Record-High Award Given to Family of Neglected Nursing Home Resident

 Posted on March 28, 2018 in Neglect

Nursing home abuse and neglect can sometimes occur not because of what caretakers do, but because of what they fail to do. Whether it is due to being an understaffed facility, inadequate staff training, or lack of oversight, nursing home negligence is sadly common. There are certain standards of care which nursing home staff must meet to ensure the safety of their residents. Unfortunately, when these standards are not met, the result can be devastating to residents as well as their families.

Elderly Woman Denied Essential Medication

A Bartlett, IL  nursing home may be forced to pay millions to a family of a former resident. In February of 2011, the 89-year-old resident was admitted to the facility after suffering a hip fracture. She was meant to stay in the nursing home while undergoing physical therapy to help her recover from her injury. As part of her treatment, the elderly woman was prescribed a medication called Coumadin which thins the blood and can help prevent clotting and strokes. Unfortunately, the woman did not receive this medication on a timely and consistent schedule. Records show that the woman did not receive her stroke-preventing medication for a period of two weeks.

Stroke Causes Significant Decrease in Quality of Life

 In March of 2011, just a month after being admitted to the facility, the woman suffered a stroke with left her almost completely incapacitated. According to family, the woman lost the ability to speak and walk on her own after the stroke. The attorney for the family explains that the stroke left the woman unable to “enjoy life in any realistic manner.” The woman passed away four years after the stroke. Her family believes that her final years would have been much more pleasant had she been given her medication on a consistent schedule.

Last summer, the family was awarded $4.1 million and a Cook County judge has recently upheld that ruling, despite objections from the nursing home facility. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Lyons has ordered the nursing home to pay an additional $1.5 million to the family to help cover their attorney’s fees. A representative for the nursing home says that the facility will appeal the decision.

Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Attorney

At Schwartz Injury Law, we work tirelessly to bring neglectful nursing homes to justice and get victims of nursing home neglect and abuse the compensation they deserve. If you or someone you love has been mistreated by a nursing home, contact a skilled Chicago nursing home neglect lawyer today by calling 312-535-4625.

Sources:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-ecn-bartlett-nursing-home-lawsuit-update-st-0328-20180327-story.html

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/elder-abuse-and-neglect.htm