Illinois Nursing Home Negligence Lawsuit Claims Fellow Resident Sexually Abused Female Patient
The relative of a La Salle County Nursing Home patient is suing the Illinois nursing home for negligence. Henry Elzer is seeking at least $250,000 because the assisted living facility allegedly failed to protect the victim, a woman, while another patient sexually abused her.
In his Illinois nursing home negligence complaint, Elzer says his relative fractured her pubic or pelvic bone during the alleged incident. He says that the Illinois nursing home knew that his relative’s assailant was sexually active.
The Illinois Department of Public Health had released a report about a number of molestation incidents involving the same patient assailant between January 17 and May 26. The man was eventually transferred to a psychiatric home.
The plaintiff also says his relative injured her leg between November 24 and 27, 2006 when nursing home workers either caused her to fall or dropped her. However, because nursing home workers allegedly did not tell a doctor about the woman's injury in a timely manner, X-rays were not taken until over a week after the fall accident.
Elzer is also suing Ottawa Regional Hospital and Healthcare Center for injuries his relative sustained on November 27, 2006. He claims the woman was injured when the wheelchair she was sitted in while riding in a van tipped when the vehicle stopped. Elzer says the wheelchair was not properly secured.
Lately, Illinois nursing homes have come under fire over the number of injury and assaults incidents involving residents attacking other patients. The Chicago Tribune recently wrote extensively on the topic of nursing home violence. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has set up a task force to solve the problems caused by housing violent nursing home patients with other residents.
La Salle County Nursing Home: Suit filed over sex abuse, My Web Times, October 27, 2009
Nursing home sued for alleged sex abuse, News Tribune, October 28, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Compromised Care, Chicago Tribune
