Nursing home neglect case filed against Cook County nursing home

A nursing home is supposed to be a safe place for the residents. It is assumed that those residents will get the proper care from the nursing home staff. However, when that is not the case and nursing home neglect causes the elderly loved one to pass away, it can be devastating. In a recent incident, a Chicago family sued a Cook County nursing home for nursing home neglect.

According to a petition filed by the Chicago resident, his 53-year-old wife developed bedsores, fractured her knee without an explanation by the nursing home and ultimately died due to nursing home neglect. The woman was admitted to the nursing home in 2011 because she had multiple sclerosis. She required the support of constant medical treatment because of her disease. A medical plan was put in place, but ultimately there was no reasonable standard of care.

As a result of the nursing home neglect, the woman developed several complications. In 2013, she developed bedsores. She was also given a feeding tube, but when the tube got dislodged in 2014 the medical professionals put it back in incorrectly. They did not use the X-ray machine as a guide when they reinserted the tube. She was fed through that tube, which caused complications. The food leaked into various parts of her body and caused an infection.

Although the patient was moved to another nursing home, she passed away less than two weeks later. Her husband, who filed the nursing home neglect lawsuit, said that he tried to get the nursing home staff to encourage her to walk. He did this because she had developed bedsores, but the staff didn’t honor his request. Apparently, whenever they took her out of bed it was for a very short time. He also noticed that she had improper hygiene. If a person has experienced a similar case of nursing home neglect and if the negligence can be proved, the nursing home can be held responsible and will need to pay compensation.

Source: Patch.com, “Family Files Wrongful Death Suit Against Crestwood Nursing Home,” Lauren Traut, April 21, 2015