Patients who are severely disabled basically place their lives in the hands of their caregivers. Illinois residents may be interested in learning about a home health agency that is being accused of nursing negligence. A family filed a lawsuit for $50 million after one of its members died following a mobile home fire.
According to reports, a disabled man was in his mobile home with his roommate when the home went up in flames. Due to his disability, he could not get out in time. The family of the deceased man claims that if the nurse would have been in the home as she was expected to be, he could have survived. In order for him to stay in his home, his family had hired the services of Heart Home Health so that he could receive care around the clock.
According to the lawsuit, the nurse was unable to make it that night because she had a family emergency. The agency failed to provide a back-up nurse and also refused to allow the nurse who was already in the home to stay and work a double shift. The man’s grandfather said that the home health agency’s negligence is what caused the death.
The failure of nursing agencies to provide appropriate care can ultimately result in death. In this case, the man may have survived if the home health agency would have made sure a nurse was present. Unfortunately, there are many families who are faced with these types of tragedies, but there is legal recourse available. Surviving family members in Illinois retain the right to file wrongful death claims if any act of nursing negligence caused their loved one’s death.
Source: wavy.com, “Va. Beach family files $50M wrongful death lawsuit”, Stephanie Harris, April. 13, 2015
