When it comes to the care of the senior or elder members of families, often people turn to residential facilities to provide the care they cannot. When they turn to such places, they expect their loved one to be cared for in the same manner as though they were at home. When this fails to occur, some facilities find themselves facing lawsuits.
A nursing home in Jacksonville, Florida, has been sent an intent to sue letter from the family of an elderly woman in their care. The woman, who was from Mandarin, died last January.
Relatives of the elderly woman state that the woman took a fall in the nursing home. They also allege that they did not receive notification about the fall until three hours after it occurred. The family maintains that if she had received medical attention, she would not have died.
The victim, Nadine McBurnett, was residing at the Terraces of Jacksonville on Old St. Augustine Road.
At the time of the injury the family states led to her death, McBurnett was having her bed sheets changed. The railing on the bed was down, and McBurnett fell to the floor. The family states that after the fall, all the caregivers did was clean her up and put her back in bed.
McBurnett’s daughter, Patty Wallace stated that her mother was non-responsive when she arrived. It wasn’t until she was taken to the hospital that they realized her hip was broken. At the hospital, it was discovered that the elderly woman’s head and shoulders were covered in bruises.
McBurnett lived about a month after the incident.
Wallace is filing a lawsuit against the nursing home. The family and her attorney allege that the facility is covering up their negligence. There is a video camera outside of McBurnett’s room, but the video evidence had been deleted.
Terraces of Jacksonville stated that they cannot comment on the pending lawsuit.
If you believe that a senior family member or friend has been the victim of neglect or abuse, contact the offices of Schenk Smith. We specialize in cases involving elder neglect in abuse. Contact us today.
