Sometimes, one instance of neglect is all it takes to cause a nursing home resident’s death. When a patient known to be at high risk of falling was left unsupervised shortly after her admission to a California nursing facility, the outcome was predictable. However, the staff repeatedly missed signs of a significant hip fracture sustained in that fall, causing the resident intense pain, and leading to a domino effect of infections, surgeries, and bedsores that ultimately resulted in her death.
A Pattern of Neglect Surrounds a Nursing Home Patient’s Fall
After a hospitalization for stomach pain, our client was discharged to a Fresno County skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in stable condition. Staff noted that she had a recent history of falls and remained at high risk, needing two people to assist her with transfers and mobility.
However, on her very first day at the nursing home, our client was left unsupervised in her room. While alone, she tried to stand and fell. After some time, a staffer passing by her room finally noticed her.
The lack of attention paid to our client’s needs became a disturbing trend at this facility. Her fall wouldn’t have happened if she had been supervised, and staff would have discovered her earlier if they had followed up properly. Unfortunately, the neglect did not end there.
The staff determined that she wasn’t injured in the fall. However, our client complained of intense pain for days after. It wasn’t until nearly a week later that she was finally transferred to a hospital emergency department after she refused breakfast and appeared lethargic. The woman’s daughter told hospital workers that she had grown more confused and less energetic in the days following the fall, and hadn’t walked since.
A Nursing Home Fall Injury Leads to Our Client’s Death
At the emergency room, healthcare workers determined our client had developed an E. Coli infection, a stage II pressure ulcer, and needed surgery for a left hip fracture. After surgery, she was sent to the ICU for respiratory distress. About a month after her procedure, she was transferred to a rehabilitation facility for recovery, where admission staff noted she had deep tissue injuries in her heels and a Stage 3 pressure sore.
A month later, she returned to the hospital for another surgery after her wound became infected. Our client remained in significant pain after the second procedure and continued to decline throughout the ensuing months, moving in and out of hospitals until she died in February 2022.
The woman’s family alleged that the nursing home’s negligent care was the ultimate cause of her death. Proper care could have prevented her initial fall, and the staff repeatedly missed clear signs of a hip fracture that competent professionals would have noticed immediately. Instead, she was left complaining of new, severe pain for days, only receiving hospital treatment after her condition significantly worsened.
The family also claimed that our client’s E. Coli infection suggested that the staff neglected her hygiene, further demonstrating the poor quality of care she received at the nursing home.
“And one of the main defenses in all of our cases is, whatever happened to this person wasn't because of neglect. What happened to this person was because of their underlying disease processes and their age. This was just inevitable. That's not true…people aren't supposed to fall and hit their heads. Especially when the family's trying to do the right thing by entrusting the care and paying thousands of dollars so that this doesn't happen, given the family may not have the expertise to take care of their loved ones and keep them safe themselves.”
Our Commitment to Fighting Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
The trusted attorneys at Lanzone Morgan, LLP, fought to get justice for the nursing home fall victim and secured a significant verdict for her family.
As one of the nation’s leading elder abuse law firms, we are singularly focused on protecting the rights, dignity, and welfare of nursing home residents. We believe that every senior citizen deserves quality care and respect, and their families should feel secure knowing that they’re being treated well.
Our attorneys have over 75 years of combined experience fighting and winning for victims of elder abuse and neglect across the State of California. We’ve built a proven track record of holding nursing homes accountable for violating the trust families place in them.
If your loved one has been injured by nursing home neglect, call 888-887-9777 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation with our team.