In an emotionally charged situation, it can be difficult to objectively assess the condition of a loved one in the care of medical professionals. Melissa Jude found herself in this situation less than a year ago, when her mother, Maxine Jude, became a resident of Raleigh Center in Daniels, West Virginia. Over a period of six months, from April 2014 to September 2014, Maxine Jude suffered from falls, pressure sores, pneumonia, a urinary tract infection, and weight loss, ultimately resulting in her death. In the months following her death, Maxine’s daughter sought counsel and filed a complaint on October 7 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Genesis Healthcare, the owner of Raleigh Center. On the same day, Sandra Loftis filed a lawsuit in Kanawha Circuit Court as a personal representative of her sister’s (Wilma Mae Mobley’s) estate. Wilma Mae Mobley was a resident of Oak Ridge Center in Charleston, WV for four days in October of 2012. During that time, the complaint alleges that she suffered a fall, a urinary tract infection, and aspiration pneumonia, and that these injuries contributed to her death. Oak Ridge Center is also owned and operated by Genesis Healthcare.
Big business
As of 2012, Genesis Healthcare is listed as a privately held company that operates more than 200 facilities throughout 13 eastern states and employs more than 50,000 people. Genesis also supplies rehabilitation therapy to more than 1,100 healthcare providers in 35 states and the District of Columbia. It is a big business. Both complaints, filed on the same day by unrelated parties, allege that the defendants were aware of “systematic problems” with patient care due to budgetary restrictions that caused staffing issues. According to the Genesis Healthcare website, both Raleigh Center and Oak Ridge Center are open and accepting new patients and both listings imply a high standard of professional medical care. Melissa Jude’s complaint also accuses the defendants of corporate negligence, negligence, nursing home violations, medical malpractice, and fraud among other charges. Sandra Loftis’ complaint accuses the defendants of statutory violations in failing to provide sufficient staff, and thus adequate care to its residents, negligence, reckless misconduct and wrongful death. It is unfortunate that large companies operate with an eye for the bottom line as opposed to the well-being of their clients, but cases like these make use of the justice system to bring negligent practices to light. It is important to be make informed decisions in difficult circumstances, and to know the signs and symptoms of nursing home abuse and neglect before they occur, including:-
- Unexplained injuries
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- Bedsores
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- Physical or emotional changes, including weight change or depression
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- Unresponsiveness
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- Poor hygiene