Nursing Home Negligence Results | Wall Huntington KS

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    Nursing Home Negligence Results

    WHEELCHAIR BOUND ELDERLY PATIENT WITH CHRONIC DEMENTIA ALLOWED TO WANDER OUTSIDE THE NURSING HOME UNATTENDED ON A WINTRY DAY SUFFERS A FRACTURED HIP AND ULTIMATELY DIES DUE TO A NEGLIGENT CARE PLAN AND SUPERVISION

    Tina Huntington represented the family of an elderly gentleman who suffered from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and chronic dementia. Due to the complexity of his nursing needs he was placed in a nursing facility to ensure he would receive around the clock care. The nursing home claimed to “specialize” in the care of helpless individuals who were chronically infirm and professed to have a Alzheimer’s Special Care Unit. From the time the patient was admitted and throughout his residency at nursing home he was vulnerable and susceptible to serious injury as a consequence of wandering/elopement. On one cold December day, the resident was once again unattended and wheeled himself out the front doors of the facility into the parking lot. He fell out of his chair next to a car and laid there for an unknown amount of time before he was finally spotted by staff. The resident suffered a broken hip and died a short time later. The case was resolved for a confidential sum prior to trial.

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    ELDERLY PATIENT WITH COGNITIVE ISSUES SUFFERS A FALL OUT OF HER WHEEL CHAIR WHILE UNATTENDED RESULTING IN A FACIAL HEMATOMA AND DIFFUSE INJURIES TO HER FACE AND LEFT SHOULDER

    Tina Huntington represented the family of an elderly woman who had a very complex health status including: chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodiaylisis, history of congestive heart failure, depression, gastroesophageal reflux disease, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, peripheral vascular disease, anemia, left shoulder swelling, and hypocalcaemia. Additionally, she was confined to a wheelchair due to having a right above the knee amputation. Because her husband was unable able to care for his wife, he agreed with her physician’s recommendation that her care required professional attention and selected a nursing home to meet her increasing needs. From the time she was admitted and throughout her residency at the nursing home she was vulnerable and susceptible to serious injury as a consequence of falls. Her susceptibility to falls and subsequent injury was a function of: (a) periodic intervals of confusion and cognitive impairment; (b) gait, station, and balance abnormalities due to previous right leg above the knee amputation and left shoulder pain and swelling; (c) prescribed use of Lortab and Klonopin; (d) osteoarthritis; and (e) use of wheelchairs as a walking assistance device. The foregoing risk profile was clearly manageable through application of fundamental nursing principles. In November of 2003, the resident suffered a massive hematoma to her forehead, and diffuse bruising to her face and left shoulder as a result of falling out of her wheelchair while unattended. The case was resolved for a confidential amount prior to trial.

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