nursing home news

Report Says Illinois Veterans’ Deaths Were Result Of Ultimate COVID Care Failures

Published on: May 6, 2021 | Levin & Perconti

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Report Shows Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gravely Affected Resident Exposure to COVID-19 at LaSalle Nursing Home

The Illinois Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its investigative report identifying the causes behind the massive COVID-19 outbreak in the fall of 2020 at the state-run veterans’ Home in LaSalle. The long-awaited public report confirms what many of us already know and outlines the unforgiving failures that resulted in the untimely death of 36 people from coronavirus. Notes published by the OIG show that the facility did not implement the proper infection control policies to prevent the spread of the disease among staff and residents and allowed a deadly outbreak to go on despite warnings.

The report paints a gloomy picture that documents failures from many. It leads with, “Ultimately, our investigation determined that the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ (IDVA) lack of COVID-19 preparation contributed to the scope of the outbreak at the home. In addition, failures in communication at the home and within the IDVA leadership also contributed to a delayed response to the outbreak.”

Chicago Nursing Home Mogul Mitigates Fraud Sentence

Published on: January 7, 2021 | Levin & Perconti

Former Chicago Nursing Home Executive Has Sentence Commuted After Found Guilty of Largest U.S. Medicare Fraud Scheme

Philip Esformes, who used to be a well-known Chicago-area nursing home mogul, also known as the King of Medicaid Fraud, was released from prison after President Donald Trump commuted his sentence on December 22, 2020. The Presidential commutation disturbingly lessened the former executive’s criminal sentence, without vacating the conviction itself. Esformes, 51, was arrested in 2016 for various acts of criminal conduct tied to a $1.3 billion Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme found through a complex web of bank accounts and systemic payment of bribes. Ultimately, he was caught continuously cycling as many as 14,000 nursing home and assisted living residents in Chicago and Miami while collecting millions from government programs designed to support services he never provided. In 2019, Federal prosecutors sentenced Esformes to 20 years in prison.

“Esformes exploited and victimized patients by providing inadequate medical care and poor conditions in his nursing homes. We will continue the fight against such parasites.” -Shimon Richmond, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector Generals (Miami)

Brief Shows COVID-19 Challenges Magnify Chronic Care Issues Inside U.S. Nursing Homes

Published on: August 25, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

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U.S. nursing home residents, totaling 1.2 million seniors and nonelderly people with disabilities living in over 15,000 facilities, are at increased risk of coronavirus infection and complications. The combined challenges of the facility setting and shared living environment, residents with underlying health conditions, the close contact that many care workers have with residents, and failures in facilities who do not provide quality care, all contribute to the high number of COVID-19 cases and outbreaks in the elder communities.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), as of August 7, 20202:

More than 25,000 cases of COVID-19 have been traced back to nursing home residents and staff, resulting in 4,162 deaths.

Bria of Geneva Illinois COVID-19 Summary

Published on: June 14, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

Bria of Geneva releases COVID-19 statistics showing 132 COVID infections and 26 deaths. Levin & Perconti, Illinois nursing home lawyers launch investigation into gross negligence in preventing the spread of COVID-19

On June 3, 2020, Bria of Geneva, located in Geneva, Illinois, released long term care outbreak data reporting of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 outbreak cases. These statics confirm that 132 infections and 26 deaths have occurred at the facility during the COVID-19 outbreak.

On May 19, 2020, the Chicago Tribune provided an article regarding the second lawsuit filed against Bria of Geneva, claiming the facility failed to implement basic precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after a number of its residents died from COVID-19 complications. This lawsuit has been filed by the family of Lucille James, a resident at the facility who died of the virus on May 1. One family member of Lucille James’ explains the family did not find out their loved one had COVID-19 until after her death. Specifically, the lawsuit asserts Bria of Geneva did not prevent the spread of the virus by failing to comply with the preventative directions of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Moreover, the lawsuit accuses the facility of failing to provide personal protective equipment and sufficient testing kits for residents and staff; and further the facility failed to implement continuous screening checks on residents and staff such as temperature checks and using a checklist to identify symptomatic residents.

Mayfield Care Center: COVID-19 Summary

Published on: June 10, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

Mayfield Care Center releases COVID-19 statistics showing 136 COVID infections and 9 deaths. Levin & Perconti, Illinois nursing home lawyers launch investigation into gross negligence in preventing the spread of COVID-19

On May 15, 2020, Mayfield Care Center, located in Chicago, IL, released long term care outbreak data reporting of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 outbreak cases. These statics confirm that 136 infections and 9 deaths have occurred at the facility during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Family of Bridgeview Nursing Home Patient Files Suit After COVID-19 Death

Published on: June 4, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

James Zbonski Was One of 15 To Die at Facility With Multiple Past Infection Control Issues

CHICAGO, June 3, 2020 – Representatives of James Zbonski filed suit today against the Bridgeview Health Care Center following the 84-year-old man’s tragic death from COVID-19.

City View MultiCare Center: COVID-19 Summary

Published on: June 2, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

City View MultiCare Center releases COVID-19 statistics showing 242 COVID infections and 10 deaths. Levin & Perconti, Illinois nursing home lawyers launch investigation into gross negligence in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

On May 15, 2020, City View MultiCare Center, located in Cicero, IL, released long term care outbreak data reporting of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 outbreak cases. These statistics confirm that the 242 infections and 10 deaths have occurred at the facility during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Levin & Perconti, Nationally Recognized Leaders in Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Law, Launches Investigation into Illinois Nursing Homes Amid COVID-19

Published on: May 19, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

Levin & Perconti, Nationally Recognized Leaders in Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Law, Launches Investigation into Illinois Nursing Homes Amid COVID-19
Nursing home residents still have the right to proper care and providers should always be held accountable when that care goes badly wrong. It’s no different during these difficult times surrounding COVID-19.

The attorneys at Levin & Perconti have launched over 100 investigations into a number of assisted living, long-term care and skilled nursing facilities that have failed to uphold adequate safeguards and care in response to the COVID-19 outbreak for residents in Cook and surrounding counties in Illinois. We are seeking anyone who has information about the outbreak of COVID-19 at these facilities to contact us.

If you or your loved one has been impacted by COVID in a nursing home, please contact us for a free consultation on whether you have a legal case against the nursing home.

Levin & Perconti Partner Speaks Up for Illinois Nursing Home Residents

Published on: May 7, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

Each week, it’s expected that an increasingly high number of U.S. nursing homes will have confirmed cases of COVID-19 and subsequent outbreaks among residents and staff. In Joliet, Illinois, the view is also looking grim. On April 23, Steven Levin, a partner and attorney at Levin & Perconti, spoke with The Times Weekly about the alarming issues arising at Symphony of Joliet. The newspaper is reporting that the facility has more confirmed cases and deaths from coronavirus than any other long-term care facility in Will County.

Levin & Perconti has a history of helping families file lawsuits against Symphony facilities for negligence. Unfortunately, those same failures are being highlighted and have become more noticeable due to the spread of COVID-19.

“We are currently representing several family members of residents at Symphony of Joliet nursing home,” Levin told The Times Weekly. “We’re receiving an increased number of calls directly from residents’ families.”

Nursing Homes Must Report COVID-19 Sicknesses and Deaths

Published on: April 24, 2020 | Levin & Perconti

COVID-19 has an alarming infection rate across the U.S., now totaling more than 672,000 confirmed cases, according to John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Many of the individuals at most risk of a COVID-19 infection in Illinois reside at one of the state’s 1,200 long-term care facilities, responsible for the care of more than 100,000 individuals. Several advocates for quality long-term care are now raising questions about how accurate the reporting of COVID-19 cases among Illinois residents truly is and how that may be causing a delay in preventing the spread of the disease.

Levin & Perconti partner and attorney Steven Levin spoke to Chicago ABC7 about the role of inaccuracies in reporting COVID-19 cases in the state, saying, “I believe that reported cases are the tip of the iceberg. I believe we are going to find a scary situation once independent observers can go into the nursing homes to see what’s happened.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) says as many as 305 long-term health care facilities have felt the impact of the highly contagious virus, with many nursing homes experiencing wide-spread community transmission. While there is no publicly available list of Illinois facilities battling coronavirus infections, on Wednesday, April 15, the state reported 1,587 cases associated with long-term facilities and 296 related deaths, including residents and staff.