When a loved one ends up dying in a Pennsylvania nursing home due to neglect on the part of the facility, this is grounds for a civil lawsuit. In an out-of-state case, the loved ones of a woman, 85, who passed away at a nursing home have filed a lawsuit against the establishment, alleging nursing home neglect. The family said the woman's daughter-in-law produced video showing that the nursing home staff had ignored the woman's cries for over an hour.
The family said the records maintained by the nurses at the nursing home are in conflict with the video footage that the daughter-in-law shot. Although the records show that the nursing home resident was not suffering from pain, the video shows the woman screaming and moaning in pain. The woman, according to the video, was also reportedly crying for help to go to the restroom, and even though her alarm bell sounded, no staff member came to help her.
The woman died 30 hours following the shooting of the video. The family said the nursing home's negligence caused the elderly woman's death, and they are planning to seek $30 million in damages. However, the nursing home said it has a reputation for providing good care and said it is currently complying with all health care regulations at the federal and state levels.
Family members of nursing home residents in Pennsylvania can find comfort in the fact that nursing homes may be held liable if their negligence causes injury or death to their residents. In a case of alleged nursing home neglect leading to a person's death, the surviving members of the deceased individual have the right to file a suit, seeking damages. Although a monetary award will not restore the life of the deceased family member, it may help to bring closure to such a tragic case.