Viola Sickel had a history of falls. She was admitted to The Bridges at Warwick, a skilled nursing facility. She was then transferred to its secure memory unit. While she was standing at the sink in her bathroom, the aide who had been spotting her left her room suddenly.
Sickel then fell and struck her head, suffering severe injuries that led to her untimely death.
Sickel’s estate sued The Bridges of Warwick nursing home, alleging that it chose not to implement an effective fall prevention strategy. It also was alleged that the nursing home failed to properly supervise Sickel while she was standing at the sink in the bathroom, failed to tell Sickel that the aide was leaving and that she was being left alone.