When one of the lead attorneys in a $22 million dollar wrongful death lawsuit against Beverly Health and Rehabilitation center spoke at a small gathering in Lexington, Kentucky, he did not expect to be challenged. After all, he was the expert, and had proven to a jury that nursing home neglect was responsible for the premature death of 82-year-old Loren Richards in March of 2002, so when he spoke on the condition of nursing homes in Kentucky, he did not expect to be challenged.
The attorney called nursing homes a “failed experiment,” because the system puts profit over the physical and emotional health of residents. He says that because they are run by businessmen, and not by doctors and nurses, they inevitably become good at making money, but poor at taking care of people.
However, a member of the audience charged that this was not so in Kentucky, which has much better nursing home care than most other states. The statement was based on the fact that while, on average, states cite one in four nursing homes each year for serious deficiencies that caused “actual harm” or “immediate jeopardy” to residents, but Kentucky only cites one in ten.
However, the question is, why would this be so? According to advocates for nursing home residents and the attorney, the decreased rate of citations is most likely due to lax inspections rather than actual improved conditions at the nursing homes.
But why would the government decrease its inspection protocols with regard to nursing homes? To give the appearance of improved conditions, an appearance that Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher is banking on as he runs for re-election.
Although nursing homes are ostensibly a tightly-regulated industry, if the government and the industry work together, who can protect the residents who are in a nursing home because they are unable in many ways to help themselves?
In these cases, your only recourse is a nursing home abuse attorney who is prepared to investigate thoroughly and hold the nursing homes accountable to full extent of the law. If you or someone you love is a victim of nursing home abuse, contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at the Law Firm of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. serving clients in Chicago, Illinois, Rockford, Aurora, and surrounding areas, today and start seeking justice.
