Family says Sacramento nursing home tried to cover up fatal medication error
Nursing homes and assisted care facilities advertise their services in glowing terms, but the reality is that the care at many of these places is extremely lacking. Problems include understaffing, poor training of employees, and poor supervision. All of these factors can lead to neglect and abuse of vulnerable adults.
As we discussed in a recent post, California nursing homes are subject to government inspections, and a facility can be cited for violations that put patients at risk. According to a lawsuit recently filed in Sacramento, one nursing home’s attempt to avoid sanctions for a medication error led to the death of a 49-year-old stroke patient.
The daughters and granddaughter of the deceased man are suing Genesis HealthCare, owner of the largest nursing home chain in the U.S. According to the family, a nurse mistakenly administered morphine to the patient, and he alerted the staff once he realized something was wrong.
The suit claims that the nursing home tried to cover up the error and allowed the man to remain unresponsive for more than 24 hours. The man’s roommate reportedly tried to get nurses to help, but the roommate’s pleas were ignored, according to the suit. The roommate took it upon himself to call an ambulance, but the lawsuit claims the ambulance was turned away.
Two hours later, the nursing home allegedly called its own ambulance, but the patient died shortly thereafter.
The man’s family is suing the facility, its owner and another facility for willful misconduct, elder abuse and wrongful death.
If you believe your loved one has been harmed by nursing home abuse or neglect, then don’t hesitate to speak with a lawyer about your legal options for stopping the abuse and holding the responsible parties accountable.
Serving clients throughout the Greater Los Angeles and Southern California area, we represent victims in a variety of civil litigation cases. If you or a loved one has been injured, turn to an experienced Los Angeles personal injury or sexual assault lawyer.
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