The untimely and wrongful death of an elderly loved one due to negligent care is painful and very frustrating. Chicago nursing home neglect is a reality faced by many seniors. Sadly, many facilities continue to fail to provide much needed medical care, which has caused the number of wrongful death lawsuits to increase every year.
Recently, the niece of a 2006 wrongful death victim was awarded $273,607 for the wrongful death of her aunt. The jury cited that the nursing home violated the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act and that the facility’s negligence caused the woman’s overdose and asphyxiation.
The 66-year-old woman had already been wearing a narcotic patch at the time when a new one was administered. She had been moved from another facility and the nurses did not check for any previous patches. Nursing homes are key providers of healthcare services for millions of senior citizens in the country. They have a responsibility to be as careful as possible with the patients.
A recent study by the Department of Health found that local taxpayers have been paying millions of dollars in taxes for inadequate services provided by many nursing homes. The study results are not being received favorably by many people, including lawmakers.
Unfortunately, many dangerous issues caused by nursing home facilities go unreported for various reasons. For that reason, local government officials encourage victims of a situation like this to come forward with suspicions of elder abuse or neglect. The victim or the victim’s family can speak with local authorities or a lawyer who will be able to help the victim by giving sound advice. Additionally, the victim of this type of situation can file for compensation that will cover medical expenses and other damages.
Source: Madison-St. Clair Record, “Plaintiff in case against Rosewood awarded $273K,” Christina Stueve Hodges, Mar. 13, 2013