Juanita Jackson died on July 6, 2003 at age 76 from complications arising from negligent and abusive care at Integrated Health Services in Auburndale, Florida. A Florida jury has awarded $114 million in compensatory and punitive damages to the family of a woman who was victimized, and eventually killed, by nursing home abuse and negligence.Juanita Jackson, 76, died July 6, 2003, after a stay at Integrated Health Services in Auburndale, FL. She was injured after a fall, and then dealt with further complications including bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, and intentional overmedication.
The judgement came as a default judgement since Integrated Health Services , after years of litigation, stopped participating in the case. On July 7th, a jury awarded what is believed to be the biggest verdict ever in Polk County. Juanita’s family, three daughters and a son, issued the following statement:
“We are proud that we fought for our mom, and we are glad that people recognized the suffering she went through. We hope this will help make sure no one else has to go through such a horrible experience”.
Nursing Home Abuse and the Mininno Law Office
Juanita Jackson died because of negligent and abusive care provided by Integrated Health Services. Unfortunately, this is not the only case of it’s kind. Nursing Homes in our area of New Jersey are also providing this kind of heartless and detrimental care to residents of nursing homes.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of nursing home abuse, contact the New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys at the Mininno Law Office. You could also call us at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let us work to get you the compensation you derserve.
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one and you believe their death was brought about the negligence or ill intent of another, contact a Wrongful Death Attorney. A wrongful death claim is a legal action that is filed against a person who is being held accountable for a death. The claim asserts that the death was brought about by some sort of negligence, wrongdoing, or even criminal act. The deceased’s relatives are considered to be entitled to monetary compensation for medical bills, funeral and burial costs, loss of wages, grief, and loss of consortium (companionship).
These damages are known as compensatory damages. Punitive damages could be imposed as a punishment for negligence and/or ill intent of the responsible party or parties.
If you find yourself dealing with the loss of a loved one that you believe was not inevitable, and infact brought on by the wrongful act of another, you may want to contact a New Jersey Wrongful Death Attorney. An attorney is going to review all the facts surrounding your case, and help determine whether or not you are entitled to compensation.
Grieving the death of a loved one is not easy, and the wrongful death attorneys at the Mininno Law Office understand this. They will help in any way possible to make the process move along smoothly and quickly. While monetary compensation will never be able to erase the suffering and grief of losing someone you love, it will definately relieve the financial burden brought on by their loss.
Wrongful Death and the Mininno Law Office
Contact the New Jersey Wrongful Death Attorneys at the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. Or call us at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Let us help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Have you recently been injured by a defective product? Have you been injured in a car accident? Have you been injured at someone else’s home, due to someone else’s negligence? If so, than you may need the assistance of a New Jersey Personal Injury Attorney. The New Jersey personal injury attorneys at the Mininno Law Office are dedicated to earning you your due compensation regarding injuries sustained from accidents including but not limited to the following:
work accidents – we will explain why it important to have a good relationship with boss
motorcycle accidents – you will understand what is responsibility
car/trucking accidents – we will show why its is important to use hight quality Fortis Skid Steer Tracks
trip and falls in public places – you will understand about importance of social activity
defective products/products liability – you will learn why quality matters
medical malpractice/medical negligence – you will get advises how to choose doctor and what basic question you should ask him
dog bites – you will get basic knowledge of dogs behaviour
Do I need a Personal Injury Attorney?
If you find yourself facing mounting medical bills for conditions caused by one of the aforementioned accidents, you should definately contact a New Jersey personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney will meet with you to discuss the merits of your case, and help you decide the appropriate action to take. An experienced personal injury attorney (like those at the Mininno Law Office), will have access to experts and resources to perform an in-depth analysis of data such as medical records, MRIs, CAT Scans, pathology studies, product design, safety standards, and OSHA regulations.
It is important that you act quickly, however. Due to statutes of limitations, waiting too long could be waiving your right to file suit.
What Will a Personal Injury Attorney do for Me?
A personal injury attorney at the Mininno Law Office is going to help you decide the right course of action. He’ll go through all of the facts, records, and data surrounding your case, and make an educated decision as to whether or not your case has merit, meaning, will a judge feel that you deserve to be compensated. If you decide to move on with the case, the personal injury attorneys at the Mininno Law Office will work hard to present the best possible case. And they do it on a contingency fee basis. A contingency means that we get paid, contingent upon the winning of the case. We don’t make money unless you make money. We work for free until we win. Case evaluations and consultations are free.
More Questions?
If you are still confused or unsure about what to do regarding a possible personal injury lawsuit, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call us for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Let us fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
The Mininno Law Office takes a firm stand against New Jersey nursing home abuse. We fight against careless and negligent facilities, and we do our best to post useful information to assist those dealing with sick loved ones and nursing homes. Yesterday, we posted advice on how to pick a quality nurisng home. Today’s post will deal with signs that your loved one may be being abused or neglected in their long term care facility.
Below is a list of red flag symptoms concerning nursing home abuse and neglect. Noticing any of these should prompt immediate action.
Nursing Home Abuse: 9 Red Flags
Bedsores or open wounds (also known as pressure sores or decubitus ulcers): A sure sign of neglect. Bedsores form when soft tissue is compressed between a bony prominence and an external surface for a prolonged period of time. Failing to reposition bedridden patients often results in bedsores.
Nursing home abuse and negligence are very real threats to residents at some facilites. Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, sprains or fractures: Mysterious injuries such as these could be attributed to roughness and mishandling of feeble and fragile patients.
Falls in shower, out of bed or out of chairs, resulting in injury: This is a sign that patients are being left to fend for themselves during difficult tasks like moving from the bed to the bathroom. Many patients need help to complete these tasks, and without being checked on regularly, can easily hurt themselves trying to do it alone.
Dehydration, malnutrition, or weight loss: Residents being neglected will often suffer from some, or all, of the above symptoms. Abuse and neglect can lead to depression, which in turn could result in malnutrition and weight loss.
High staff turnover: If a nursing home staff is constantly new and residents are being treated by new caregivers all of the time, the likelihood that that they are receiving quality care is very low. Errors occur often amoung new staff members. Workers leaving and going elsewhere could also be a sign that they are underpaid and overworked. Underpaid and overworked nursing home staff are a large source of nursing home abuse and neglect.
Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections; vaginal or anal bleeding; torn, stained or bloody garments: Unfortunately, sexual abuse is a very real issue in nursing homes. If you notice any of these signs, act immediately.
Loss of resident’s possessions, or sudden changes in the resident’s will, bank accounts or other financial documents: Theft and fraud are very real and very prevalent forms of nursing home abuse. If anything goes missing, whether it be belongings or money, investigate immediately.
Refusal or delays to have visitation with the resident: If a nursing home is guilty of abuse or neglect, of course they won’t be quick to allow you to come and see your loved ones. Often, if they allow visitation, they will refuse to let you be alone with your loved one. This is something to be very weary of. Now, your loved one does not feel comfortable telling you what’s really going on.
Over-sedation or overuse of restraints: Caregivers have gone to jail for using unprescribed morphine to calm patients they feel are “combative.” This is a life threatening practice, and has taken lives in the past.
What to Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
If you notice one or more of the above symptoms, it is likely the nursing home facility you have entrusted with the care of your loved one is acting negligently. Do not wait to seek help. A nursing home abuse attorney will be able to sit down with you and discuss what happened, what you’ve seen, and determine if you have a case against the care facility. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let us get you the compensation you deserve.
Nursing home abuse is an ugly truth in a necessary industry. Nursing home abuse can play an extremely daunting role in where, when, and even if we decide to place our loved ones in a long term care facility. Trends of abuse, negligence, theft, and fraud seem to be taking over an industry that should be known for it’s kindness, compassion, benevolence, and dependability.
Choosing a nursing home can be overwhelming and scary, so the best way to go about the task is to be prepared and know exactly what to look for in a good and trustworthy nursing home. Below are six steps you can take to ensure that you are choosing the right facility to trust with the care of your loved one.
Steps You Can Take to Prevent Nursing Home Abuse
Step 1: Ask for documentation that will prove that the facility employs regular background checks to ensure that employees of the facility have no record of violent, sexual, or financial crime. Verify that employees are in good standing with the law and that they have the proper credentials to be working in this field. A nursing home in good standing and employing qualified workers will have no problem turning this paperwork over. The National Association on State Units on Aging reported that “An increased risk of abuse is found at nursing homes that have a history of serious noncompliance, particularly if abuse has occurred in the facility in the past.”
Follow these steps to help keep your loved one from being abused in a nursing home.Step 2: Request information verifiying the minimum staff to patient ratio, how many hours per week employees work (including max overtime), and leave instructions to notify you should these policies change. Overworked employees are a huge source of abuse and negligence in nursing homes. Make sure the people caring for your loved ones are not responsible for too many patients for too long. The probability of abuse increases as staff to patient ratio decreases.
Step 3: With regard to step 2, verify the number of patients in the home with dementia, and who are physically dependant on nursing home staff. A high number of dementia patients should be accompanied by high number of employees. According to a report done by the National Center of Elder Abuse, nursing home abuse is more common in facilities that are home to a high number of demetia patients, as their required care is far more demanding.
Step 4: Ask about the facilities grievance policy. What is their protocol for reporting complaints? Is it policy to retaliate against staff members who report abuse? What about a patient who reports abuse? Facilities should offer anonymous reporting options to both staff and patients, and investigate all complaints thouroughly.
Step 5: Ask about the facility’s training policy, and whether or not it offers ongoing abuse prevention courses, as well as other courses to keep staff up to date on the newest and best methods of care. The Department of Health and Human Services reports “Besides improving competence and knowledge, training also offers a vehicle for building [staff] self-esteem, which also may help to reduce stress and burnout.” The report also states that ” . . .training can also prepare staff to respond appropriately to difficult situations, such as dealing with physically combative residents, which have the potential to trigger abuse.”
Step 6: Visit often and unannounced. Nursing home abuse is much more likely to occur to patients who do not have visitors, as there will be no consequence if no one is there to find out. If your visits are unannounced and frequent, staff members responsible for the care of your loved one will be forced to “stay on their toes,” providing the best possible care for the resident.
If Nursing Home Abuse Occurs
Nursing home abuse is an awful thing to deal with, and facilities that employ abusive tactics toward residents, or put profits before patients must suffer the consequences of this behavior. The long term care industry is a necessary one, as most of us are not qualified to care for our elderly loved ones when they get too sick to care for themselves. This industry needs to be one we can trust in. If you or a loved one have been negatively affected by nursing home abuse or negligence, you’ll need the help of a nursing home abuse attorney. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let us help you get the compensation you deserve.
A mobil billboard discussing bedsore percentages in the Omni chain of nursing homes in New Jersey.Omni CEO Avery Eisenreich is under some intense fire, including allegations of nursing home abuse, as it’s been recently discovered that Omni Nursing homes in New Jersey have some of the worst bed sore percentages in the state. An Omni home in Rochelle Park, NJ provided the kind of abusive and negligent care that resulted in 45% of it’s short stay residents developing bedsores.
Homes within the Omni chain include Bristol Manor,Rochelle Park; Castle Hill, Union City; Harbor View, Jersey City; Palisade, Guttenberg; Cedar Hill, Cedar Grove; Chancellor, Irvington; Chateau at Rochelle Park; Hudson Manor, Secaucus; Newport, Jersey City; Pope John Paul/St. Mary’s, Orange; Riverton, Rahway; Riverview, Paterson; Silver Care, Cherry Hill; and St. Cloud, West Orange.
The Campaign
New Jersey workers have launched a campaign regarding the bedsore rates and nursing home abuse in Omni nursing homes. The campaign employs television and radio ads, google ads, mobile billboards, and even a website. The campaign calls out Avery Eisenreich for his misspending of funds that have been alotted him for the purpose of improving quality of care, as well as improving pay rates and working conditions for his employees. In 2007, Omni made over 20 million dollars in profit. Eisenreich even received millions of dollars from New Jersey’s Nursing Home Quality of Care Improvement Fund intended for the betterment of care provided to residents at Omni nursing homes. All of this money seems to have been pocketed by Mr. Eisenreich, as no employee of his has received a raise in over two years, no new training programs were offered to those employees, and clearly, the quality of care has not improved.
Nursing Home Abuse Should Not be Ignored
This issue is a serious one, and unfortunately, not uncommon. The profit before people mentality seems to run rampant in the long term care industry. Omni’s home in Rochelle Park has put 45% of it’s short stay residents at risk for infection and death caused by bedsores. This kind of nursing home abuse can not be tolerated. If you or a loved one have been affected by nursing home abuse or negligence, you’ll need to contact a nursing home abuse attorney to help you receive the compensation you are owed. Contact us for a free case evaluation, or call for free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380in Philadelphia.
Vincent Liew died 7 months after receiving a kidney transplant from a cancer infected donor.
A medical malpracticesuit ended in heartbreak for a Queens woman when the NYU Langone Medical Center was found not liable for the death of her husband after a kidney transplant.
The Story Behind Liew’s Medical Malpractice Case
Vincent Liew was 37 years old when he received a call from the hospital that they had a finally found him a matching kidney. He had been awaiting the kidney for five years, and was receiving dialysis treatments three times a week. On February 25, 2002, Vincent underwent the transplant, the organ coming from 50 year old Sandy Cabrera who died of a stroke the day before.
The surgery was successful, and everything was fine. That is, until Sandy Cabrera’s autopsy six weeks later. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy notified Liew’s doctors that Cabrera had an aggressive uterine cancer that had started to spread to her lungs. Upon discovery of the information, Liew’s doctors assured both him and his wife Kim that they were 99.9% sure that Vincent would not acquire the disease. Their reasoning being that the cancer was from an organ that Liew did not have, and therefore it was highly unlikely he would become sick. Four months later, doctors found a cancerous tumor on Liew’s new kidney. The kidney was removed, but Liew was dying.
He died three weeks later; cancer acquired from the donor his cause of death. Kim Liew sued the hospital for medical malpractice, but lost. The Queens jury found that the hospital and Liew’s doctors provided the best possible care. Though it seems they took a chance on him, and lost. They gambled with a man’s life. Two other patients who received organs from Cabrera also died.
Who is to blame for Medical Malpractice?
Transplanting organs ravaged by cancer is most definitely an instance of medical malpractice. Perhaps the doctors who performed the surgery are not liable. But what about the doctors who screened the patients before their eligibility for organ donation? What about the company that harvested the organs? A man has lost his life, a wife her husband, because of a gross case of negligence. This kind of medical malpractice can not go unpunished. If you or a loved one have suffered from what you believe is a case of medical malpractice or negligence, than do not hesitate to contact the medical malpractice attorneys at the Mininno Law Office. We are here to help you through this difficult time, and to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us for a free case evaluation, or call us at 856-833-0600, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Havenwood Rehab Center was shut down in July of 2005 upon discovery of severe nursing home abuse and neglect. On Friday, May 21st, Karen Mason (57), the former CEO of Havenwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to two years in prison and 3 years probabation for tax evasion. The 315 bed nursing home, of which she was CEO, administrator, and part owner, has been closed since July of 2005, when inspectors shut the facility down after discovering severe cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. A few of those nursing home abuse cases included patients being refused baths and clean sheets, and a man who jumped to his death after facility staff members failed to report his suicide threats.
In Mason’s time at Havenwood, she took money from a resident’s trust fund, from an employee’s 401(k) account, and from Havenwood bank accounts. Police allege that her theft totaled a little over 1 million dollars. The money went towards personal purchases for Mason; furniture, carpeting, jewelry, cars, concert and sporting event tickets, vacations, payments to the Milwaukee Yacht Club, and a wedding and honeymoon for one of her children.
Mason: Guilty of Nursing Home Abuse
Mason was sentenced in 2008 to 15 months in the Milwaukee County House of Corrections after being found guilty on felony charges of theft and abuse of a patient causing physical harm. That ruling also required Mason to pay back $20,696 to a Havenwood employee’s 401(k) account, and $64,435 to a Havenwood bank account.
The tax evasion case found that in 2004, Mason took in $642,000 in income. Of that total, $212,000 was salary from the facility, and the rest of it stolen. She paid taxes on none of it.
Mason was so busy stealing from her own company and living her lavish life, that she failed to make sure the residents in her nursing home were being properly cared for. The inspections by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services that shut the facility down found “dire conditions” within the home, involving the health and safety of residents. They were also tipped off by employees of possible medicare fraud.
Victims of Nursing Home Abuse: Seek Help!
Nursing home abuse is a serious problem in nursing homes and other long term care facilities. And as you’ve read, it’s not always physical abuse. In Havenwood’s case, much of the nursing home abuse was in the form of theft and fraud. If you or a loved one have suffered any kind of nursing home abuse or negligence, you’ll need to seek the assistance of a nursing home abuse attorney. The nursing home abuse attorneys at the Mininno Law Office are eager to represent you and help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us for a free case evaluation, or simply call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Nursing Home Abuse is affecting elderly residents and their families nationwide. Gloucester Manor (Gloucester)
And the number 1 nursing home guilty of nursing home abuse is the Gloucester Manor in Sewell, New Jersey. Gloucester Manor is a for profit corporation participating in Medicare and Medicaid, and containing 139 beds. Inspectors reported a number of deficiencies (which could potentially lead to nursing home abuse) after two inspections. Those deficiencies included failures to:
Only hire people without legal history of abuse or neglect
Protect each resident from all abuse, physical punishment, and being separated from others
Provide care that supports the highest quality of life
Provide professional services that follow each resident’s personal care plan
To meet all residents nutritional needs
Develop a complete care plan that meets all of the resident’s needs
Provide immediate updates to residents’ doctors and families should their health, treatment, or state of being change
Provide care that keeps or builds dignity and respect
Store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way
Have drugs and other similar products available that are needed in emergencies or for everyday use, and give them out properly
Keep medicinal error rates below 5%
Properly mark drugs
Keep necessary equipment functioning safely and properly
Make sure areas were free of hazardous and dangerous obstructions
Provide necessary housekeeping and maintenance
Review the work of nurses’ aides and provide them with new training yearly
Nursing Home Abuse: A disturbing number of deficiencies is followed by an equally disturbing number of negative trends among patients in the facility. Quality Measures inspections found the nursing home to have higher than National and/or New Jersey percentage averages when it came to:
Long stay and short stay residents with moderate to severe pain
High risk long stay residents with bedsores
Low risk long stay residents with bedsores
Long stay residents who were physically restrained
Long stay residents who are more depressed or anxious
Low risk long stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
Long stay residents who have catheters inserted and left in their bladders
Long stay residents with urinary tract infections
Long stay residents who lose too much weight
Short stay residents with bedsores
What to do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
The amount of nursing home neglect and nursing home abuse that Gloucester Manor is guilty of is quite appalling. The services they provide are surely not professional, and their quality measures inspections seem to prove that they are hurting more residents then they are helping. I hope this series as illustrated for readers the amount of nursing home abuse and neglect that takes place in the long term care industry. Our ill senior citizens need us to stand up for their rights, as they can do it for themselves.
The nursing home abuse attorneys at Mininno Law Office are dedicated to fighting for those who have been wronged by acts of nursing home abuse or negligence. If you or a loved one needs help regarding something that happened in a nursing home or long term care facility, contact us for a free case evaluation. Or simply call us at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Nursing Home Abuse is a growing epidemic in our long term care industry.
Manorcare Health Services (Gloucester)
Manorcare Health Services in West Deptford, New Jersey is number 2 in our list of the ten nursing homes in the tri-county area guiltiest of nursing home negligence or nursing home abuse. It’s also the first facility we’ve seen in the list from Gloucester County. Inspectors reported some deficiencies in the facility that we have yet to see in any of the other nursing homes we’ve mentioned in this list. The home was noted to have failed in the following areas of the inspection:
Hiring only people who have no legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents
Reporting and investigating any acts or reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents
Giving residents necessary care to prevent bedsores or heal existing ones.
Giving care that supports the highest possible quality of life
Making sure residents nutritional needs were met
Reviewing drug regimes, and having licensed pharmacists check drug regimens monthly as to keep medicine error rates below 5%
Storing and preparing food in a safe and sanitary way
Making sure common areas are free of hazardous obstructions
Providing necessary housekeeping and maintenance
Keeping accurate medical records
Nursing Home Abuse: Also disheartening was the fact that very low percentages of both long and short stay residents received flu shots and pneumococcal vaccinations. The facility was found to have higher than National and/or New Jersey percentage averages when it came to long and short stay residents suffering from moderate to severe pain, long and short stay residents who develop bedsores, long stay residents whose physical independence became limited, long stay residents who became more anxious or depressed, long stay residents who have catheters inserted and then left in their bladders, and long stay residents who lose too much weight. The facility was also reported to lack any effective procedure to prevent the spread of infection.
The most disturbing of these deficiencies is that the facility received reports and accusations from residents or their families of nursing home abuse and neglect, and never took any steps to investigate them. That means that negligent and abusive staff members acted virtually free of consequence. Nursing home abuse should never go free of consequence. Our ill senior citizens should be cared for with the utmost respect. The alarming trend of nursing home negligence and abuse has to be halted somewhere. It seems that now, the only way to do it is to hit the facilities financially with nursing home abuse law suits.
Victims of Nursing Home Abuse: Take Your First Step
The Nursing home abuse lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are dedicated to righting the wrongs caused by nursing home negligence and nursing home abuse. If you or a loved one have been hurt by nursing home abuse at a long term care facility, don’t waste anymore time. Contact us for a free case evaluation, or call us at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let us get you the compensation you deserve.
The New Jersey personal injury attorneys at the Mininno Law Office are dedicated to earning you your due compensation regarding injuries sustained from accidents including but not limited to the following:
The Mininno Law Office takes a firm stand against 
