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TN Nursing Home Faces $35M Wrongful Death Suit
November 17 , 2008
The family of Robert A. Young, a 33-year old cerebral palsy patient, recently filed a $35 million wrongful death suit after discovering that the nursing home that cared for him lied about, and likely played a role in, his death. The suit alleges that Young died as a result of nursing home abuse.
According to attorneys representing Young's family, the staff at the Health Care Center at Standifer Place (located in Chattanooga, TN) knowingly lied to Young's family when they told family members that Young was doing well, despite the fact that he had already died.
Nursing Home Staff Allegedly Lied About Death
According to the lawsuit, the nursing home staff gave false reports about Young's wellbeing for over a month after he had passed away. At the time of his death, Young was under the care of both the Health Care facility and the Tennessee Adult Protective Services.
The Health Care Center at Standifer Place is a privately owned and operated long-term care facility that provides the following care:
• Hospice
• Various therapies
• Live-in care facilities for the elderly and those with chronic illnesses
Circumstances Surrounding Young's Death
While an official autopsy will be performed on Young's exhumed body any day now, the stated cause of Young's death is a head injury.
At the time of his death, Young was receiving treatment at a local hospital for epilepsy and fever (rather than the nursing home responsible for his care). During this treatment, the hospital's doctors found that Young was bleeding internally. Internal bleeding is a serious, life-threatening condition that neither epilepsy nor high temperatures can cause.
Lawsuit Claims Man Did Not Die of Natural Causes
Given the head injury and the internal bleeding, it is clear that the causes of Young's death were not natural. Consequently, the family and their lawyers are expecting that the impending autopsy will determine that Young's death was the result of a homicide.
Although the autopsy's results have yet to be examined, this lawsuit against the nursing home includes damages not only for wrongful death but also for a number of other charges, including:
• battery
• fraud
• emotional distress
• malpractice
• violation of the Tennessee Adult Protection Act
Young's family hasn't indicated whether they will pursue a criminal case if results of the autopsy reveal homicide was involved.
Despite the evidence, representatives for the Health Care Center Nursing Home continue to affirm that Young's death was natural and that their staff in no way contributed to it. They have yet to comment on the staff's role in lying about Young's death.
(Source: Tennessee Law Blog)
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