Massachusetts Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

North Carolina Officials regulators have recommended $20,000 in penalties against Britthaven Nursing Home of Chapel Hill, where a former nurse is accused of criminal acts and wrongful death and patient abuse relating to overdoses of morphine. Investigators said the incidents occurred over two days in February, 2010.
According to a State DPH report, Britthaven also failed to ensure that 14 of 29 patients in its Alzheimer's unit were free from abuse. The nursing home allegedly failed to insure the patients' were free from unnecessary drugs.
All violations relate to the alleged actions of a former registered nurse who has been charged with second-degree murder and patient abuse relating to the death of Rachel Holliday an 84-year-old Alzheimer's resident. The Nurse was also charged with morphine-induced injuries to six other patients.
Article: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/12/625174/nursing-home-may-be-fined.html#ixzz0wbpk1jXf

Kentucky nursing home abuse investigations stall for years before resolution, records reveal. Eight of the more than 100 cases dating back to 2006 are still under review by the Attorney General's Office or local prosecutors.
A.G. excuses include staffing shortages, communication issue with other law enforcement agencies and a "high case" load, staff turnover and missing witnesses. No wonder you can't find witnesses when the case is 4 years old!
Unresolved cases include a Nursing Home Wrongful Death Case.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/24227183/detail.html

$29 million was awarded in a CA jury verdict in a nursing home death of a 79-year-old woman who died from bed sores and delayed treatment. Horizon West Nursing Home was charged at trial with understaffing and cutting expenses to boost corporate profits. For example, the nursing home avoided paying overtime to maintain sufficient nursing staff and cut its staff to the "bare bones". Patient care suffered as a direct result.

The nursing staff only had 1 RN for the care of 40 Alzheimer patients. A certified nursing assistant - CNA at the nursing home testified that she quit because the patients were not getting adequate care. Punitive damages were included in the award.

The jury appeared angry over the Nursing Homes emphasis of bottom line profits over the care of dependant elderly patients. That a death occurred needlessly because of understaffing underscored this feeling that adequate care should never be sacrificed in favor of corporate greed.

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