Man sues after relative dies in Cook County nursing home

A family who had placed their loved one in the care of a nursing home located in one of the suburbs of Chicago is now suing the facility after the loved one died following a brain injury. In addition to naming the nursing home itself as a defendant, the suit also accused two nurses of negligence.

The suit stems from an incident in which the loved one of the plaintiff fell and apparently hit his head hard. According to the lawsuit, the nursing home and its staff did not take adequate safety measures to make sure the man did not fall. Moreover, the suit also alleges that after the fall, the staff did not give the man proper medical care.

The suit did not specify a dollar amount, but the plaintiff is seeking all compensation that is available under Illinois law. Compensation for this family could include medical expenses, funeral expenses, non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or emotional distress and other damages.

Of course, this lawsuit is still in its early stages, and it is difficult at this point to say definitively whether the nursing home or its staff were negligent. The next step will likely be the so-called discovery process in which each side uses the legal tools available to it to investigate its respective case. Settlement is also always a possibility.

Nursing homes in Illinois have to do more than simply protect their residents from egregious or criminal acts of abuse and neglect. As medical facilities, nursing homes have to adhere to a standard of care, and if they fail to meet that standard, they can be liable for damages. Chicago-area residents who feel a loved one has been injured or even has died prematurely because of nursing home negligence should consider speaking to a Chicago nursing home neglect attorney.

Source: La Grange Patch, “La Grange nursing home sued for allegedly contributing to death of patient,” Anicka Slachta, Jan. 30, 2017