Elder Care Neglect Lawsuit

Dana Littlefield, a staff writer with Union-Tribune, posted an article at SignOnSanDiego.com on June 17, 2009 concerning a jury verdict in a California elder-care facility neglect lawsuit in which Elaine Stinson alleged she suffered abuse and neglect in 2006 at an elder-care facility.  The article says the jury awarded $1.3 million.  See, http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jun/17/bn17elder-gets-award/ .  According to the article, Ms. Stinson - then 82 - was placed in the facility in 2006 by her husband, who was ten years older.  She suffered from Alzheimers Disease and was recovering from hip surgery. The lawsuit alleged that Ms. Stinson fell at the facility on December 31, 2006, and suffered a head contusion, broken ribs and a punctured lung.  Caregivers reportedly placed her in her bed but did not immediately call her doctor or family, and her husband found her nonresponsive the next morning and called 911.  Mrs. Stinson was taken to a hospital for surgery and recovered in a nursing facility for the next ten months.  She now lives in another elder-care facility and her husband has passed away.  Attorneys representing Mrs. Stinson in the lawsuit said that staff members were not properly trained and some could not read, write, or speak English.  However, attorneys representing the facility said the staff was trained and appropriate actions were taken by the staff. Attorneys for the facility planned to appeal the jury’s decision.