A Denver area nursing home employee recently pleaded guilty to a felony count of negligence causing serious bodily injury to an at-risk adult and received a deferred two year prison sentence as well as 240 hours of mandatory community service. During her deferred sentence, the employee will not be authorized to care for others as part of the ordered punishment.
The charge stems from an incident at the nursing home where the woman was employed. She was tending to a nursing home patient who did not have sensation in her feet and could not control her own legs. The employee placed the patient’s feet in scalding hot water to soak and then left the resident unattended, returning 15 to 20 minutes later. The water that was used was so hot that it burned the flesh from the patient’s feet and causing the skin to peel off, leading to the amputation of four of the patient’s toes.
The nurse admitted that she was negligent in causing the incident that left another with permanent damage and only 6 remaining toes. But this criminal sentence may not be the end of the nurse’s liability in this incident. The laws of most states, including here in Illinois, allow the victims of nursing home abuse to make a monetary claim against the responsible parties for their damages, including any medical expenses that the victim was forced to incur.
In Illinois, a claim can be brought against a doctor, a nurse, an employee, and/or the nursing home responsible for injuries to a resident, depending on the individual incident and the parties involved. In cases of nursing home abuse, it can be challenging to determine who is responsible for a loved one’s injuries and who is legally liable for any consequences, a good reason to consider speaking with a personal injury attorney who can help you understand the options that may be available.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we are Illinois nursing home abuse lawyers who know it can be difficult to know whether your loved one has a valid claim for injuries sustained while in the care of another. That is why we offer a free, no obligation telephone consultation to injury victims and we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day.
If you suspect that your family member may have been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Illinois, call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 and let us help answer your questions. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we will never charge a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf, so please do not hesitate to call us today and to let us be an advocate for your loved one.
Prior Blog Entries:
Former Employee Pleads Guilty to Abusing Nursing Home Patient, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, published September 19, 2013.
Repeated Falls Lead to Death of a Nursing Home Patient, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, published September 3, 2013.
Resources:
Former Anam Chara caretaker receives deferred sentence in elderly injury case, by Mitchell Byars, Daily Camera, published September 27, 2013.