Case of Nursing Home Abuse At An Elderly Care Center

Suffering abuse, injury, or death in these facilities is a grave injustice.

In May of 2010 an elderly woman moved into Arden Courts of Wippany, New Jersey. She had been diagnosed with progressive Alzheimer’s and needed to live in a secure environment where she would be cared for. She had retired after working as a hostess for 30 years. She moved to Arden Courts from Little Ferry, where she had lived for many years, because she needed long term care and needed the stability of the assisted living facility.

But now the woman’s niece, has filed a multi-count injury and wrongful death civil action against the facility and other numerous defendants, when her elderly aunt died five days after being attacked by a male resident at the facility. According to the Complaint, she had complained to staff members at Arden Courts that the male resident had been harassing her. It also relates that the staff had been aware of the man’s aggressive tendency and that he had had several prior incidents where he had attacked other residents. The Complaint states that instead of taking action to protect her and other residents, the staff told her to avoid the man.

She was unable to avoid him however, when the male resident blocked her way, forcibly grabbing her and choking her, before knocking her down. She fell hard and hit her head against the floor. Even though staff members had observed the incident and saw that she had sustained head trauma, she was not medically treated right away. Instead, she was found to be unresponsive in her room hours after the incident, and was then taken to the hospital to be treated. But she did not recover from the massive brain injuries she sustained in the attack and died five days later.

The two attorneys who filed the action on behalf of the woman’s neice have said that the woman’s family wants to hold the Arden Courts and its parent company HCR Manor Care, responsible for their actions, and to make sure that the abuses inflicted on her will not happen to other residents. The lawyer stated “This horrific tragedy was clearly preventable if the facility and its staff had fulfilled its lawful obligations to the resident. What happened is inexcusable and the law provides for those responsible to be held accountable.” They believe that the facts of the case support the allegations of negligence on the part of Arden Courts and that more could have been done to protect her as well as the other residents at the facility.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

If you or a loved one has suffered from elder care abuse or negligence, contact a nursing home abuse attorney right away. An attorney who specializes in cases of nursing home neglect, abuse, or exploitation, can give you the help you need in pursuing a successful case against the facility or individuals involved. Residents at nursing home and assisted living facilities deserve to live in safe, secure environments where they will be well cared for and treated well. Suffering abuse, injury, or death in these facilities is a grave injustice and those responsible need to be held accountable for their actions.

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