An Ohio Appellate Court has held that an arbitration agreement signed by the son of a resident at the time of the father’s admission to a nursing home did not justify compelled arbitration. Marcus Vickers signed an arbitration agreement when his father, Jack Johnson, was admitted to the Canal Pointe…
Chicago Nursing Home Lawyers Blog
New Rule Bars Nursing Homes Receiving Federal Funds From Requiring Arbitration in Disputes
According to a recent report in the New York Times, an agency within the federal Health and Human Services Department issued a rule that bars any nursing home that receives federal funding from requiring that its residents resolve disputes in arbitration as an alternative to a lawsuit in a court.…
$586,600 Arbitrator Award in Assisted Living Facility Injury and Death Case
Violet Moseson, a 97-year-old resident of an assisted living facility, was mandated to be checked on every morning. The facility was to perform safety checks each morning for this resident and others. At the time of this occurrence, the electronic system through which the facility was supposed to communicate with…
$325,000 Settlement Reached in the Death of a Nursing Home Resident Caused by an Inadequate Transfer
Ms. Doe, 78, suffered from blindness and mild dementia. Her nursing home care plan called for her to receive assistance from at least two people during any type of physical transfer. This would mean transfer from her bed or transfer from a chair or a transfer from her wheelchair. Nonetheless,…
$475,000 Settlement Reached in Nursing Home Fall and Injury Case
In a confidential settlement, a nursing home paid $475,000 to a seriously injured resident. The resident was listed and charted as being at a high risk for falling. However, several nursing assistants placed the resident at the edge of her bed and then left her alone. This occurred while the…
Nursing Home Resident Dies After Suffering Several Untreated Illnesses – Jury Enters Verdict for $5.56 Million
Sophia Alcon, 77, was admitted to Life Care Center of Pueblo, a skilled nursing facility. During the 7 months that she remained there, she suffered various injuries and illnesses, including urinary tract infections, bed sores, dehydration, malnutrition, pain, renal failure and aspiration pneumonia. She was brought to a nearby hospital…
Confidentiality Clauses in Settlement Agreements and How to Just Say No
In an April/May CBA Record article written by attorney Dmitry N. Feofanov, the options for agreeing to confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements were explained. Too often confidentiality agreements seem to show up in settlement agreements or release documents when no negotiations have been previously entertained. At the very least, if…
Illinois Nursing Home Care Act Amended As Related To Background Checks
The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act has been amended. The new law changes the requirements of nursing home facilities when they transfer residents. The amendment allows for exceptions to the requirement that nursing home facilities shall request a criminal background check on people admitted to a facility within 24 hours…
National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Changes Terminology in Pressure Ulcer
On April 13, 2016, a release from the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) stated that the term “pressure injury” replaces “pressure ulcer” in the NPUAP injury staging system. According to the report, a change in terminology more accurately describes pressure injuries to both intact and ulcerated skin. It was…
Injured Nursing Home Resident Refused Information About Another Resident
The Illinois Appellate Court for the First District has reversed and remanded a decision by a Cook County circuit court judge in a nursing home case involving discovery and confidentiality. In 2011, Robert Holman was a resident of a long-term care facility, Renaissance at Midway. On or about Jan. 22,…