Families in Wisconsin may have to make difficult decisions regarding the care of their loved ones. In some situations, they must choose skilled care provided by nursing homes if they become unable to meet the needs of their sick or injured family members. Unfortunately, one out-of-state family believes that placing their loved one in a nursing home ultimately led to her death as a result of medical malpractice.
The 85-year-old woman was placed in the nursing home last year after a fall. A video reportedly shows that nurses ignored the woman for an hour while she screamed in pain and requested help going to the bathroom. Although the patient’s alarm bell was reportedly engaged, the lawsuit claims that no nurse came to help the woman.
The woman’s family additionally claims that nurses falsified records. During the time when the woman was allegedly complaining of pain, the plaintiffs state that nurses indicated in medical records that she was free of pain. The woman died approximately 30 hours after the Aug. 2014 video was made. Her family believes that negligence on the part of the nursing home facility caused contributed to her death and are seeking $30 million in damages.
Family members trust that nursing homes will provide an appropriate level of care for their loved ones. Unfortunately, this trust is sometimes placed in facilities that fail to adequately respond to the needs of their patients. As a result, families in Wisconsin have the option of pursuing financial relief before a civil court if their loved one suffered injury as a result of medical malpractice.
Source: baltimoresun.com, “Family alleges negligence at ManorCare in Catonsville“, Alison Knezevich, June 23, 2015
