The Sacramento Bee reported on July 14, 2010 that $29 million verdict against a nursing home was upheld. The trial judge upheld the verdict from a case regarding the death of 79-year-old female nursing home resident. The resident suffered a fall at the nursing home and broke her hip. The nursing home let the fracture go undiagnosed for days and the resident finally died from an infected bedsore. The owner of the nursing home also owned 32 other facilities in the state. The lawsuit revealed that nursing home owner chronically understaffed its facilities and that the staff at this particular nursing home appeared “overworked, untrained and uncaring.” The court awarded $800,000 in compensatory damages, plus an additional $28 million in punitive damages. The nursing home corporation disputed the verdict, but the trial judge said in no uncertain terms, “This was an overwhelming case. It does not deserve to be retried. That would be a travesty.”
When a nursing home is understaffed, all of the residents suffer. Pressure sores and fall injuries can be prevented when nursing homes are properly staffed. But putting staff on the floor costs money and many nursing homes decide to place their priority on the bottom line rather than on proper resident care. If you believe that a loved one has suffered a traumatic fall or pressure sores because a nursing home failed to do its job, take action and contact the Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm online or call us toll free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.
