Nursing Home Fined for Regulatory Violations after a Falling Incident Leads to a Resident’s Death
Three deaths in three years have resulted in state citations against Iowa’s Northridge Village, indicative of the occurrence of nursing home malpractice as well as circumstances that merit the involvement of a wrongful death attorney.
An Iowa nursing home fined for a regulatory violation in connection with a resident’s falling death, says an Iowa Capital Dispatch article. Northridge Village, a care complex comprised of a state-licensed assisted living center and nursing home fined $6,000 for the incident of nursing home malpractice.
According to the article, a female assisted living resident who had been equipped with a 24-hour emergency response pendant was discovered on the floor of her apartment on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, injured after a fall. The woman, who had gone on a shopping trip the previous Friday, had reportedly been unreachable by phone all weekend; when a family member checked on her, the apartment was locked and staff was required to get inside. At the hospital the woman was determined to have seven cracked ribs and to be suffering from dehydration and atrial fibrillation. Transferred to a hospice unit, the woman died days later.
While the inspectors’ report did not indicate when the woman fell or how long she lay on the floor before being discovered, it did say that the woman’s emergency response pendant had at some point been mistakenly deactivated. As a functioning pendant is a regulatory requirement for Iowa assisted living facilities, the incident is a clear occurrence of nursing home malpractice, one that would understandably warrant the contacting of a wrongful death attorney.
According to the article, Northridge Village has been cited twice in recent years for wrongful deaths in its skilled nursing facility:
- In November 2021, a resident died after being dropped to the floor during an improper bed transfer.
- In November 2022, a resident died following an untreated urinary tract infection.
When any nursing home, including Philadelphia/Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes, engages in nursing home malpractice that directly causes the death of a resident, a wrongful death has occurred. If your loved one has died from injuries caused by the neglectful or abusive behavior of a facility, including a Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home, it is important to immediately contact a wrongful death attorney.
Fighting Nursing Home Malpractice and Wrongful Death
Attorney Brian P. Murphy has dedicated his practice to protecting the safety and rights of residents in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey nursing homes. Your loved one should not fear that nursing home negligence will result in illness or injury, especially to the extent of causing wrongful death. Attorney Brian Murphy is experienced in fighting negligent nursing homes in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. As a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, he holds Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes accountable for all types of nursing home malpractice. Should you need to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.
