Another Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit Filed Against La Salle County Nursing Home
Barbara Snyder is suing La Salle County Nursing Home for its failure to protect a former 81-year-old resident from the sexual advances of a male resident. The patient, now deceased, is one of 10 female residents who were allegedly sexually abused by the male patient, who has a history of sexual misconduct. Most of the victims have dementia.
This is the third Illinois nursing home negligence lawsuit filed against the assisted living facility over the alleged sexual assault incidents. In October 2009, Henry Elzer filed a La Salle County nursing home abuse complaint seeking at least $250,000 for a female patient whose pelvic bone cracked during an incident with the same male resident. The following month, Marilyn Wig filed an Illinois nursing home neglect lawsuit on behalf of another female resident. Wig’s complaint sought $100,000.
Chicago, Illinois Nursing Home Sexual Assault
Sexual abuse is a crime—no matter who the victim or the perpetrator. It is disturbing to realize that many old, frail, and weak nursing home patients are left unprotected at assisted living facilities to the extend that they become easy prey for sexual offenders and abusers.
It is an Illinois nursing home’s responsibility to provide a resident with the proper nursing care and make sure that he/she does not become the victim of Chicago nursing home abuse, neglect, sexual assault (including rape, unwelcome fondling, or molestation), or other violent crimes.
Not only should residents be properly supervised, but assisted living facilities should make sure that sexual offenders are kept far away from other patients and that background checks are performed on prospective employees and patients to determine whether they have a criminal record and/or a violent past.
LA SALLE COUNTY NURSING HOME: Another suit filed over sex abuse, The Times, November 10, 2009
Third suit filed against La Salle County Nursing Home, News Tribune, April 17, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Safety Task Force, Illinois.gov
Nursing home sexual violence: 86 Chicago cases since July 2007 — but only 1 arrest, Chicago Tribune, January 26, 2010
