Death of Nursing Home Resident Due to Dishwashing Soap:
In a stunning incidence of nursing home malpractice that ultimately resulted in the wrongful death of one elderly resident, three California nursing home residents were hospitalized after being served dishwashing liquid instead of juice, says a recent CNN article.
In conjunction with the California Department of Social Services Ombudsman, the San Mateo Police Department has opened an investigation into the incident, which occurred late August at Atria Park, a San Mateo assisted living facility. Police had originally responded to a report that a poisoning had taken place at the assisted living facility, which occurred as a result of residents being served dishwashing liquid as a beverage. One of the three residents, a 93-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Atria Park’s parent company, Atria Senior Living, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased woman and called the incident a mistake in its statement to CNN. While complying with the police investigation, Atria is conducting its own internal investigation and has meanwhile suspended an undisclosed number of employees involved in the incident.
While the investigations are being conducted, it is possible only to speculate as to what led to the death of nursing home resident due to dishwashing soap poisoning; even if the incident were the result of a mistake, whatever factors that contributed to such a mistake equate to the kind of negligence that amounts to nursing home malpractice. Nursing home mistakes often come as a result of understaffing in facilities. If overwhelmed, even well-intended nursing home workers neglect the patients in their care, subjecting them to injuries that can lead to nursing home wrongful death and warrant the involvement of a wrongful death attorney. Such injuries can include the following:
- Nursing home falls
- Medication errors
- Nursing home malnutrition
- Nursing home dehydration
- Bed sores
- Nursing home infections
An abc7 News report reveals that Atria Park had been the subject of at least nine nursing home malpractice investigations since 2017. According to the article, records from the California Department of Social Services indicate that 12 complaints had been made against the facility prior to this latest incident. A few of the allegations of nursing home malpractice include the following:
- A resident who sustained multiple unexplained injuries: Nursing homes that neglect to provide residents with the necessary care, treatment, and supervision to avoid injuries can be held accountable for nursing home malpractice. Some serious injuries can lead to death, necessitating the involvement of a wrongful death attorney.
- Staff failing to meet medical needs, to transport residents to appointments, or to give medications as prescribed: Nursing homes must ensure residents receive the care and treatment they need. Neglecting these needs, or committing medication errors, are incidents of nursing home malpractice. When medical errors result in nursing home death, families are within their rights to contact a wrongful death attorney.
- Illegally evicting a resident- Nursing home residents have the right to remain in the nursing home unless the conditions for a valid transfer or discharge are met. Nursing homes that do not respect such rights of residents commit nursing home malpractice.
Protecting Your Loved One from Gross Negligence, Elder Abuse, and Wrongful Death
As a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian P. Murphy is committed to fighting for the health and safety of Philadelphia/PA and NJ nursing home residents. As a resident of a Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing home, your loved one should be confident that his or her rights, protected under federal law, will be respected, not the least of which include the right to live without being subjected to nursing home abuse/neglect. Brian Murphy has years of experience as a wrongful death attorney fighting negligent nursing homes and is committed to successfully resolving his clients’ cases. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.
