Garcia & Artigliere attorneys Stephen M. Garcia and William M. Artigliere prevailed in reaching a $985,000 settlement for their client in a dependent adult abuse case against a California skilled nursing facility. The Plaintiff, who suffered from medical conditions that significantly worsened during her time under the care of the facility, was brought to the brink of death due to wrongfully being administered an anti-seizure medication by facility staff.
The Plaintiff was admitted to the skilled nursing facility in 2016, after suffering a brain aneurism that reduced her short-term memory but left her able to walk and talk. Her physician and family’s hope was that she could improve her condition and return home.
The facility had an obligation to care for the Plaintiff in a way that would prevent avoidable injuries and suffering which she was high risk for based on her medical conditions. However, facility staff not only neglected to provide this care, but failed to notify the Plaintiff’s family and physician when she fractured her ankle due to a preventable fall. Facility staff also left the Plaintiff unattended in bed or in a wheelchair for prolonged lengths of time, leading to a reduction in mobility. Additionally, the Plaintiff had to endure numerous hospital transfers to address dehydration and infection because of the facility’s negligence.
Moreover, the facility wrongfully gave the Plaintiff an anti-seizure medication, Dilantin. They did this despite being explicitly ordered not to by her physician and family. The medication caused the Plaintiff to have a life-threatening level of toxicity in her system. If not for the intervention of the family and subsequent treatment, hospital staff said further delay would have caused the Plaintiff to die within days.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, contact our attorneys at (800) 281-8515 for a free case consultation.