Manorcare Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit Filed Over Resident’s Death

A West Virginia woman has filed a lawsuit against HCR Manorcare for nursing home neglect, alleging that one of the nursing home chain’s facilities let a relative’s health deteriorate due to poor care. 

The nursing home wrongful death lawsuit was filed by Angela Black on March 28 in Kanawha Circuit Court in West Virginia. The complaint names HCR Manor Care Services and a number of other defendants.

According to the lawsuit, Black’s relative, Arcel Rose, died in March 2009 after his health deteriorated while being cared for by Manorcare. As a result of neglect, the family alleges that Rose suffered from nursing home dehydration and malnutrition, untreated bedsores and nursing home infections. The problems caused Rose to suffer mental and physical trauma and, eventually, death.

The lawsuit seeks damages for pain and suffering, loss of personal dignity, degradation, medical expenses, disfigurement and mental anguish, as well as punitive damages, according to a report by The West Virginia Record.

There are more than 500 Manor Care nursing homes in 32 states throughout the country, with almost 60,000 workers.

Pressure ulcers or bedsores occur as a result of a lack of blood flow to an area of the skin caused by prolonged pressure on one area of the body. They most often develop in places with prominent bones beneath thin layers of skin, such as the heels, elbows and tailbone. The open sores often afflict nursing home residents and hospital patients with limited mobility who have trouble, or are unable, to move independently.

Most medical organizations consider bed sores to be a preventable condition that are easily treated if detected early through proper diligence on the part of medical staff and care providers. Failure to prevent, identify, or properly treat bedsores can result in life-threatening infections that enter the bloodstream, known as sepsis.