World War II Veteran Dies in Nursing Home After a Delay in Medical Care

 Posted on May 30, 2019 in Neglect

Veterans risked their lives to protect the freedoms that we enjoy every day. Sadly, many veterans are not receiving the compassionate and competent care they deserve. Nursing homes across the country are understaffed and staffed by employees who are not adequately trained. Tragically, thousands of nursing home residents, many of whom are veterans, die because of negligent or understaffed nursing homes.

Blind Nursing Home Resident with Dementia Passes Away After a Head Injury

Lawmakers in Iowa are now questioning the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about a nursing home resident’s unexpected death in a Veterans Affairs nursing home. In December of last year, a 91-year-old World War II veteran passed away after a suffering massive head injury in a VA facility. The man, who is legally blind and suffers from dementia, had been removed from one-on-one supervision at the nursing home prior to his fatal fall.

According to medical records, the man frequently wandered around the facility and into other residents' rooms. While wandering unsupervised, he tipped his wheelchair over backwards and hit his head causing a brain bleed. Surveillance video and medical records show that the nursing home staff did not report the incident for 40 minutes after the elderly man hit his head. They then waited over two hours before taking him to the emergency room. The man suffered for five hours total before being transferred to a trauma hospital. He tragically passed away from the head injury two days later. Family members of the deceased as well as lawmakers are demanding an explanation as to why medical treatment was so delayed.

Allegations of Neglect and Abuse in VA Nursing Homes

This is certainly not the first time a VA nursing home has been accused of causing the death of a patient through neglect. The quality of care residents receive at VA hospitals and nursing homes has come into question frequently in recent years. For decades, official VA nursing home quality ratings were kept hidden from the public. The agency released these details after pressure from many sources, including the media. It was then made public that almost half of VA nursing homes nationwide were ranked one out of five stars in terms of safety and care. This dismal statistic and other information about the quality of care nursing home residents are receiving has caught the attention of residents’ loved ones and lawmakers alike.

Speak With a Cook County Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered due to poor care in a nursing home or other long-term care facility, contact the skilled Chicago nursing home injury lawyers at Schwartz Injury Law. Schedule a free consultation by calling us at 312-535-4625.

Sources:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/17/secret-va-nursing-home-ratings-hide-poor-quality-care/674829002/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/17/veterans-affairs-nursing-home-death-lawmaker-wants-answers/3693551002/