California Injury Lawyers Blog

Closing arguments were delivered today in the California nursing home neglect and abuse lawsuit against one of the biggest nursing home chains in the US. Some 32,000 plaintiffs, who either lived at or had a family member who was a resident at one of a number of Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. nursing homes from 2003 to 2009, are seeking personal injury recovery for the alleged corporate abuse.

Plaintiffs have accused the nursing home company of negligent nursing care, including the failure to make sure that residents were bathed regularly and that their wounds were properly treated. Some other residents contend that they were forced to sit in soiled sheets for days at a time, while others say that that they walked around with leaking catheters.

Under California law, nursing homes are supposed to give each patient a minimum of 3.2 hours of nursing care a day. The plaintiffs' attorneys contends that the nursing home company regularly failed to meet this minimum level and that each of the patients did not receive the services that they paid for. It will be up to the jury to decide whether Skilled Healthcare is guilty of intentional misconduct.

Orange County, California Nursing Home Neglect
Failure to provide a resident with the proper nursing care can be grounds for an Orange County, California nursing home negligence lawsuit. Unfortunately, elder abuse and neglect continues to take place in too many nursing homes and private residences not just in California but also in the rest of the world. Many California elder abuse and neglect cases go unreported.

June 15, 2010 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day--a day dedicated to making people aware that elder abuse is a serious problem that won't go away by itself. In the US alone, at least two million seniors are subjected to physical abuse, financial exploitation, emotional abuse, and neglect by nursing home workers, caregivers, family members, close friends, and associates.

Elder abuse is a violation of a victim's rights and can cause serious Orange County, California personal injury and wrongful death.

Closing arguments begin in Skilled Healthcare case, Times-Standard, June 15, 2010

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Administration on Aging

Related Web Resources:
National Center on Elder Abuse

CalQualityCare.org

The family of Anita Ramirez says she sustained serious burn injuries after living less than two weeks at LifeHouse Parkview. The assisted living facility says it is investigating the allegations.

The 65-year-old woman, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was admitted to the nursing home so she could receive nursing care for a bedsore. The assisted living facility workers were supposed to turn her every two hours. Ramirez was also placed on an IV antibiotic.

However, Ramirez's family soon began to worry about her care. They contacted police, who helped them remove the patient from the nursing home and she was taken to a hospital emergency room.

Doctors at the ER said they thought Ramirez was experiencing a reaction to the antibiotics she has been taking over the last year. The patient was taken to burn center where she was diagnosed with serious burns all over her body. Some parts of her body have no skin left.

If poor nursing care contributed to a patient's injuries, an assisted living facility can be held liable fo California nursing home neglect. It is the responsibility of facility workers to make sure that a patient isn't suffering from adverse reactions, skin conditions, infections, or other health complications. They also are required to report unexplained bruising or other injuries.

Sick residents oven have a weaker immune system than healthier people. They are more likely to suffer from health complications and infections can turn fatal if not treated immediately.

Nursing home facilities know that providing patients with the proper skin care is incredibly important. Residents should be checked for bedsores, which should be treated immediately upon detection, bathed/cleaned regularly. Unusual rashes, spots, burns, or bruises should be addressed and treated. Family members should be notified immediately of changes in a resident's health.

Family alleges woman got serious burns at nursing home, Bakersfieldnow, May 17, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Skin Care for the Elderly in a Nursing Home, DermaNetwork

Nursing Home Care & the Risks of Infection: Issues to Consider, Associated Content, August 17, 2010

Continue reading "California Nursing Home Resident Sustains Serious Burn Injuries " »

A jury has awarded $1.1 million in wrongful death recovery and $28 million in punitive damages to the daughter of Frances Tanner. Jury members were unanimous in finding that Colonial Healthcare and parent company Horizon West of Rocklin committed California elder abuse against the dementia patient.

In March 2005, Tanner, then 79, moved into the nursing home. Seven months after moving into the assisted living facility, she died from an infected bedsore that she developed after breaking her hip during a fall accident.

The jury determined that the defendants' behavior was fraudulent and malicious and oppressive. Witness testimony during the California nursing home abuse trial included statements from one former employee who said he would never let a family member live at the home. Allegations of corporate greed, poor medical documentation, and chronic understaffing were also made.

Tanner's death was the fourth time in a year that Colonial Healthcare was linked to the death of an elderly resident. The nursing home's lawyers had argued that the assisted living facility had taken good care of the elderly patient and that it should not be held liable for Tanner's fatal pressure sore. Following the California wrongful death verdict, Tanner's daughter Elizabeth Paos expressed relief over the outcome and said that her mother had received justice.

Bedsores
Assisted living facilities know how a bedsore can become a serious health issue for a patient. Nursing home workers are supposed to provide patients with the proper care so that pressure sores don't develop, or if they do, that they don't become infected.

For example, nursing home workers are supposed to move or reposition residents that cannot move themselves at regular and frequent intervals. Softer bed linens, protective padding, pillow foams, lubricants, and special wedges can also can be used. If possible, the patient's bed should be kept in the flat position. The resident's skin should be kept dry and clean, daily baths should be administered, and doctors should check the skin for signs of irritation.

Jury hits Auburn nursing home with $28 million in punitive damages, The Sacramento Bee, May 13, 2010

CA jury awards $29.1 million in nursing home death, Daily Finance, May 13, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Pressure Sores, Mayo Clinic

Recognizing and Treating Bed Sores, Strength for Caring

The families of Barbara Lefforge and TJ Jackson are suing assisted living facility Subacute & Rehabilitation Center and its owner Covenant Care for Santa Ana nursing home neglect and negligence. Meantime, the defendants' attorney maintains that his clients are not to blame for Lefforge's California personal injuries and Jackson's wrongful death.

On her first day at the Southern California nursing home last September, Lefforge, who was there to recover from foot surgery, was given a morphine overdose that caused her to suffer brain damage. The dosage, which was for 50 mg of Demerol instead of 50 mg of morphine, had been wrongly prescribed by Dr. Wesley Kobayashi. The podiatrist, however, says that the dosage was a recommendation and not a prescription.

Lefforge's Orange County, California nursing home negligence complaint contends that the facility's admitting doctor and medical director should have caught the medication error--especially as the pharmacy had cautioned that the dose was too much. Her nursing home neglect lawsuit claims that after she overdosed, the nursing home failed to properly monitor her and she wasn't treated for her brain injury until the following day.

In the Santa Ana wrongful death lawsuit filed by Jackson's family, workers at the assisted living facility are accused of allowing the then 83-year-old patient to starve, become dehydrated, and sustain an infection that lead to blood poisoning, kidney failure, and death.

Nursing Home Neglect
Failure to provide nursing home residents the nursing care and medical attention that they need can prove detrimental. It is a good idea to explore your legal options with a >Santa Ana, California nursing home abuse and neglect law firm.

The OC Register reports that Covenant Care's nursing homes are among the hundreds of California facilities that the state has given $880 million in additional compensation so that they could add more nursing home workers and pay them better. California Watch, however, is reporting that even with the additional funding, 232 of the nursing homes not only allowed nursing ratios to drop below the state minimum, but they also cut staff members.

After receiving state bonuses, Santa Ana home cut care, OC Register, April 19, 2010

Nursing homes received millions from California taxpayers while cutting staff, services, SJ Mercury News/Covenant Care, April 18, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Covenant Care

California Nursing Home Directory

The daughters of Oliver J. Shrock are suing Kindred Healthcare Operating Inc. and Kindred Nursing Centers West LLC for Orange, California nursing home neglect. The 77-year-old assisted living facility resident died on July 18, 2009 from injuries he sustained during a fatal fall accident.

Deborah Anne Whitman and Kathleen S. Sakoguchi are seeking unspecified damages. According to their Orange, California wrongful death lawsuit, their father, who was suffering from coronary artery disease, diabetes, and hypertension, lived at the nursing home from May 10 to July 14, 2009. Assisted living facility workers knew that Shrock was susceptible to fall accidents and needed nursing assistance for almost all of his needs.

Soon after being admitted to the long-term care facility, Schrock fell but did not sustain serious injuries. The nursing home installed a bed alarm and placed mats on the ground. However, Sakoguchi contends that these safety measures weren't always in place.

Schrock fell on July 14 as he was getting ready to go home. A nursing assistant found him on the ground and his head was bleeding. The 77-year-old patient had sustained fatal head injuries and died four days later.

The plaintiffs are accusing the assisted living facility of failing to do enough to prevent their dad from falling. They also contend that nursing home workers did not keep their father clean and dry, which resulted in bedsores.

The state of California issued an "AA" citation--the worst violation that can be issued to a nursing facility--against the Orange nursing home over Schrock's death and ordered the facility to pay an $85,000 fine.

Nursing Home Falls
Common causes of Orange County, California fall accidents at assisted living facilities include:

• Inadequate staffing
• Poorly trained workers
• Wet or slippery floors
• Inadequate lighting
• Incorrect bed height
• No bedrails
• No wall rails
• Overmedicated residents
• Failure to help residents get out of bed, go to the bathroom, sit in their wheelchair
• Failure to activate bed alarm
• Call buttons that don't work

Fall accidents can lead to broken bones, fractured hips, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, back injuries, and other personal injuries. Older and/or sick people tend to recover from fall accidents more slowly than their younger counterparts and are at higher risk of infections, permanent injuries, and death.

Nursing home in Orange sued over man's death, OC Register, April 8, 2010

Family of man who died from fall at Orange nursing home sues operators, 89.3, April 8, 2010

Related Web Resources:
What Causes Falls in the Elderly?, AAFP.org

Prevent Falls for the Elderly, ABC News, November 4, 2008

California Department of Public Health

A 21-year-old Reseda man is on trial for seven counts of Los Angeles County elder abuse and one count of torture. Cesar Ulloa is accused of assaulting elderly residents at Silverado Senior Living, a Calabasas retirement home where living costs run at about $70,000/year per resident.

Ulloa, a former low-level caregiver, is accused of targeting victims who were physically unable to report his attacks. During one alleged incident, he jumped off a dresser and landed on both knees on top of the belly of an elderly dementia patient. He also allegedly jumped on a 78-year-old female patient, who is mute because of a brain condition, and body slamming her into a bed.

Ulloa also allegedly punched one wheelchair-bound patient in the stomach. In another alleged assault incident, he took the arm of another wheelchair-bound patient and used it to hit a resident who has dementia in an attempt to goad them into fighting.

Ulloa, who was named Employee of the Month soon after he was hired at the upscale retirement home, came under suspicion when resident Elmore Kittower died in 2007. Someone called Kittower's widow and told her that her husband was beaten to death. His body was exhumed and multiple broken bones and signs of trauma were discovered.

Meantime, Ulloa's criminal defense lawyer claims his client his innocent. The Silverado Senior Living denies any wrongdoing. The high-end retirement home has surveillance cameras in the hallways but not in residents' bedrooms.

Prosecutors said that low-level caregivers generally are high school graduates with only days of training that are paid about $10/hour to care for elderly and ill residents.

California Elder Abuse
If your loved one was the victim of abuse or neglect at an assisted living facility or retirement home, he or she may be entitled to Los Angeles County nursing home negligence compensation. Nursing homes are supposed to make sure that they hire employees that are qualified, properly trained, have the experience to properly care for and treat residents and do not have a violent past. They also are supposed to protect patients from California nursing home abuse or neglect.

Nursing home worker on trial for abuse, UPI.com, March 31, 2010

Brutal abuse at Calabasas retirement home described in testimony, Los Angeles Times, March 30, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Silverado Senior Living

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform

Elder Abuse, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office

Continue reading "Former Calabasas Worker on Trial for Los Angeles County Elder Abuse" »

According to a California Senate report released today, a computer tracking loophole within the state's Health and Human Services Agency allowed nursing assistants who had committed nursing home neglect, abuse or theft to get hired as caregivers even after they had lost their certification. A Senate subcommittee intends to hold a hearing on this matter next week.

While criminal background checks are routine, not all prospective employers check administrative actions. The state discovered 20 incidents involving nursing home assistants whose certification were taken away by the Department of Public Health but were then cleared for work by the Department of Social Services.

According to the Los Angeles Times:
• One nurse assistant's certification was revoked after she threw a softball at one client's stomach and used a puzzle to strike a developmentally disabled, blind person.

• A nurse assistant that stole from nursing home patients was approved by Social Services to work as a housekeeper in another California nursing home

Unfortunately, not all of California's approximately 140,000 caregivers and 197,000 nurse assistants have the training, experience, skills, or desire to provide their patients with the proper care. You may have grounds for filing an Orange County, California nursing home neglect lawsuit if you were abused or neglected by a nursing home worker. If your loved one was abused or neglected by a private professional caregiver, your relative may have grounds for a Los Angeles, California nursing home negligence case.

Acts of nursing home abuse and neglect can include:
• Rape
• Physical assault
• Sexual assault
• Depriving a patient of water or food
• Overmedication
• Not giving a patient his/her medication
• Unexplained cuts, bruises, wounds, or welts
• Restraint without cause
• Psychotropic or chemical restraints
• Ignoring a patient's request for help
• Failure to regularly change sheets
• Medical neglect
• Unsanitary conditions
• Failure to remove safety hazards
• Failure to provide required medical help in a timely manner
• Verbal abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Threats
• Isolating the patient from others
• Elder financial abuse

Report: Loophole allows Calif. nurse assistants to be rehired after abuse, other misconduct, Los Angeles Times, March 19, 2010

Read the Full Report (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
California Department of Public Health

California Department of Social Services

Continue reading "Despite California Nursing Abuse Allegations Offending Nurse Assistants Were Still Hired, Says Senate Report" »

According to numerous studies, more than 50% of assisted living facility residents are anemic. This deficiency, which involves low hemoglobin levels, is by no means a normal condition of getting older. Granted, chronic inflammatory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, intestinal bleeding, and nutritional deficiencies among the elderly increases the chances that they can become anemic. However, there is much that can be done to diagnose and treat nursing home patients suffering from anemia--even when they are suffering from unexplained anemia.

In Orange County, California nursing homes, elderly persons are at higher risk of developing anemia because they are less mobile and more physically frail. The weaker a patient becomes, the more likely he/she will become anemic.

Signs that someone is suffering from anemia:

• Weaker grip strength
• Slowing down of physical movement
• Decrease in overall strength
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Chest pain
• Brittle nails
• Breathing problems
• Cold extremities
• Depression
• Irregular heartbeat

It is important that nursing home workers document any possible signs of anemia so that a proper diagnosis is made and the correct treatment is administered. Tests can be performed to determine whether someone is anemic.

There is no reason why your loved one's health or sense of well-being should suffer from a deficiency, illness, or injury that can be easily treated. You may be able to file an Orange County, California nursing home negligence lawsuit if a facility (or its nursing home workers) did not provide the necessary nursing care that the you or your loved one needed.

While most anemia cases are mild, they can still lead to a decrease physical endurance, fatigue, and the reduction of oxygen being circulated through the blood. If you are an older person who is already suffering from numerous ailments, developing anemia will only make you feel worse.

Anemia is Common for Elderly Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities, National Anemia Action Counsel

Related Web Resources:
Anemia - Complications, HealthCentral.com

The California Nursing Home Guide

Continue reading "Preventing Orange County, California Nursing Home Negligence: With 50% of Long-Term Care Patients Suffering from Anemia, Long-Term Care Facilities Should Properly Diagnose and Treat this Deficiency" »

According to data released by Medicare, over 250,000 nursing home residents are living in assisted living facilities that have once again, within a one-year period, received a "poor" rating for overall quality. The ratings are based on complaint investigations, nursing home inspections, and other information that were compiled mostly over the last two years.

USA Today reports that it is not uncommon for nursing homes to garner poor ratings from one year to the next. These facilities can be found in California, the rest of the US states, and the District of Columbia. Sometimes, these assisted facilities are the only ones that exist for miles, which doesn't leave patients and their families with many other nursing homes options. The facilities that scored the worst ratings each had an average of 14 deficiencies.

According to investigators, for-profit nursing homes are often the ones that receive the lowest rankings for performance. Meantime, the General Accountability Office says that while the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service designates up to 136 nursing homes as "special focus facilities" that have to undergo more inspections, up to 580 US assisted living facilities can fall under the category of the worst nursing homes in the country.

Orange County, California Nursing Home Negligence
Our Anaheim nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers are aware that there are nursing home residents in Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Orange County, California that have suffered injuries or died because they were abused or neglected by a nursing home worker. Many incidents of nursing home abuse and neglect occur in facilities where the quality of care is poor or the workers are inadequately trained.

If you notice that your loved one who is staying at an Orange County, California nursing home is emotional agitated, withdrawn, depressed, or has rapidly lost weight or seems frightened for no reason or doesn't want to have visitors, your loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

Analysis: Poor ratings persist for 1 in 5 U.S. nursing homes, USA Today, January 28, 2010

GAO: Four percent of nursing homes are troubled, Healthjournalism.org, September 28, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service

Government Accountability Office

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform

Continue reading "One in Five US Nursing Homes Consistently Earn "Poor" Ratings for Overall Quality, Says Medicare " »

The preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 10 in the criminal case against three nursing home officials who are charged with California elder abuse related to the chemical restraint deaths of three patients. Gwen Hughes, Dr. Hoshang Pormir, and Pamela Ott have pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges. If convicted, they each could spend up to 11 years in prison.

The California nursing home abuse incidents allegedly took place at the Kern Valley Nursing Home in California from 2003 to 2007. Gwen Hughes, who served as the nursing home's director, is accused ordering the use of antipsychotic drugs to chemically restrain patients who complained or were annoying.

According to California Attorney General Jerry Brown, Hughes had one nursing home patient drugged for throwing a milk carton. She allegedly ordered that another person be chemically restrained for glaring at her. A couple of the patients were reportedly held down against their will while they were sedated. Several nursing patients who were chemically restrained became incredibly thin or dehydrated.

Hughes was previously fired at another California nursing home for over-drugging.

Nursing Home Abuse
Unfortunately, over-drugging is a common problem at nursing homes. While there are definitely patients who need to take antipsychotics as part of their medical care--about one in four nursing home patients is given antipsychotics--others are given the powerful drug solely as a chemical restraint. According to the Food and Drug Administration, about 15,000 nursing home deaths a year are a result of unnecessary antipsychotics.

A report from the United Kingdom revealed that up to 1,620 strokes and 1,800 fatalities involving elderly dementia patients can be linked to antipsychotic drugs. About 180,000 elderly people with dementia are treated with these powerful drugs in the UK and, per the report, only about 36,000 appear to have benefited from the medication.

Restraining a nursing home patient so that they will be quiet or behave is a form of Orange County, California nursing home abuse.

3 Nursing Home Patients Killed by 'Chemical Restraints', ABC News, January 5, 2009

Attorney General Charges Nursing Home Drugging is Assault with a Deadly Weapon, CANHR.org

Chemical restraints killing dementia patients, Guardian.co.uk, November 12, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes, Nolo

California Attorney General

Continue reading "Use of Unnecessary Chemical Restraints on Patients Can Be Grounds for Orange County, California Nursing Negligence Lawsuit and Criminal Charges" »

Maria Arellano, a 71-year-old assisted living facility patient, became the victim of California nursing home abuse when a nursing worker assaulted her in 2006. Videotaped footage shot with a hidden camera show Monica Garcia dragging the elderly stroke victim by her hair, slapping her, bending her wrists, fingers, and neck, and violently handling her.

Prior to taping the abuse, Arellano's family members complained to the Fillmore Convalescent Center that she had unexplained bruises on her body. The nursing home allegedly failed to investigate, which prompted her relatives to look for evidence. Garcia would go on to plead no contest to the simple battery charge.

Earlier this month, a California jury awarded Arellano and her family $7.75 million for California elder abuse. The award consists of $2.75 M in damages and $5 M in punitive damages. The nursing home was held 40% liable, its owner, Eduardo Gonzales, was held 40% liable, and Garcia was found 20% liable.

Now, the California nursing home's lawyer says his client will combat the multimillion-dollar verdict. He claims that the family waited a number of months before reporting their abuse concerns and that the assisted living facility fired Garcia the moment they found out about it.

Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing homes cannot afford to ignore allegations of abuse, neglect, or assault. In California nursing homes and in long-term care facilities throughout the US, there have been too many incidents involving resident victims that have been abused or neglected by nursing home workers or other residents.

Physical assault, sexual assault, and other abusive actions are violent acts that can cause great harm to the victims--especially if they are nursing home patients who are already sick or frail. Family members shouldn't have to come up with their own evidence to stop nursing home abuse from happening.

There are steps that a California nursing home should be taking to prevent abuse and neglect from happening. There are actions that family members of a nursing home patient can take to obtain compensation for the harm their loved one has suffered.

Fillmore Convalescent Center to fight $7.75 million abuse verdict, VCStar.com, December 28, 2009

$7.75 Million lawsuit settled with Fillmore Convalescent Center, Fillmore Gazette, December 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
California Department of Public Health

The Ca Nursing Home Guide

In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law AB 1457. Under the new law, nursing homes are required to reveal the name and contact data of the persons responsible for facility operations and for a patient's care. If an assisted living facility changes ownership, the nursing home is required to notify residents and their primary contacts.

With 1,200 nursing homes and 14,000 residential care settings, California is the state with the the most long-term care providers. According to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, in 2007 94% of for-profit California nursing homes were cited for federal health and safety standards violations.

Nursing home negligence and abuse continue to be issues of concern California and the rest of the US. Many patients housed in assisted living facilities either end up becoming more ill or dying because of nursing home neglect or they sustain injuries caused by nursing home abuse, nursing home violence, nursing home sexual assault, or other negligent or abusive acts.

Nursing home abuse and neglect may consist of:

• Physical assault
• Rape
• Molestation
• Battery
• Unreasonable physical restraints
• Drugging a patient to control them
• Placing a patient in isolation without just cause
• Threatening a patient
• Verbal abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Intimidation
• Fear
• Financial exploitation
• Medical neglect
• Forcing a patient to live in unsanitary or dangerous conditions
• Ignoring a patient's calls for help
• Starving a patient or not giving him or her water or other liquids
• Not changing a patient's bedsheets or clothing
• Not bathing a patient

A nursing home can be held liable for Orange County, California nursing home negligence. While there are steps that you can take to ensure that your loved one is admitted into an assisted living facility where he or she can get the proper care, unfortunately there are nursing homes where patients do become the victims of abuse or neglect despite the family's best efforts.

It is important that you remove your loved one from any abusive situation immediately and speak with our Anaheim nursing home abuse and neglect law firm about your case.

New law imposes stricter transparency requirements on California nursing homes, McKnight's, October 14, 2009

Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Ensure Quality Care in Nursing Homes, California Chronicle, October 13, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Guide, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform

AB 1457 Bill Analysis, Sen.Ca.Gov

Police in San Bernardino County, California have arrested Pensri Sophar Dalton. The 61-year-old nursing home resident is accused of running an illegal group home and committing elder abuse by allowing 22 mentally ill and disabled patients to live in squalid, prison-like conditions.

The residents allegedly were made to live in converted chicken coops and small rooms containing multiple beds. Their toilets consisted of buckets. Padlocked gates and razor wire fences surrounded the facility.

Dalton has been charged with 16 counts of inflicting harm on elderly persons. The illegal elder abuse facility, which reportedly was not licensed, has been shut down.

According to the Press-Enterprise, Dalton was recently sued for wrongful death in a San Bernardino County elder abuse lawsuit filed by the family of a 71-year-old man who died in a swimming pool at a Highland facility that she owns. The patient, Eucevio Hernandez Vallez, suffered from dementia, was an alcoholic, and had a hard time walking because of his hip fracture.

Even though the elder facility was told not to give Vallez alcohol, the staff is accused of let him drink and walk close to the unfenced pool. There was reportedly uneven concrete surrounding the pool. According to the San Bernardino County wrongful death lawsuit, on February 12, a worker at the assisted living facility reportedly saw Vallez go into the backyard but failed to supervise or stop him.

Vallez was discovered face down in the pool the following day. The coroner's office reported that the resident died from drowning after falling into the pool while the influence of alcohol. The defendants have submitted a court-filed response disputing the charges.

Patients at any California elder care facility are entitled to a certain quality of care and a certain level of attention. They also have rights that exist to protect them and make sure that they are treated properly. Failure to supervise a resident, forcing patients to live in unsanitary or unsafe conditions, not following instructions for a patient's care, failing to provide patients who are mentally ill with more hands-on attention, overmedication, failure to treat or medicate a patient, and mistreating a resident are some of the reasons why families file San Bernardino County nursing home abuse lawsuits against negligent elder care facilities.

San Bernardino group home owner already named in wrongful death lawsuit, The Press -Enterprise, September 6, 2009

Alleged elder abuse in San Bernardino, ABC Local, September 5, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

San Bernardino Facilities, California Nursing Homes

Continue reading "Owner of Illegal Group Home in San Bernardino County Accused of Elder Abuse " »

Leaving your loved one at a nursing home is never easy, and our Orange County, California nursing home negligence attorneys are aware that you may undoubtedly have concerns about your loved one's well-being and care--especially with the number of stories appearing in the news these days about nursing home abuse and neglect incidents occurring in assisted living facilities throughout the US.

While it is impossible to guarantee your loved one's safety and quality of care, there are steps that you can take when choosing a Southern California nursing home, whether the facility is located in Irvine, Laguna, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach, or elsewhere in Orange County, California.

Checking different Web sites that offer reviews about California nursing homes, as well as Medicare's Nursing Home Compare Web site, is a helpful and informative step. However, nothing beats actually going to a nursing home facility to inspect the premises, watch the interactions between residents and nursing staff, and interview workers.

Not only do you want to make sure that your loved one will be comfortable at the nursing home you select, but you want to do what you can to make sure the facility is sanitary, the workers know how to do their jobs properly, and there are no unresolved violations at the assisted living facility that could pose a possible threat to your loved one's health and well-being.

What to look for when you visit an Orange County, California nursing home:

• Location: Is the nursing home close enough so that you and/or other loved ones can make in-person visits to your relative?
• Find out about the number of nursing home residents there are at the facility compared to the number of nursing home workers. Does it seem like each patient gets enough personalized attention? Inquire as to whether each patient is allotted a specific amount of care hours.
• Check the bathrooms, bedrooms, and recreational areas. Are they clean? Do they appear comfortable?
• Visit the dining room and kitchen. Do the conditions appear sanitary? What does the food look like? How is food stored and prepared?
• Inquire as to whether each patient gets a customized care plan and a personalized dietary plan.
• Observe the interactions between nursing home workers and residents.
• Talk to nursing home staff. Are they accessible, available, and forthcoming with responses to questions you may have?
• Do the residents appear happy and relaxed or stressed out and afraid?

Of course, taking every precaution possible when choosing a California nursing home for your sick or elderly loved one won't guarantee that that he or she won't become a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Compare, Medicare

Your Guide to Long-Term Care in California, California Healthcare Foundation

Anaheim, Orange County

Continue reading "Carefully Choosing An Orange County, California Assisted Living Facility May Decrease the Chances of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect" »

The California Department of Public Health is fining the Tustin Care Center $50,000 for a resident's choking death. The patient died last March because he choked while having lunch.

The California nursing home reportedly saw that the patient was becoming weaker but still let him eat regular meals without assistance. State health officials say the assisted living facility neglected to properly evaluate the resident's eating abilities and that this was a direct cause of his death.

Autopsy findings show that the food had completely blocked the resident's trachea. He had been eating rice and soup.

California nursing homes are supposed to make sure that they are familiar with each resident's diet and feeding needs. While some residents can eat different kinds of foods and feed themselves on their own, other patients may have health issues that require that their food and drink be strictly monitored. Some patients may have lost the ability to feed themselves on their own. They may need help placing the food in their mouths or their food may need to be ground up or turned into liquid so that they don't choke.

Nursing homes are required to carefully monitor residents' feeding plans and revise them as needed. It is also important that regardless of a resident's physical or mental issues the patient get the nutrition he or she needs and is properly hydrated.

In the event that a nursing home neglects to properly care for a resident and the patient ends up losing too much weight, suffering from malnutrition or dehydration, gets sick, chokes, or dies, you need to contact an Orange County, California nursing home neglect law firm about your case.

Our Anaheim nursing home negligence lawyers know how frustrating it can be to entrust the care of your loved one to a California assisted living facility only to find out that your family member would have been better off not staying at the nursing home. Orange County, California nursing homes can be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death.

Tustin nursing home fined $50,000 by state, The Sacramento Bee, July 29, 2009

Nursing home fined $50,000 in choking death, OC Register, July 28, 2009

Related Web Resources:
California Department of Public Health

California Healthcare Foundation