the violation website, please click the link.

Southview Manor in Chicago, Illinois has received a Type “A” Violation and a fine in the amount of $15,000 after inspectors found that the nursing home did not have a psychiatric rehabilitation program. Also, inspectors found that employees allowed residents to consume drugs or alcohol while taking psych medications.

The Illinois Department of Health produces quarterly reports on nursing home violators. To access the violation website, please click the link.

South Shore Nursing & Rehab Center in Chicago, Illinois has received a Type “A” Violation and a fine in the amount of $25,000 after inspectors believed that nursing home negligence had taken place. The nursing home neither failed to comprehensively asses a resident with a complaint of pain nor notified the physician in a timely manner of the medical change.

The Illinois Department of Health produces quarterly reports on nursing home violators. To access the violation website, please click the link.

Somerset Place in Chicago, Illinois has received a Type “A” Violation and a fine in the amount of $25,000. The nursing home has been cited for failure to apprise their residents of rights and a failure to report allegations of elderly mistreatment or elderly abuse.

The Illinois Department of Health produces quarterly reports on nursing home violators. To access the violation website, please click the link.

Chicago personal injury attorneys Michael Bonamarte and John Perconti of Levin & Perconti filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Sacred Heart Home in Chicago. The complaint was filed on behalf of the victim’s mother in the Circuit Court of Cook County for the severe injuries her mother sustained while under Sacred Heart’s care. These injuries lead to her death eight months after her accident at the nursing home. The victim had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. On December 21 of 2007 she left her second floor room and exited the hallway through an unalarmed stairwell door at the nursing home. She was found in the first floor stairwell having suffered serious injuries including a broken back, significant head injuries and paralysis. She died approximately eight months later at the age of 61. After her mother’s death, a complaint was filed with the Illinois Department of Public Health who investigated the victim’s case. The IDPH cited the nursing home for Type A violations for failing to appropriately monitor and supervise the victim. Sacred Heart Home had previously been cited for failing to properly supervise residents. The complaint alleges that the nursing home staff failed to develop and implement a proper care plan based on the victim’s medical conditions. Attorney Michael Bonamarte believes that if the proper precautions were put into place, her accident and subsequent death could have been avoided. If you suspect nursing home negligence, find an Illinois nursing home lawyer.

Chicago nursing home lawyers Levin & Perconti have filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a Harvard, Illinois woman who alleges that the nursing home failed to prevent a fall that led to her mother’s death. The woman is suing Sacred Heart Home in Chicago after her mother died after suffering from a broken back, head injuries and paralysis after she allegedly fell in a stairwell at the home. The 61 year old died eight months later. The case alleges that staff should have better supervised the victim because they knew she had been diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The wrongful death lawsuit is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, although Levin & Perconti attorney Mike Bonamarte states that they would be seeking an amount much greater than that. To read more about the Chicago nursing home lawsuit, please click the link.

Alden Village North has received a Type “A” Violation for allowing tube fed clients to eat in their bedrooms. They also received violations for personnel policies.

The Illinois Department of Health produces quarterly reports on nursing home violators. To access the violation website, please click the link.

The wrongful death of an 85-year-old Chicago nursing home resident launched an investigation by The Chicago Reporter to determine the qualities of nursing homes throughout Illinois. The investigation found that the specific South Side nursing home has the worst rating that any home can receive and that residents get less than half the time each day with staff than residents at a predominately white facility in Evanston which is operated by the same owner. If this nursing home negligence lawsuit is filed, it will be the 14th in Cook County court against the Alden nursing homes between 2004 and 2009. That’s more than three times the elderly neglect lawsuits than half of the city’s 91 nursing homes, with the median number being four. Schlossberg has ownership in 30 homes in Illinois. An analysis of those homes revealed that there were racial disparities in the care that that residents received. Each of the three predominately black facilities received the lowest possible nursing home rating. The two facilities with the highest ratings had 84 percent white residents. Residents at the predominately black homes received much less staff time than residents of the white facilities. For example residents at the Evanston location received 5.53 hours of care per day, while the Harvey facility received 1.73 hours per day. The investigation also found that the disparities between black and white homes were even greater where at least 75 percent of care was paid by Medicaid. The idea that race plays a role a facility’s quality of care is greatly disturbing fact recovered by this investigation.

To read more about the disparities in nursing homes, please click the link.

For a map of the Schlossberg nursing homes in the Chicago land area, please click the link.

An 84-year-old nursing home resident at Alden Wentworth Rehabilitation in Chicago died on May 4 after falling from a window at the nursing home. According to the Southtown Star, the victim was from Chicago’s South Side. At the time of the report, it was not know whether his death was accidental or a suicide. However, the article did note that the victim was suffering from dementia. To read more about this death at Alden Wentworth in Chicago follow the link.

Falls often occur at nursing homes, and in many cases, the results are devastating. "In many instances, deaths such as this are a result of nursing home negligence. When residents suffer from dementia or Alzheimer's, they require a great degree of care and supervision. Unfortunately, serious injuries and death may occur when the nursing home staff fails to provide this care," said Steve Levin of Levin & Perconti in Chicago.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious personal injury or death due to nursing home negligence, please contact our offices by email or at 312-332-2872 to discuss your case with one of our experienced Chicago nursing home lawyers.

The death of a nursing home resident in the village of Burnham, a southern suburb of Chicago, may be a result of nursing home abuse. Thomas Donovan, a resident at Burnham Terrace nursing home, died on April 1 from injuries he sustained during an altercation, possibly at the nursing home. Burnham police have determined his death was a homicide but did not say whether his injuries occurred at the home. An autopsy revealed that he died from the multiple personal injuries he sustained during the attack. To read about this possible case of nursing home abuse near Chicago, follow the link.

Each year, many nursing home residents are injured or die as a result of assault in nursing homes. Often, fellow residents or nursing home staff are to blame for physical or sexual attacks in a facility. If you believe that a loved one may have been the victim of nursing home assault in Illinois, contact our offices at 312-332-2872 for a free consultation with an experienced Chicago nursing home lawyer.

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.

89-year old Sara Wentworth of the Chicago suburb of Itasca was found frozen to death after wandering from her bed at a nursing home on February 5. Sara was found in the nursing home's courtyard. Sara's daughter noted that police informed her that her mother wandered through two doors before entering into the nursing home's courtyard. Nursing home staff did not realize that Sara was missing until they performed a routine bed check. Every year, hundreds of nursing home residents suffer serious injury or death as a result of wandering.

Levin & Perconti have handled a number of cases where their victims have wandered from nursing homes. In two similar cases in which the victims were found frozen to death, Levin & Perconti received a $950,000 settlement for C.B. v. American Baptist Homes of the Midwest and a settlement of $825,000 for T. for F. v. Manor Care at Oak Lawn.

To read Sara Wentworth's full story of nursing home neglect please click on the link.

High carbon monoxide levels were detected at a CHA senior housing building in the Lake View neighborhood of Chicago. The Mary Hartwell Cartherwood Apartments is a senior housing center operated by the Chicago Housing Authority. No one was personally injured by the toxic gas. Police were notified in the early morning of elevated readings on every floor of the nine-story building. Warming buses were brought to the scene but the building was not evacuated and all of the elderly residents were allowed to stay in their rooms. There were very high levels of CO in the building, but the gas company responded quickly and fire crews were able to ventilate the building without evacuating the 90 senior citizens living in the building. Authorities turned off the heat in the building and called in someone to perform maintenance on the furnace. To read the full story, click here.

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.

Steven Levin and Margaret Battersby of Levin & Perconti filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County against International Village nursing home in Chicago. The complaint was filed on behalf of James Yearword who experienced elderly neglect while a resident at the nursing home in May 2008. The nursing home failed to care for James’ condition properly and he wrongfully died as a result at the age of 55. When the victim entered International Village on May 7, 2008 he was a quadriplegic and could not breathe on his own. The victim had a ventilator and tracheotomy tube that required daily maintenance and suctioning to keep it clear. On May 9, a nurse at the home was changing the oxygen supply on his ventilator and failed to turn it back on. For 24 hours, James had to breathe without the oxygen from his ventilator. The victim stayed in the hospital for several days and returned to International Village 4 days later. When he was released from the hospital, his doctors gave the nursing home orders to continue tracheotomy care and suctioning, but included new orders to administer chest physical therapy three times daily. His physicians’ orders were never carried out by the nursing home staff and for thirteen days he did not receive chest physical therapy. In addition, the nursing home failed to suction his tracheotomy tube regularly.

On May 26, nurses found James unresponsive, pulse-less and barely breathing in his bed. After he was transported to the hospital he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. The Illinois Department of Health conducted an investigation that revealed a number of failures in care by the nursing home. The nursing home was then cited for improper elder care. Attorney Steven Levin stated that the victim’s case is “An unfortunate example of nursing home neglect. The nursing home staff failed to consider the proper care and therapy that his physicians ordered and that was required to help ultimately led to his death.” Mr. Levin believes that these failures led to the victim’s death. In February 2008, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) listed that International Village had poor inspection ratings and histories of serious problems. In October, International Village was one of the two Illinois nursing homes listed as a “Facility That Has Not Improved.”

Lake County has agreed to settle a lawsuit with the family of an elderly Illinois woman who died in January 2005 at a nursing home in Libertyville. The settlement is for a $1 million. The seven-figure settlement to be paid to the family of an Alzheimer’s patient who died at the nursing home, is the largest settlement for a nursing home negligence case in Lake County. Attorney Steven Levin filed the suit on behalf of the woman’s husband and three daughters, claiming the nursing home failed to take proper procedures to prevent her continuous falls. The suit claims that the woman had trouble walking because of her dementia and despite her unsteadiness, never had a fall assessment completed by the nursing home’s staff. According to the suit, the woman fell six times in eight months and the nursing home failed to take appropriate measures. After a failed attempt to monitor her falls, the woman fell two more times, causing her to suffer brain injuries and hip and elbow fractures. She eventually died from her injuries. Attorney Steven Levin said the nursing home has agreed to put in place “procedures that will hopefully prevent something like this from happening in the future.” 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 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.

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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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" »

The estate of Ivory Jackson, who was fatally beaten by his roommate at All Faith Pavilion Nursing Home in Chicago, Illinois has filed suit against the home. The lawsuit alleges negligence by the nursing home and seeks damages in excess of $50,000. The roommate, Solomon Owasanoye, 50, has been charged with first-degree murder for his actions leading to Jackson’s death. Jackson, 77, was paired as a roommate with Owasanoye who had been diagnosed with dementia. Jackson's estate alleges that the nursing home acted improperly by placing Jackson, who had Alzheimer’s disease, with Owasanoye, who had dementia. Read more 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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Bond was set at $500,000 for a nursing home resident accused of brutally murdering his roommate at All Faith Pavilion. The man charged with the murder suffers from extreme dementia. He was found sitting outside his room with blood on his shoes and hands. The case demonstrates the general failures of nursing homes throughout the country to monitor and supervise their residents. All Faith in particular has been cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health on multiple occasions for deaths related to neglect.

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.

An elderly man was beaten to death in a Chicago nursing home with a history of nursing home abuse and neglect. The man had only been at All Faith Pavilion, formerly William L. Dawson Nursing Home, for four or five days before the incident. The nursing home has been forced to pay at least $80,000 in fines since 2004 for violations with a “substantial probability that death or serious mental or physical harm [would] result” due to the nursing home’s neglect. The nursing home has been cited for at least two deaths linked to neglect.

For more information, 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.

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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Levin & Perconti have filed a nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit against Summit Assisted Living Naperville North for the wrongful death of an 87-year old woman under the Illinois Assisted Living Act. The woman entered the Summit Assisted Living center in 2005 with a condition called Meniere’s disease which disrupts a person’s normal balance in the inner ear, making her more susceptible than a normal resident to falls and losing her balance. However, the assisted living facility did not accommodate for her disorder and she fell 7 times in a 5 month period, leading to a fractured hip, multiple lacerations, and injuries to her right knee and back. This is an assisted living wrongful death action because the woman’s injuries – her fractured hip, damaged knee, lacerations and back injuries – precipitated her death.

Levin & Perconti Founder and Senior Partner John Perconti was interviewed Chicago’s ABC affiliate about the dangers of uninsured nursing homes. The report focused on Rosewood Nursing Homes, specifically the Rosewood Inverness nursing home where a resident died after falling while abandoned in a washroom for an extended period of time. According to Perconti, the nursing home has now taken a defensive position. This case highlights the dangers of uninsured nursing homes: when a nursing home is at fault for a resident’s nursing home abuse and neglect, the victim deserves just and reasonable compensation for their injuries. An uninsured nursing home can attempt to escape responsibility. In fact, some Rosewood Nursing Homes are insured by foreign corporations that do not follow US laws and are not subject to jurisdiction in US courts.

See the video here.

A recent article highlights the dangers of residing in and placing family members in uninsured nursing homes. Uninsured nursing homes are extremely dangerous for residents because there is no way that residents can get fair and reasonable compensation for their injuries and families can recoup fair and reasonable compensation for their loved one’s wrongful death in a nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit. The article highlights three tragic cases where a woman suffered severe pressure sores because nurses did not maintain her cast, another woman suffered when she was left on a bedpan for too long, and one resident died from dehydration in a nursing home. Unfortunately, none of these residents nor their families could fair and reasonable compensation for their injuries. Currently, the Illinois House is considering HB 5213 which would require at least $1 million in insurance coverage for Illinois nursing homes to protect residents who may be victims of nursing home abuse and neglect.

Read more about the dangers of uninsured nursing homes here.

Attorney Steven M. Levin will file a nursing home neglect lawsuit in Cook County on behalf of the family of a 78-year-old woman who died at Woodstock Residence. Two nurses from the facility were criminally indicted for elder abuse and neglect.

See the full press release here.

Elder abuse in Illinois has increased by 53% since 1993 according to the Illinois Department on Aging. In 2007, 9,489 complaints of elder abuse were reported. Unfortunately, the department estimates that upwards of 90,000 cases of elder and nursing home abuse go unreported each year. As the population of Illinoisans over 60 is expected to rise above 3.7 million by 2030, this means that a staggering number of elder abuse cases could go unreported in the near future.

The new law will encourage individual counties to create task forces on elder abuse and will allow investigators to share sensitive patient information with team members, helping to shed light on often unreported cases of abuse. The new Illinois task forces will involve collaboration between medical examiners’ offices, state’s attorneys’ offices, county sheriffs, and the Illinois Department of Public Health and Department of Aging.

For the full story, click here.

Steven Levin of Levin & Perconti will represent Virginia Cole’s surviving family members in a nursing home abuse and wrongful death lawsuit. Virginia Cole was one of the victims at Woodstock Residences, the Chicago-area nursing home at the center of a pending criminal trial.

Two former nursing home employees of Woodstock Residences were charged in McHenry County with causing the deaths of four residents at the nursing home. The charges include criminal neglect of the nursing home residents and overmedicating patients with morphine.

At a press conference on Monday with the victim’s son in law, Steven Levin commented on the role of nurse Marty Himebaugh at Woodstock Residences: “The director of nurses at the facility -- and this is a quote from the indictment -- was encouraging Marty Himebaugh to act in a role of angel of death.” Mr. Levin will file suit in the Circuit Court of Cook County shortly.

To read the original article and see video, please click here.

Steven Levin of Levin and Perconti has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Chicago nursing home for the death of a patient who developed pressure sores while under their care. The family chose the facility believing a promise that the staff would provide the best care for the deceased after he had just undergone extensive hip surgery, consequently requiring assistance from the nursing staff with all the tasks of daily living. His limited mobility placed him at risk for the development of pressure sores, and so his recovery depended on staff turning and repositioning him often and making sure that he had adequate nutrition and hydration.

Unfortunately, the care he was given proved to be completely inadequate. On many occasions, he was found in soiled clothing and bedding, was constantly thirsty but his requests for water were ignored. After voicing these concerns to the staff, the man’s wife was told the facility was simply understaffed. Only two weeks into his stay at the facility, he developed pressure sores. Again, when his wife complained to the staff, nothing was done, even though the staff assured her that he would be turned frequently and that he would get a special mattress to keep the pressure off the wound.

Four weeks into his stay, the man’s wife was informed her husband was being taken to a hospital because he was running a high fever. Doctors diagnosed him with a large, deep, and severely infected Stage IV pressure sore on his sacrum and a Stage II pressure sore on his left him and both heels. He was also suffering from sepsis caused by the pressure sores, dehydration, a urinary tract infection and malnutrition. He was never able to recover from these injuries.

Full article

Steven M. Levin and Michael F. Bonamarte of the Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti recently filed a nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit against Lincoln Home in Belleville, Illinois in the Circuit Court of Cook County on behalf of a man who was neglected at the nursing home. Lincoln Home assessed the 72-year-old resident upon his admittance to the facility and noted in his Plan of Care that he was at risk for falls and wandering.

Based on the nursing home staff's negligence and lack of supervision, the resident was allowed to wander off from the facility on multiple occasions and also sustain a fall that broke his hip and required surgery. Hospital staff noticed that the resident had developed two bed sores: one on his coccyx and one on his heel. The pressure sores developed because the nursing home staff failed to change the resident's clothes allowing him to lay in his own waste for long periods of time. The resident lost 30 pounds while at the facility, but after being moved to a different nursing home he regained his strength and positive outlook. Unfortunately, he has been unable to fully recover from his fall and is living out his remaining days in Hospice care.

Chicago area nursing home Evergreen Park has suspended an employee who has been accused of the sexual abuse of a 53-year-old resident of the facility. Chicago police arrived at the nursing home after being alerted that the nursing home assistant was found kissing a disabled patient on the cheek, as discovered by a fellow nurse. Police arrested the man and he has been charged with misdemeanor battery.

Click here for the full article

After reports of nursing home abuse and neglect, the nursing home East Peoria Gardens Health Care Center has been heavily fined by the Illinois Department of Public Health and its director's administrator's license has been suspended by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The director left her job when the IDPH investigations began after the deaths of two patients caused by the nursing home's negligence, the admittance of patients with criminal pasts, and complaints of an atmosphere that caused fear among staff and residents. Attorney Steven M. Levin of Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti filed a lawsuit against the home on behalf of the family of a resident who fell at the home last spring, sustaining a serious head injury ultimately leading to death. Another resident choked and died as a result of the nursing home's negligence. These cases of nursing home abuse and neglect resulted in a $100,000 fine by the IDPH and other severe penalties. Its investigation found 23 nursing home code violations

Click here for the full article

There are many different forms of elder abuse and neglect and it is important to watch for signs of abuse in order to protect loved ones. Anyone over age 60 can be a victim of elder abuse. Elder abuse and neglect comes in many forms:

-Physical abuse
-Emotional abuse includes verbal assaults, threats, intimidation and harassment
-Confinement is restricting an elderly person without their consent. Many believe that restraining seniors with Alzheimer's or other illnesses should be restrained in order to prevent wandering off. This is illegal and there are better alternatives
-Passive neglect is when a loved one, caregiver, nursing home or assisted living facility is unable to provide a senior with the care they need. This can include failing to provide medication at appropriate times, causing malnutrition or dehydration by forgetting meals, allowing falls due to lack of supervision, allowing bed sores to develop as a result of neglect, failing to monitor the hygiene of the elderly person and more.
-Financial exploitation is the misuse of a senior's money, accounts, insurance, etc. It is the most commonly reported form of elder abuse. Many different types of people can exploit elders financially including family members, caregivers and employees of nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
-Sexual abuse is any type of sexual act or conduct performed against the elderly person's will.

If you are aware of elder abuse or suspect that a senior is being abused, call the Illinois elder abuse hotline at (866) 800-1409. It is available 24 hours a day.

Chicago nursing home attorneys Steven M. Levin and Michael F. Bonamarte will be featured speakers at the Andrews Nursing Home Litigation Conference this February in Sanibel Island, Florida.

Steven M. Levin, Founding Partner at Chicago-based Levin & Perconti is the Co-Chair and moderator of the conference. Michael F. Bonamarte, an Associate at Levin & Perconti will address the conference on the issue of Unavoidability.

The conference will begin Thursday February 28th and end Friday February 29th. This interactive conference is designed for both plaintiff and defense lawyers who litigate nursing home abuse and neglect cases.

There are three easy ways to register for the conference: 1) Call 1-800-328-9352; 2) Fax 651-687-4111; or 3) Go to west.thomson.com and enter OFFER NUMBER 563293 (Click here for this option).

Click here for the conference brochure, listing the featured speakers and topics, hotel accomodations information and more!

A 68-year-old man with dementia and mental illness is being rejected by nursing homes all over the state of Illinois due to frequent violent outbursts and cannot find a permanent home. The man was arrested at a Veteran's facility after hitting a nurse, and is temporarily hospitalized until further arrangements can be made. While state officials try to find a facility that is able and willing to accept the patient, the hospital is charging the family and Medicare $1400 per day. State officials told the patient's guardian, his brother, that a Downstate Illinois nursing home was considering admitting the patient, but his brother expressed frustration that a better option cannot be found in such a metropolitan area. The patient has been admitted to 18 facilities within the last four years, but none were able to care for him as he cannot control his actions due to Lewy body dementia, a disease that causes violent acts such as biting, hitting, or even choking others.

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Steve Levin and Michael Bonamarte of the law firm of Levin & Perconti recently settled a nursing home lawsuit for $532,000.000 on behalf of the family of an 83 year old nursing home resident who died from injuries she sustained during a fall.

The resident, who had lived at the Woodbridge Pavilion Nursing Home for approximately 3 years, had fallen several times at home. The Defendant nursing home knew she was a risk for falls. Despite this knowledge the Defendant nursing home failed to ensure that the resident was appropriately monitored and supervised.

As a result of the negligence of the Defendant nursing home and the failure on the part of the staff the resident wandered through an exit door and fell down a flight of stairs. The fall resulted in a bleed in her brain which caused her death a week later.

The nursing home was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health for violations of the Illinois Administrative Code and OBRA regulations.

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An Illinois nursing home abuse lawsuit was recently filed by nursing home abuse lawyers Levin & Perconti alleging negligent care in the treatment of a 71 year-old man. The 71 year-old was admitted to an Illinois nursing home in June 2005 following a stroke and remained a resident for twelve months. During his stay, the 71 year-old developed many painful bedsores on the lower part of his back. Also while under the care of the nursing home, the 71 year-old lost 43 pounds.

Attorney Jeffrey Martin of Levin & Perconti represents the family of the 71 year-old victim. Martin stated that a change in the type and dosage amounts of medication to treat the victim’s depression caused the extreme weight loss.

For the full article.

The family of a deceased Chicago nursing home resident has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Villa Scalabrini Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for failing to provide care. The man was first admitted to the nursing home after a stroke. Over the next year, the man lost 43 pounds and developed multiple pressure ulcers over the lower part of his body.

Also named in the nursing home neglect lawsuit is Westlake Community Hospital in Melrose Park for its failure to ensure that hospital staff made sure that the man received the nutrition and water he needed. Westlake Community Hospital, as well as the Villa Scalabrini nursing home, is a part of the Resurrection Health Care system, which is named in this suit. The family has hired the law firm Levin & Perconti to handle their case.

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Reports of nursing home abuse and neglect in a Libertyville, Illinois facility have led to investigations by the Illinois Department of Public Health and local police. These investigations revealed that the staff at Winchester House, a Lake County facility, knew that a frequent visitor was abusing an 82-year-old woman in the Dementia Ward but allowed continued visits. The nursing home staff also neglected to alert their superiors or the woman's family of the abuse. The man pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

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Steven M. Levin of Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti has filed another lawsuit against an Alden care center, Alden Long Grove Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, alleging that Alden failed to obey the Nursing Home Care Act and that the negligence of the staff at the facility resulted in the plaintiff's wrongful death. The family of the patient, a man who experienced severe weight loss at the facility, had taken action in alerting Alden staff and filing a complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The IDPH investigation detected an inadequacy; the facility failed to implement a plan of care for the man's rapid weight loss. The patient lost an astounding 23 pounds between May and July of 2006.

In 2007, Alden Long Grove has been investigated 7 times by the IDPH. Alden care centers all over the Chicago-land area have been investigated 40 times. Levin & Perconti has filed numerous nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuits against multiple Alden care centers around Illinois.

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Among the many forms of nursing home abuse and neglect, there is one common offense that is being habitually overlooked. Unfortunately, it has become a regular practice in nursing homes or long-term care facilities to sedate patients with medication instead of using them for their intended purposes. Staff often gives patients medication to make their job easier. If they are understaffed, which is by no means uncommon, or if patients are displaying a degree of behavioral issues, medication can be used to lighten the workload. Unnecessary use of psychoactive drugs can cause serious side effects. Psychiatrists may not even be prescribing many of these medications. Instead, regular doctors can write prescriptions "as needed" and leave the distribution up to the nursing home staff. Nursing homes have been fighting medical malpractice lawsuits due to the abuse of the drugs, but the percentages of patients being administered antidepressants and antipsychotics is astounding. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) calculated that 27% of patients in nursing home nationwide are being administered antipsychotics, and a shocking 52% are being administered antidepressants. In Illinois, 33.2% of patients are given antipsychotics, over 5% above the national average. 47% are given antidepressants. These figures are well above what should be a proportional amount of patients receiving medication. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, it is vital to carefully monitor the medication they may be receiving.

Susan L. Novosad of Chicago-based law firm Levin & Perconti has recently filed a lawsuit against Manor Care of Oak Lawn on behalf of the family of an abused and neglected resident. The resident, a 75-year-old woman, entered the nursing home for rehabilitation after a hip fracture. She also suffered from Alzheimer's disease. The woman was a patient at Manor Care for only four weeks. During those few weeks, the patient developed severe pressure sores; one of the sores developed into a Stage IV pressure ulcer. The woman was eventually taken to the hospital for wrist pain, but during that visit she was diagnosed with pneumonia, dehydration, severe malnutrition and sepsis (an infection in her blood), in addition to the bed sores. The malnutrition and dehydration caused the patient to lose 13 pounds during those four weeks. As a result of these injuries, the woman ultimately died.

Family members had complained to the facility, but a nurse replied that she was too busy to take constant care of the patient. The nursing home is also accused of negligently allowing the patient to lie in her own waste for prolonged periods of time and failing to follow the orders of the patient's doctor, allowing for mistakes in the administration of medication and treatment. Novosad discovered that the woman's chart revealed that sixteen days had passed without any notes by a nurse. In regards to Manor Care's promise to sufficiently care for patients and meet their needs Novosad stated, "families really trust them. It's heartbreaking."

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A nursing home lawsuit was filed today against the Imperial Grove Pavilion of Chicago for improper nursing care in an injury caused to an 83-year old man. John J. Perconti and Patricia M. Gifford filed the lawsuit on behalf of the family of the man who was a resident of Imperial Grove from August 2005 – May 2006.

When the man was first admitted to the home, he was assessed as a fall risk and noted to need assistance with activities of daily living, including transferring from his wheel chair. The man fell on May 21, 2006 when he was left unsupervised by staff at the home. As a result of the fall, the man suffered a head trauma and was hospitalized with an epidural hematoma. The man was never able to recover from the fall, his condition deteriorating until his death early this year.

The Illinois Department of Public Health cited the facility for improper nursing care and failure to keep residents free from accidents.

Attorney John Perconti blamed the accident on low staffing levels remarking: “Unfortunately falls at nursing homes that result in serious injuries or death are not uncommon in Illinois. This is one of many instances where even though the nursing home was aware of the resident’s fall risk, the home did not protect him because they lacked sufficient staff both in numbers and training.”

Click here for the press release

A nursing home neglect lawsuit was filed today for the family of a 75-year old woman who was neglected in a Manorcare nursing home in Oaklawn, IL. Susan L. Novosad, of Chicago nursing home law firm Levin & Perconti, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the family. The lawsuit alleged that during her four week stay in the Manorcare facility, the woman developed a severely infected Stage IV pressure ulcer. The resident also was allowed to become malnourished and dehydrated, suffering a 13 pound weight loss in only 4 weeks.

Eventually, the resident was hospitalized for sepsis and pneumonia, conditions the lawsuit alleges were caused by the mistreatment and neglect she suffered as a resident of Manorcare.

Attorney Susan Novosad said, “Nursing facilities like Manorcare promise families that
they can provide for the complex medical care of their loved ones. They promise to provide dignified care in a home-like setting. Helen depended on ManorCcre to meet all of her needs because she was unable to care for herself. Instead, she was allowed to suffer needlessly. ”

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The family of a 46-year old disabled woman will received a $600,000 settlement from the nursing home that caused her death. Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti represented the mother of the 46-year-old disabled woman who died as a result of the neglectful treatment she received while in the care of Alden Wentworth Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.

The woman was admitted to the facility in Fall 2000. In only five weeks in the facility, the woman developed severely infected bedsores and became malnourished and dehydrated. She was hospitalized for sepsis before her death. The family’s attorneys alleged that the nursing home abused and neglected the woman, failing to provide the care and treatment necessary to prevent the development of bedsores and failing to treat the bedsores once they developed.

Specifically, Alden failed to keep the woman from developing pressure ulcers by not performing daily skin checks or turning and repositioning her. Her nutritional status
was also allowed to decline which caused her wounds to worsen.

Click here for the Press Release

A nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuit has been filed in Chicago, IL on behalf of the family of an 85-year old resident who suffered needlessly at Manorcare Palos Heights nursing home. Steven M. Levin and Michael F. Bonamarte of the Chicago-based law firm Levin & Perconti filed the lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, alleging violations of state and federal law due to the poor nursing care the resident received at the Manorcare Palos Heights facility. In a detailed report from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), which can be found here, ManorCare was cited for failing to prevent Nancy Cirantineo’s mistreatment, neglect and abuse by their own staff members. Specific examples of staff mistreatment and neglect included delayed medical treatment, failure to provide necessary care and services, failure to provide necessary treatment to prevent existing pressure sores from worsening and failure to prevent the development of new sores.

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The Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP) has passed in the House this summer to renew the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). CHAMP provides new protections for Medicare beneficiaries and provides health insurance to 5 million uninsured children. Annual payment increases to Medicare skilled nursing facilities will be frozen for one year to help pay for expanded coverage. The freeze would have negative effects for 1.7 million nursing home residents and staff. The government has annually increased Medicare payments to nursing homes but continues to fail to improve quality standards. Some problems with this policy include undercompensation of nursing home staff (to the extent that many of them get health care coverage through Medicaid and SCHIP) and the fact that RN staffing is rapidly decreasing. As stated by the National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR):

Medicare reform would do more to ensure quality for residents than continuing to give facilities automatic annual increases. We are asking Congress to require nursing homes to report accurate staffing data, including the number of staff and what they spend on nursing; to establish a separate funding stream in Medicare for nursing costs that can't be transferred to profits; and to set minimum staffing standards for all facilities.

Please write or call your local Representative and ask him or her to support CHAMP
Email jwells@nccnhr.org with any questions

Levin & Perconti has recently filed a lawsuit against a Chicago, Illinois nursing home, Clark Manor Convalescent Center, on behalf of a resident who has suffered needlessly as a result of significant neglect in the facility. The man was assessed as at risk for falls and development of bed sores, or decubitus ulcers. The lack of supervision at the facility allowed the resident to fall from bed resulting in a hip fracture. In addition, the failure of the facility to monitor the patient allowed him to develop multiple bed sores. The resident sustained injuries including the hip fracture and bedsores that required extensive surgical treatments, malnutrition, osteomyelitis requiring long-term IV antibiotics and a decline in quality of life.

A lawsuit was recently brought against the state of Illinois by five nursing home residents in Cook County who claim that Illinois is violating federal law by failing to provide enough resources for nursing home patients to live in their communities instead. The Americans with Disabilities Act includes a responsibility to provide care in an integrated setting. The state of Illinois, however, allocates more money to long-term care facilities than home and community care. Elders receive poor treatment in nursing homes and can be subjected to abuse and neglect. Some of these elders are capable and independent enough to receive only home or community care but are forced to remain in long-term facilities because of the state's allocation of funds.

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The Illinois Congress and Gov. Rod Blagojevich have enacted a law that helps to protect elder citizens of Illinois by requiring elder abuse services to be maintained 24/7. The Department on Aging runs a 24 hour hotline but situations of elder abuse are more often reported locally and those hotlines are often unavailable during nights and weekends. In southern Illinois, however, 13 counties represented by the Shawnee Alliance for Seniors have maintained round-the-clock access for almost two decades. The Shawnee Alliance helps elders with issues ranging from risk of physical harm to financial exploitation. The number of calls to the southern Illinois hotline have risen every year with 775 calls in 2006. In the southern Illinois region, 14% of each 1,000 residents have reported or been victims of elder abuse.

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A wrongful death lawsuit was filed today by John J. Perconti and Patricia M. Gifford of Levin & Perconti, a Chicago-based law firm, on behalf of the family of an 81-year old resident who died as a result of a head trauma sustained at Alden Des Plains Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.

The woman was admitted to Alden Des Plaines on November 25, 2005 after being hospitalized for a fall that caused a fracture to her left rib. Despite her high risk for falls, a condition that caused her to be admitted to the facility in the first place, Alden staff improperly completed an assessment for her risk of falling.

The woman fell in her room at Alden on January 9, 2006, which resulted in a head injury. She suffered an acute left temporal intracranial hemorrhage and subdural hematoma, all of which ultimately caused or contributed to her death on January 14, 2006.

Attorney John Perconti, stated: “Alden’s staff did not properly assess the resident for her high risk of falling despite her significant risk factors. The resident should have been considered a high risk for falls based on her history and because she was on psychotropic medications which can cause unsteadiness.” Perconti added, “In cases in which a resident is at risk for falling, facilities like Alden need to provide close supervision and assistance as well as alarms for their beds and chairs as precautionary measures.”

Attorney Patricia Gifford added: “The resident’s family searched for a nursing facility that would provide the highest standard of care for her. Alden failed to meet her need for close supervision and care.”

The facility was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health for resident injury and improper nursing care.

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Last November, 82-year Michail Aronov was admitted to the hospital with diagnoses of medication poisoning, dehydration, malnutrition, kidney damage, metabolic imbalance, significant weight loss and adverse changes in his mental status after being neglected in a Chicago area nursing home. A lawsuit filed today by Steven M. Levin of Chicago-based law firm Levin & Perconti, alleges that Alden Long Grove neglected Michail so badly during his residency at Alden Long Grove, that they caused his death. Ultimately Michail died from complications of sepsis, urinary obstruction, and a urinary tract infection. During his 8 month stay at the Alden facility, among other things Michail lost 15% of his body weight, a factor that caused the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to cite the home for neglect and improper nursing care.

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A nursing home lawsuit was filed today by Steven Levin and Michael Bonamarte of the Chicago-based law firm Levin & Perconti in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois on behalf of the daughter of 78-year-old resident who died on January 31, 2007. The lawsuit alleges that the woman died as a result of the nursing home abuse and neglect she suffered while a resident at Glenshire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center located at 22660 South Cicero Avenue, in Richton Park, Illinois. While a resident at Glenshire, the woman developed multiple infected pressure ulcers which ultimately caused or contributed to cause her death. The lawsuit also alleges that the staff at Glenshire Nursing and Rehab Center allowed the resident to become dehydrated and malnourished.

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An $825,000 settlement achieved by John Perconti and Patricia Gifford of Levin & Perconti was reported in the July 2007 issue of the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter. A resident of Manorcare at Oak Lawn was admitted for dementia with a history of wandering. Due to nursing home neglect and lack of supervision, the resident left the facility in the winter without shoes or a jacket and was not found until over two hours later. The resident suffered from hypothermia before dying the next morning. The Illinois Department of Public Health cited and fined ManorCare for this incident.

A $925,000 settlement achieved by Steven Levin and Michael Bonamarte of Levin & Perconti was reported in the July 2007 issue of the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter. The plaintiff was a resident of Manorcare at South Holland and as a result of neglect in the nursing home, the resident developed serious bed sores. The pressure sores became infected, causing the resident to suffer from osteomyelitis, sepsis, malnutrition and dehydration. As a result of these injuries, the patient ultimately died.

The governor of Illinois recently signed legislation that will require nursing homes to be equipped with air conditioning and heating in order to protect nursing home residents from extreme heat and cold. All bedrooms and common areas must be air conditioned and heated. The Illinois Department of Public Health is to monitor the plans for air conditioning and heating systems in nursing homes. The governor stated, "Illinois weather can be extreme. It's hard to imagine that senior citizens in nursing homes may not have something as fundamental as heat or air conditioning." It is hard to imagine that this law is even necessary in the first place. Lack of heating and air conditioning in such extreme weather can pose serious health risks and can be an example of nursing home abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, the rights of seniors are constantly overlooked. This law is an encouraging step in the right direction.

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