Our Recent Cases

On 1/12/10, a 65-year-old patient was transferred to the hospital’s emergency department from dialysis due to abdominal pain. Later that day, she was returned by the ambulance defendants to the nursing home on a stretcher, which rolled downhill, hit a sidewalk, and overturned. The patient fell from the stretcher to the ground.

A 76-year-old nursing home patient was at high risk of developing pressure ulcers. Specifically, she was non-ambulatory, could not stand, was weak in her lower extremities, had spastic paralysis of her left arm, and developed contractures of both hands and her left elbow. The patient was also incontinent of bladder and bowel and required extensive to total assistance from staff for all aspects of her care, including turning and repositioning in bed.The patient was admitted to the defendants&rsqu…

A 76-year-old female was admitted to a nursing home on February 9, 2010. At the time of admission and at all times thereafter, the patient was a high fall risk based on a medical history that included dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, osteoporosis, medication use, dizziness, postural instability, unsteady gait, poor safety awareness, generalized motor weakness, lack of coordination, poor balance, a history of multiple falls, and dependence on staff for assistance with activities of daily…

On November 9, 2010, an 80-year-old patient was improperly transferred at the nursing home without the use of a Hoyer lift. As a result of the transfer, the patient sustained a dislocated left glenohumeral joint with a fracture through the humeral head extending through the greater tuberosity.The patient experienced significant pain as a result of the dislocation and fracture and was transferred to the hospital the day after the fall. Non-surgical treatment of the dislocation and fracture was re…

On May 6, 2011 a 77-year-old female nursing home patient developed diarrhea and was diagnosed with C. diff. However, the patient was not tested or treated properly by nursing home staff.

On December 11, 2008, a 90-year-old female at risk of falling was admitted to the hospital. Three days later, the patient was permitted to fall from her bed, because the hospital staff failed to activate the patient’s bed alarm, or    raise her side rails. The patient sustained a left interochanteric hip fracture requiring surgery.

A 76 year old male patient admitted to a Central Virginia nursing home, was at a high risk for developing pressure ulcers due to prior falls, fall-related injuries, surgery, and other medical conditions and limitations. On admission the patient did not have any pressure ulcers. Within weeks at the nursing home, the patient developed a stage IV pressure ulcer (pressure sores, bed sore, decubitus ulcer).

A 60 year-old patient was receiving home health care at her apartment. An aide with the home health company placed the patient in the bathtub without first checking the temperature of the bath water, which was scalding hot. The aide then left the patient in the bath while she watched TV.

A 55 year-old patient had mild mental retardation and was unable to care for herself. While in the care of a home health provider, home health staff permitted the patient to develop severe pressure ulcers on her sacrum, hips, and heels. When the patient was examined at the hospital, she was noted to have a large sacral decubitus, pressure ulcers on her hips bilaterally, and pressure ulcers on her heels.

A 69-year-old female patient was admitted to a hospital on a stretcher. The patient fell from the stretcher to the ground. While the patient was on the stretcher, medical transport staff permitted the stretcher to roll downhill, hit a sidewalk, and overturn.