All of our lives are fragile, and the lives of our elderly citizens are especially so. It’s for this reason that nursing homes are required to adhere to a wide assortment of regulations regarding the care of their residents. When the rules aren’t followed, people can get hurt or killed.
Everyone is going to pass from this life eventually, but it doesn’t have to be the result of a violent accident or neglect. For one of the residents at the Burgin Manor of Olney nursing home, a series of careless actions led her inexorably to an undeserved and violent passing.
The 85-year-old woman was diagnosed with Chronic Lower Extremity Edema and Deep Vein Thrombosis, two painful conditions that result in the swelling of the lower extremities. She was admitted to Burgin Manor Of Olney in Olney, Illinois. She was completely dependent on two aides for bathing, bed-to-chair transfers, and toilet use. A mechanical lift was to be utilized at all times during the transfers.
Because of the inherent weakness of her condition, she was designated a “High Risk of Falls” by the staff of Burgin Manor. A resident designated as a high fall risk should have the utmost care taken during transfers. And yet, in December of 2011 at the Burgin Manor nursing home, she was dropped on both knees by two aides who were not utilizing the mechanical lift that was part of her fall prevention care plan.
According to the report, the two Burgin Manor aides did not check her for injuries and put her back in bed. The following day, the resident complained of excruciating pain and the extent of her injuries became known. Her blood pressure dropped, and she was sent to the emergency room where she suffered a cardiac arrest. She never recovered. This may prove to be the basis for a nursing home wrongful death lawsuit.
One of our core beliefs is that nursing homes are built to fail due to the business model they follow and that unnecessary injuries and illnesses and wrongful deaths of residents are the inevitable result. Order our FREE report, Built to Fail, to learn more about why. Our experienced Chicago nursing home lawyers are ready to help you understand what happened, why, and what your rights are. Contact us to get the help you need.
Other blog posts on nursing home falls:
Manorcare of Oak Lawn staff rolls resident from bed causing brain bleed
Mysterious femur fracture at Parker Rehab in Streator
Failure to follow orders leads to fall at Christian Nursing Home
Click here to file a complaint about a nursing home with the Illinois Department of Public Health.