Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog
In a truly disturbing story out of Chicago earlier this month, a nursing home is being sued after a procedure conducted on one of its patients revealed a condom inside the patient’s stomach. According to a report by CBS Chicago, the patient was a resident at Westchester Health And Rehabilitation Center between January 2010 and June 2012. At some point in June 2012, the patient was taken to Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital with gastrointestinal bleeding and low hemoglobin levels.
Upon conducting the required procedure, the doctor noticed something strange in the patient’s stomach. According to the doctor’s own description, “it look liked it was a condom and it was about 6 to 7 inches long with hardened material inside.”
The patient was bedridden and nonverbal at the time of the procedure, and had been so of some time before as well. He underwent the same procedure back in 2010, so the condom must have entered the man’s body sometime between January 2010 and June 2012. A loved one of the patient brought a lawsuit against both the nursing home as well as the hospital, because the man had been admitted to the hospital 14 times over the course of the two year period and it was possible it could have occurred at the hospital.
The man’s loved one is seeking $50,000 plus the costs of all legal fees. While CBS contacted the hospital and the nursing home, neither offered any response to the pending litigation.
Sexual Assault in Nursing Homes
Unfortunately, sexual assault in nursing homes is a reality across the county. Due to the vulnerability of the population and the infrequent access many residents have with the outside world, opportunistic nurses can act with perceived impunity in many situations.
When these offenders do get caught, however, the law acts diligently to pursue justice. Not only will sexual offenders in nursing homes face criminal charges exposing them to fines and potential jail time, they can also face civil lawsuits for damages based on the injuries—both physical and emotional—they inflicted upon their victims.
No one needs to accept any kind of behavior that qualifies as abuse or neglect from nursing home staff, regardless of what they tell you. There are people out there who can help you seek justice.
Have You Been Victimized By Nursing Home Staff Members?
If you or a loved one has recently been the victim of nursing home sexual abuse, or any other kind of nursing home abuse, you should speak to a Maryland nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be entitled to monetary damage for the injuries you have sustained or, in the case of a loss of a loved one, for the loss you have suffered. The dedicated personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers has a team of experienced lawyers ready to work on any type of Maryland personal injury action. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 to get in touch with an attorney today.
See More Blog Posts:
Nursing Home Pays Out $3.3 Million in Negligence Suit, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published June 3, 2014.
Male Nurse Pleads Not Guilty to Mistreating a Patient, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, publishedJune 24, 2014.