Nurses often have stories of a resident that acts a little fresh in a nursing home, but one family is suing a nursing home that let such activities go beyond the line into criminality. KOMO 4 in Washington is investigating a lawsuit that claims one of the residents in a dementia ward sexually abused other patients while the staff looked the other way.
In fact, the nursing supervisor may have condoned it. According to the complaint, the nursing supervisor told the state that the abuser had rights to pleasure that could not be denied, “including sexual satisfaction and intimacy needs.”
The family filing the lawsuit alleges that the perpetrator sexually assaulted a member of the family that was bedbound in the unit. After the attack, the patient suffered depression, a rapid 30 pound weight loss, and ultimately died.
The state and federal governments punished the facility, but the punishments were quite light. That’s why the family is suing the facility. The local sheriff’s office has remained quiet about any possible criminal charges against the abuser or the staff members.
In egregious cases like this one, the full might of the law should be thrown at the offenders. We hope that this family can receive punitive damages over what happened to their loved one, and that the police discovers any criminals and brings them to justice.
If a member of your family has been subjected to elder abuse in a nursing facility, seek help. The attorneys at Schenk Smith are ready to assist you. Call today for a free consultation.
