Chicago, Illinois Nursing Negligence: Federal and State Officials Threaten to Shut Down Local Nursing Home Unless Violations Can Be Remedied
The Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are warning Somerset Place nursing home that they will shut it down unless certain safety breaches are quickly remedied. They say the violations place the residents at the Chicago nursing home “in immediate jeopardy.”
The CMS’s warning comes following a 10-probe of the assisted living facility. The federal agency has given the Chicago assisted living facility 23 days to fix the problems. The federal government is fining the nursing home $6,050/day until the remedies are made. Meantime, the Illinois Department of Public Health has started taking steps to revoke Somerset Place’s state license. The Chicago facility is contesting the revocation decision.
A statement issued by Somerset says that its’ well-being continues to be the main priority. Managers at the nursing home are reportedly working hard to fix the deficiencies. The Chicago nursing home specializes in working with mentally ill patients.
In December, some 66 patients with felony criminal records were housed among the Chicago assisted living facility’s 400 nursing home residents. Chicago police investigated multiple cases of alleged physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and drug possession at the nursing home between April 2008 and July 2009.
One nursing home resident, Maratta Walker, was murdered after she wandered off the premise. She was able to prostitute herself and use crack cocaine while living there. Inadequate supervision that allows for violent crimes on the premise or for patients to wander off the property alone can be considered Illinois nursing home neglect.
A nursing home can be subject to citations and fines for committing violations that threaten the safety, health, and well-being of its residents. Residents that have been harmed because of such deficiencies may be able to sue the assisted living facility for Chicago nursing home negligence.
Nursing home faces possible closing, Chicago Tribune, January 20, 2010
Federal Investigators Target Troubled North Side Nursing Home, ChicagoIst, January 9, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Somerset Place, LLC
Chicago Nursing Homes, The City of Chicago
Please contact our Chicago nursing abuse and neglect lawyers today.
