When people entrust the care of their elderly family members to a care facility in California, they rely on professionals to provide committed and compassionate care. Many times, families spend considerable time researching their options and discussing which would be the best fit for their loved one’s needs. Unfortunately, there are facilities that are careless in the way they handle and treat their patients which can put their patients at risk of injury or death.
This is what one family in Oregon claims to have experienced after their 91-year-old family member died while in the care of a facility that neglected to provide timely medical treatment and effective monitoring after repeated falls from the patient. The subsequent lapse in proper care ultimately led to the woman’s death only one month after she began her stay at the facility. The incident began when the woman suffered a fall in her home. After being placed in the care facility, it was assumed that she would be closely monitored.
When left alone, the woman tried to take a shower without supervision and again fell to the floor suffering a significant head laceration. After being treated at the hospital for that injury, the woman returned to the facility where she was left alone again. Less than 10 hours after returning from the hospital, the woman fell again but was not found until later when she was in visible pain and lying in a pool of blood. The repetitive trauma ultimately led to her death, and family members claim that she was also denied appropriate assistance for help with her daily needs. The family is seeking $3 million in damages.
If people have been hurt because another person or entity has failed to act responsibly, they have a good chance of receiving compensation. An Irvine wrongful death attorney can guide this process and help victims to organize their evidence to prove that their injuries and suffering could have been prevented with appropriate care.
Source: Statesman Journal, “$3 million lawsuit alleges elder abuse, wrongful death at Salem senior care home,” Whitney Woodworth Sep. 4, 2019