Poor Care Causes $54 million Verdict against a New Mexico Nursing Home Corporation
In December of 2004, Lori Keith was preparing for her mother to come home from the nursing home. Barbara Barber had only one week left at ManorCare's Camino Vista nursing home in Albuquerque, New Mexico and then she would be back in the comfort of her daughter’s house. Unfortunately she never made it. She died in a puddle of blood, vomit and dirty sheets. Right after her death, the staff at ManorCare immediately scrambled to clean up the scene of her death disposing of any evidence of how Barbara really died. ManorCare then altered Barbara’s medical records to make it appear that she was well cared for over the course of her stay. ManorCare acknowledged that there were some time discrepancies in the medical records but insisted that understaffing was not an issue in Barbara’s case. After seeing the real truth and the evidence, a jury wasn’t buying ManorCare's story. In June, 2007, they awarded $54,000,000 for her mother’s pain and suffering.
What I hope, more than anything here, is that ManorCare learned a lesson, and that they will hire enough qualified staff to care for all their residents. All of them. ManorCare is a giant corporation, and thousands and thousands of lives are at stake.
Barbara Barber had the right to be treated with dignity, and she didn't deserve to die the way she did. The bottom line is that short staffing leads to bad care. When they can no longer care for themselves, elderly people still deserve good care. They deserve to be treated with dignity. Sadly, nursing home corporations frequently do not provide humane treatment to our loved ones. The controlling nursing home corporation is often just too cheap to give good care. These corporate executives are often more interested in padding their profits, than they are in the vulnerable human beings who rely upon them for care. It is a betrayal of our trust – pure and simple. Poor treatment causes painful (and even deadly) decubitus ulcers (bedsores), unsanitary conditions, repeated infections, dehydration, dramatic weight loss, falls, broken bones, and sometimes even death. To tell us about your own loved one, call me at 1-800-827-7898. Let’s see if we can help. Of course, there is no cost to you for a consultation.
