Three nursing homes run by the same operator are facing six lawsuits, all alleging nursing home negligence or abuse, the Chico Enterprise Record reports. The six lawsuits, filed in 2008 and 2009, allege either wrongdoing and/or inadequate and negligent care of residents. The cases include claims by John Schroer who states he was allowed to fall in the bathroom, suffering a broken ankle, and Stewart Smith, who claimed his wife received inadequate care, but when he vocalized his concerns, the nursing home retaliated by trying to limit his ability to visit his wife.

List of Lawsuits against California Nursing Home

Another lawsuit claimed that patient Fay Ward became ill and eventually died because her doctor's orders to clean and medicate her skin sores were ignored by nursing home staff. A wrongful death lawsuit was also filed by the family of 92-year-old Alfonso Vigil, who was at risk for falling and hurting himself. Vigil had been left alone in his room when he fell off his wheelchair and got strangled by the waist belt. Yet another suit alleges that nursing home resident Robert Mills was subjected to severe negligence and experienced dehydration, malnutrition, infection and several injuries involving falls.

Nursing Home Negligence Lawsuits

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, a watchdog group, performed a study on nursing home negligence and abuse cases that were filed in California. The study looked at lawsuits filed against 577 nursing homes in 16 California counties between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2002. During these three years, 501 lawsuits alleging negligence resulting in injury were filed. Also according to the study, 23 percent of homes accounted for 71 percent of the lawsuits and 10 percent of the homes accounted for 47 percent of the suits. The study also found that there was a correlation between the frequency of lawsuits and the frequency of citations issued by the California Department of Public Health for inadequate care.

Fighting for your Rights

There are also several studies (and consumer advocates will agree) that a number of complaints against nursing homes go unreported. In one of these cases, we saw how complaining against nursing homes can cause them to retaliate. Several nursing homes also ask families to sign waivers stating that they will not sue. Many families feel obligated to sign these in order to place their loved one in a nursing home without realizing that they are signing their rights away.

Victims or their families who have been subject to nursing home negligence and/or abuse should certainly consider contacting an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who will fight for their rights and hold the wrongdoers accountable for their actions.

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