Many people in Wyoming are currently facing problems regarding assisted living facilities where their elderly loved ones reside. The problem is not limited to this state, however, as one particular incident in another jurisdiction shows. A patient is said to have suffered injury from nursing home negligence and a jury has weighed in on the issue.
The situation unfolded when a resident of a nursing home suffered a fall. This is not all that uncommon in such facilities. It seems that there is more to the story than that, however. A legal guardian of the patient accused staff members of serious wrongdoing, including that the man’s family was not informed that he had fallen, and also that pertinent documentation and medical records were either lost or destroyed.
Acting on the man’s behalf, the legal guardian filed a claim against the nursing home. A jury recently rendered its decision, finding the facility negligent and recommending the plaintiff be awarded more than $23 million. Attorneys for the nursing home made their disappointment in the verdict quite clear, issuing a public statement saying the staff at the nursing home is dedicated to their patients and often go beyond their calls of duty to provide a high standard of care.
Whether the judge presiding in this situation will follow the jury’s compensation recommendation remains to be seen. Some nursing home negligence cases in Wyoming end in fatalities. Immediate family members are typically able to file wrongful death claims against any and all parties deemed responsible.
Source: wpsdlocal6.com, “McCracken County nursing home found guilty of negligence“, Krystle Callais, Sept. 29, 2017