Key Takeaways
-
Failure to Reassess Care Needs: The assisted living facility failed to re-evaluate a memory care resident whose fall risk continually increased over a six-month period.
-
Ignored Warning Signs: Despite 15 documented falls and 8 hospitalizations for severe injuries (including facial lacerations and a closed head injury), the facility neglected to transfer the resident to a higher level of care to protect her.
-
Catastrophic Fatal Injury: Unsupervised falls on her final day at the facility led to a massive subdural hematoma and wrongful death, resulting in a swift settlement from the ALF.
Nursing Home Neglect
Our client was an elderly woman with dementia and multiple falls who resided in a memory care unit of an ALF. Over the course of a six (6) month period, the client fell 15 times and required hospitalization on eight (8) occasions for injuries including head trauma, neck pain, facial laceration, fractured nasal bones, chest wall bruising, closed head injury, subdural hematoma, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Her fall risk continued to increase, and the ALF failed to assess her to determine whether she remained appropriate for continued ALF residence or whether she needed a higher level of care to protect her from falls. On her last day at the ALF, the client fell twice and sustained a massive subdural hematoma which caused her death several days later. After a short period of litigation, the ALF settled with the client’s family for her wrongful death.
About The Author
Warner & Warner secured a large confidential settlement for a developmentally disabled woman who suffered a fractured hip, verbal abuse, and delayed medical care following a negligent transfer at a group home.
Key Takeaways: Distracted Surgical Errors: Surgeons who prioritize personal phone calls over patient safety can execute reckless mistakes during
Key Takeaways Failure to Follow Physician Orders: Hospital staff failed to activate a doctor-ordered bed alarm for a post-surgical patient
