A woman in West Virginia has filed a lawsuit against the nursing home that she believed killed her family member via nursing home neglect. The suit was filed by Angela Black of West Virgina against HCR Manorcare in Kanawha Circuit Court. The wrongful death suit claims that Rose died after receiving poor care which led to malnutrition, dehydration, untreated bedsores, and infection. While there, Rose suffered mental and physical trauma, and ultimately, death.
Manorcare is a huge network of nursing homes with over 500 facilities in 32 states. The Mininno Law Office has blogged on the poor conditions and negligent care of Manor Care facilities in New Jersey for the past year. Manor Care employs about 60,000 workers nationwide and has been cited for many deficiencies, ranging from small, facility-related violations, to larger, more dangerous, care-related violations.
Negligent Care Leads to Death
Arcel Rose and his loved ones depended on HCR Manor Care to provide adequate, supportive, and attentive care in order to carry on the remainder of his life with as much comfort as possible. Instead, nursing home negligence and abuse took Rose’s life.
Malnutrition, dehydration, and bedsores/pressure ulcers are sure signs that neglect is taking place, and are totally unacceptable in a nursing home facility.
Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If your loved one is currently a resident at a nursing home and you fear that the care they are receiving may be considered negligent or abusive, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns regarding your loved one’s future. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Topamax was prescribed to millions of people who were excited about this “medical break through”. Unbeknownst to those taking the medication, Topamax has been found to increase the occurrence of birth defects in expectant mothers who take it. Five years after its release, in March 2011, the FDA forced Topamax to issue a warning about the correlation between their drug and birth defects. Five years of availability on the market means that countless expectant mothers have taken this pill, hoping to no longer suffer from epilepsy and seizures. The FDA’s website has confirmed that taking Topamax will increase fetal risk of birth defects, such as cleft lip or palate. The severity of this side effect must be taken into consideration when prescribing medication to expecting mothers. If you take Topamax and suspect that you could be pregnant, you should seek a medical professional to receive an expert opinion on the matter. There are alternative medications available that have not shown side effects of birth defects which are far safer to take during pregnancy.
The New England Journal of Medicine published an article last month that discussed research done on the correlation between a nursing home’s inspection results and it’s risk of being sued. Not surprisingly, the more frequent the deficiencies, the more likely that facility is going to be sued for 
Your doctor will take your personal circumstance into deep consideration and will advise you of the great benefits that are possible from surgery, along with the potential risks and side effects. The advantages of surgery are obvious in helping the child’s dentition, oral health, and your child’s ability to lead a “normal” life. However, when making this important decision, you, as the parent, need to be aware of the potentially harmful effects. 
Cleft lip occurs in about one out of seven hundred births, meaning there are people who are ready to help your child live a normal life. This team consists of professionals like a plastic/craniofacial surgeon, pediatrician, orthodontist, pediatric dentist, speech language pathologist, ear nose and throat specialist, an audiologist, genetic counselor, nurse team coordinator, and a social worker. Each of these individuals will provide a form of support and strength to your baby and family. These professionals are trained to treat your baby’s needs and answer any questions you may have. Beyond providing healthcare for your baby, counselors and social workers are designated to help your child cope with the psychological aspects that may accompany a cleft lip/palate. A child with a cleft lip will face many health problems, but the deeper, emotional problems can be just as significant. These counselors will introduce you to organizations for certain birth defects, as well as support groups of other families just like yours. Despite the fear of the unknown, it is crucial to be an advocate for your child and to utilize all possible resources.
The Palace Rehabilitation and Care Center in Maple Shade, NJ is one such long term care facility. The Palace Rehabilitation and Care Center is a for-profit, corporately owned nursing home with 165 long term patient beds. From February 2009 to January 2011, this Burlington County care facility was inspected on 6 occasions. It was additionally inspected 12 more times based on complaints. During these inspections, it was cited for 55 separate deficiencies. Some of these citations were for failing to maintain a drug regimen free from unnecessary drugs, failing to keep medication errors below 5%, and failing to prevent the spread of infection. This nursing home was also cited for failing to keep the facility free from abuse and involuntary seclusion. These are sure signs of abuse and neglect, and the type of deficiencies that can lead to harmful and painful bed sores and pressure ulcers as well. Before you place your loved one in a long term patient facility, it is very important to research and be aware of these signs of neglect.
Signs of 
Diagnostic screenings will be needed in order to avoid reactions from the medications that will be given to your new baby for the surgery. The first phase of the surgery is the anesthesia. The anesthesia will be administered to your baby to put him or her in a “sleep like coma” to avoid pain. The sedation can be given generally or intravenously, and will be chosen depending on your doctor’s recommendations. Next, an incision will be made on either side of the cleft. This flap will then be sewn together to close the cleft. If the incision is successful the surgery is complete and your baby will wake up when the sedation wears off. Once your child is awake, it is important to closely follow the surgeon’s suggestions on caring for the wound. Certain medications may be taken orally or applied directly to the incision to aid in preventing infection and strengthening the new formation. There will be specific feeding restrictions for your child which your doctor will suggest for you. Following surgery, you may find your baby restrained to keep him or her from touching the surgical site until it heals. This surgery is the first of the process to correct clefts, and depending on the outcome of this surgery and your child’s individual case, he or she may need to undergo follow up procedures for health or cosmetic reasons.
According to 
Most children with these birth defects require a first, initial surgery as early as 3 months. These surgeries are often invasive and require tedious work on behalf of the plastic surgeon. This initial surgery is crucial to preventing disease from forming in the exposed region of the cleft lip, and to providing a healthier dentition. This preliminary surgery helps restore the actual structure of the face.