February 24, 2010

Man Files Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawsuit Against Glenbridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre in Suburban Chicago, Illinois

An Illinois man recently filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit against Glenbridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre in Niles, IL. According to an article in the Niles Herald –Spectator, the nursing home failed to treat the resident’s injured hand after he fell at the home. As a result of his injury, his right ring finger became gangrenous and required surgery to amputate his finger one month after his fall.

The resident fell on December 7, 2008, despite being at high risk for falls according to nursing home assessments. He injured his hand during the fall, but the nursing home staff failed to record his injury in their notes. Twelve days later, a nurse observed that his finger was swollen and required monitoring, but the nursing home again failed to record any notes on his injury. It was not until January 4, 2009 that staff discovered his finger was necrotic, and several days later his finger was amputated.

According to the complaint, the nursing home failed to supervise the resident and failed to discover or treat his injured finger in a timely manner. The Chicago nursing home neglect attorneys at Levin & Perconti have handled a number of cases in which nursing homes failed to properly supervise residents. When nursing homes fail to adequately supervise residents, falls, elopement or nursing home abuse may occur and may lead to injury or death. Nursing homes are responsible for monitoring residents to protect them from harms such as these. Nursing home staff members are also responsible for evaluating and treating health problems in a timely manner. If Glenbridge staff had addressed the resident’s injury initially, they may have prevented it from progressing to the point of amputation.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Nursing Home Negligence

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January 2, 2010

Illinois Nursing Home Fined

A Jacksonville, Illinois nursing home has agreed to pay a $6,500 fine over accusations of elderly abuse and negligence. Golden Moments Senior Care Center at 1021 N. Church Street and the Illinois Department of Public Health has agreed the nursing home will pay the fine. Additionally, a certified nursing aide was fired after claims that she committed nursing home abuse. The nursing home was fined because public health officials believed that the state failed to keep six residents form being mentally, verbally or physically abused. The report shows that one person was being threatened to have their throat cut, another was denied food and a resident was being taunted by one employee while the actions were videotaped. As of November 23 of 2009, Golden Moments has been fined more than $40,000 for substandard compliance with federal regulations. The October inspection revealed that the nursing home neglected to follow its policies and procedures for residents requiring partial assistance with feeding and failing to have a policy and procedure for assisting residents who eat too fast and are at risk for choking. One 74-year-old resident wrongfully died after choking on his food at the nursing home. The nursing home did have orders that they were supposed to watch the victim so that he did not put too much food in his mouth. To learn more about violations at the Golden Moments Senior Care Center, please click the link.

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Posted In: Failure to supervise, Incidents, Nursing Home Abuse, Wrongful Death

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December 16, 2009

Illinois Nursing Home Accountability Lacking

One of the problems with the Illinois government is that taxpayers don’t see a good investment for their dollar. Last week it was revealed that Illinois nursing home administrators are rarely disciplined when nursing home negligence occurs. Between 2005 and 2009, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation received 407 complaints from the state’s health department about nursing homes across the state. However, only three of those cases resulted in discipline for nursing home administrators. The numbers were put together by a task force that formed after it was revealed nursing homes had a series of assaults, rapes and murders in Illinois nursing homes. Currently, nursing home residents advocates are closely watching a case in an Elgin nursing home where a 21-year-old mentally ill resident sexually assaulted a 69-year-old woman. The state is alleging that a more thorough background check would have revealed that the young resident had an outstanding warrant on felony battery charges. By checking into the resident’s past the nursing home administrator would have avoided the elderly sexual abuse. Nursing home administrators should be liable for background checks on new residents. Illinois has an obvious broken nursing home administration system. To read more about the nursing home falter, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Incidents

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November 18, 2009

Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Willowbrook, IL

On July 24, 2009, the Chateau Nursing Center in Willowbrook received notice of a Type A violation and fine of $20,000. The violation report from the Illinois Department of Public Health notes that the nursing home did not properly supervise a male resident who had previously exhibited inappropriate sexual behavior. Nursing home staff later discovered that he had sexually abused a female resident by having non-consensual sex with her.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Quarterly Violator List

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October 23, 2009

Family Holds Nursing Home Accountable for Choking of Their Elderly Relative

The family of a 77 year-old woman who was choked and beaten by a complete stranger is not just placing the blame on the 25-year-old attacker. They also believe that the nursing home in which this attack occurred should be held accountable. The family is stating that there was nursing home negligence when the nursing home did not come to rescue her after she was choked and beaten. The family spoke to Kens 5 about their nursing home lawsuit. The incident occurred at 4 in the morning and the family cannot fathom how an intruder was able to enter the nursing home. The attacker is charged with the first degree felony of injury to an elderly person. Police reported that the attacker was able to walk through an ajar door and was not even discovered until police mandated that the rooms be checked for elderly abuse victims. To read more about the nursing home abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Failure to supervise

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September 16, 2009

Sexual Assault Victim Files Suit against East Moline Nursing Home

The guardian for an 82-year-old woman who was sexually assaulted when she was a resident at Parkview Terrace in East Moline, IL has filed a nursing home lawsuit. The suit was filed in Rock Island County Circuit Court and named the nursing home and its former employee. The nursing home abuse lawsuit stems from a February 1 incident in which the woman was sexually assaulted by the employee, whose job at the nursing home is still unknown. East Moline police were called to the nursing home to investigate. The employee was arrested and later pled guilty to a felony count of criminal sexual assault. He was sentenced to four years in prison. The nursing home lawsuit accuses the man of committing the sexual assault and the nursing home of being negligent on several counts. According to the lawsuit, the nursing home failed to do a background check on the employee, hired him without checking his references and hired him without thoroughly interviewing him and testing his personality. Parkview Terrace is also accused of negligent supervision for failing to monitor the employee, negligent security for failing to train employees to recognize risks, not having a larger staff and failing to have security cameras and personnel. Currently, the nursing home neglect lawyers of Levin & Perconti have filed two nursing home negligence lawsuits against Parkview Terrace. To read more about the nursing home lawsuit, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Nursing Home Abuse, Sex offenders and parolees in nursing homes

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August 6, 2009

Illinois Nursing Home Facing Fines for Abuse

LaSalle County could face federal and state fines of $20,000 or more for violating codes at a nursing home where a male patient is accused of sexually molesting 10 women. The Illinois Department of Public Health recommended that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services fine LaSalle County $20,000 plus $100 for each day between the times that the complaint was filed until a review showed the nursing home was back in compliance. The Illinois Department of Public Health spokesperson stated the violations resulted from “systemic problems” at the LaSalle County Nursing Home, problems that resulted in the man abusing other patients. The male patient abused dementia patients from December until May. Nurses, employees and patients interviewed by the state health department said that the male resident touched female residents’ breasts, tried to kiss them and used foul language in talking about sex in the nursing home’s common areas. The report stated that due to the administrative staff’s failures to implement policies and procedures for elderly abuse, failure to recognize abuse, and failure to effectively manage facility resources, sexual abuse occurred for 10 residents. The fines levied to LaSalle County were typical for the types of violations found at the home. To read more about the nursing home violations, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Alzheimer's, Failure to supervise, Incidents, Nursing Home Abuse

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June 14, 2009

Daughter Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Sacred Heart Nursing Home in Chicago

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.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Chicago, Chicago Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Incidents, Levin & Perconti in the News, Wrongful Death

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June 5, 2009

Elderly Negligence Lawsuit Filed after Nursing Home Fraud

The family of a 95-year-old Illinois woman recently filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit, alleging that she fell on multiple occasions as a result of the nursing home negligence at her facility. The woman suffered multiple hip fractures after she was not properly monitored and supervised on at lest three occasions, despite having Alzheimer’s and dementia. This put her at a high risk for falling. The Illinois woman resided at the facility for a little over a month, yet suffered at least three falls that left her with serious and debilitating injuries. The complaint alleges the staff allowed the woman to walk in the hallways unattended in the middle of the night, despite their knowledge of her confusion. This lack of care allowed the woman to fall and suffer a hip fracture. Later, the nursing home staff left her unattended in her wheelchair, and she fell once again. The Illinois woman fractured her other hip when the nursing home staff left her in her wheelchair with the alarm turned off. The nursing home negligence lawsuit has been filed in Madison County Circuit Court in Illinois. To read more about the hip fracture, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Incidents

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June 3, 2009

Nursing Home Sued Over 95-year-old Resident’s fall

The guardian of a disabled 95-year-old woman says the elderly resident fell and fractured both of her hips while under the care of a nursing home. The guardian filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit against the nursing home. When the elderly woman was admitted to the nursing home, employees were aware that she suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia and was usually disoriented and confused. Despite this knowledge, employees allowed to wander unattended in the hallway during the middle of the night. During one of these walks, she fell and fractured her left hip. She was then left unattended in a wheelchair and without a personal alarm, injuring herself again when she fall. The lawsuit claims that due to the victim’s numerous falls and the nursing home employees’ negligence, the woman suffered pain of the body and mind and medical costs. To read more about the falls, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise

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March 26, 2009

Elderly Woman Raped at Nursing Home

Authorities believe that an 87-year-old woman with dementia may have been sexually assaulted at her nursing home. The woman is currently being treated for pneumonia where she is in serious condition. Nurses found evidence during the examination that she may have been molested at the nursing home. The woman’s daughter believes that pictures show that her mother was sexually assaulted. The woman also asked that a rape kit test will be done on him. Although no previous incidents of sexual assault have been reported, eight complaints have been filed since 2006. Investigators have been unable to interview the elderly sexual assault victim because of her condition. To read more about the sexual abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Failure to supervise, National Nursing Home News

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February 22, 2009

Dementia’s Dangers are Often Overlooked

Nursing homes are facing more challenges as they admit residents with dementia who are prone to have combative outburst. In one case a 97 year old man was thrown to the floor by a former wrestler, resulting in his death. While this incident may seem beyond control, some advocates say nursing homes could do a better job of reducing the risks of patient abuse. Some outbursts reflect anxiety, fatigue or the side effect of a drug. Also, but issuing abuse-prevention plans for those with dementia, the nursing home can reduce the prospects of residents committing harm. Dementia care and memory care units should be adequately staffed in order to assist the patients. By targeting dementia patients, nursing homes are able to meet the standards for elderly abuse and neglect. Nursing homes in Chicago, Illinois should be adequately prepared to deal with the problems associated with dementia patients. To read more about problems with dementia patients, click the link.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Failure to supervise

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February 21, 2009

Court Orders Tour of Nursing Home

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.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Nursing Home Abuse, Wandering

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February 10, 2009

Illinois Woman Freezes to Death After Wandering from Nursing Home

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.

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Posted In: Chicago, Chicago Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Wandering

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January 12, 2009

It is a Nursing Home's Responsibility to Prevent Most Falls

Elder abuse and neglect is widespread in today’s nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The failure to prevent falls among the elderly is one of the most common examples of negligence in nursing homes. Many of the falls that cause death or serious injury among elderly nursing home patients are, in fact, preventable. Patients should be evaluated on neurological status, debilitating diseases, drug status, mental state, sensory deficits, history of falls, and age. If they are deemed at any risk for falls, homes and facilities should take extra precaution to prevent injury. An at-risk patient should be escorted to the bathroom or frequently offered the use of a bedpan, for instance. Failure to supervise elderly at-risk patients could result in falls with serious consequences. Every elderly patient is entitled to proper and attentive care, and the prevention of falls is a responsibility of every nursing home and health care facility.

Click here for more information

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Incidents, Knowing your rights, Medical Conditions

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December 7, 2008

Nursing Home Workers Accused of Abuse

Two nursing home workers have been arrested for crimes against elderly adults which include one nurse who is accused of pouring aftershave on a patient’s genitals. The women worked as licensed practical nurses in the nursing home. One of the employees was charged with two felony counts of eldery abuse of a vulnerable adult after being indicted by a grand jury. The man accuses the 46-year-old employee of “pouring aftershave on the genitals of a patient” and administering medication that caused pain to elderly residents. She faces a maximum of 40 years in prison and $20,000 in fines. The second employee is accused of taking the pain medication hydrocodone that meant for more than one patient. This employee faces one to five years in prison if convicted. This incident highlights the need for nursing homes to closely monitor their employees. To read the full story, click here.

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Posted In: Nursing Home Staff, National Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise

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Nursing home neglect alleged in case where mold was found in 65 year-old’s mouth

A nursing home abuse investigation is alleging that an elderly man in a nursing home was so neglected that he had mold growing out of his mouth. The 65 year-old nursing home neglect victim lives at a nursing home. He cannot speak, but staff at a nearby medical center spoke up and complained about what they saw during a wellness examination and called the authorities.

For the full article.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Failure to supervise

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November 29, 2008

Nursing Home Inspected after 11 deaths in 2008

State health inspectors will increase their oversight and an independent review of the home for the disabled will be conducted in the wake of 11 deaths since January. The nursing home has been fined more than $37,000 by state inspectors including a fine that is tied to the death that was allegedly caused by nursing home negligence. The most recent incident was reported after a 26-year-old patient was found unresponsive in his room and later died. His mother claims that the nursing home employees failed to take her son to the nursing home’s infirmary for observation after a brief hospitalization triggered by a seizure. Although the state used to only investigate deaths not attributable to natural causes, they are changing their policy to investigate all deaths reported to them by the nursing home. The state’s governor stated there will be an independent review to determine whether the nursing home patients receive appropriate care and treatment. A federal investigation created by Congress to monitor health care serves for the disabled has said that the number of deaths at the nursing home over the past 14 months appears unusually high. One of the problems includes the nursing home’s staff’s failure to assess residents’ needs upon their return from a hospital. To read the full story, click here.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Failure to supervise

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November 18, 2008

Levin & Perconti files nursing home abuse lawsuit against Illinois nursing home

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.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Failure to supervise, Levin & Perconti in the News, Nursing Home Abuse

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November 15, 2008

City Settles Suit with MS Patient

A city and a home health care agency wrote a check for $600,000 to a woman with multiple sclerosis after she nearly died in their care. The settlement is for a negligence lawsuit alleging the woman was neglected in her wheelchair and was left for so long that she developed life-threatening bedsores. The woman is in a city-run program that pays contracted caregivers to take care of her at home. The plan has workers shift her weight every 15 minutes to prevent pressure ulcers or bedsores. In 2005, while the city was paying more than $3,000 a month for an agency to care for the victim, the caregiver at the time says she wasn’t moving the victim much at all. The worker wrote in a declaration that the victim complained of pain, but no one had trained her on anything to do with pressure sores. The suit alleged that the care providers basically left the woman to rot in her wheelchair. The victim was rushed to the hospital where doctors operated twice on the sores they had cut through to the bone. They were also infected with MRSA, potentially life-threatening bacteria. The victim hopes that the settlement money will buy her a better chair and pay for physical therapy. To read the full story, click here.

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Posted In: Nursing Home Staff, Failure to supervise, Pressure Ulcers

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The purpose of this blog is to deliver news and information that is relevant to our areas of practice. The news and information reported on this blog represent the legal actions of attorneys throughout the United States. Our firm does not claim to represent plaintiffs in all of the lawsuits, settlements, and jury verdicts reported, only those noted as Levin & Perconti cases.

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