Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog
An Iowa nursing home is now facing licensing and other sanctions arising out of an incident of sexual abuse of a resident.
Additionally, the Iowa Board of Nursing Home Administrators is alleging that the former administrator is guilty of professional incompetence.
The various allegations stem from the Board finding that the home and its administrator should have known that one of the residents posed a threat to the other residents, and that it further failed to take necessary precautions in order to prevent anything from occurring. A hearing is scheduled to take place in October.
According to reports, the case is unusual in that the Board rarely takes action against individual administrators for abuse or neglect in the homes that they manage.
According to state inspection reports, several employees of the home were warned not to tell anyone that sex offenders were living within the home, or they would be fired.
One individual in particular had been living in the Iowa Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders just prior to his stay in the Iowa nursing home. He was reportedly there due to convictions in four separate cases, being accused of lascivious acts with a child, indecent contact with a child, and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.
In August of 2011, a young girl who was visiting the home reported seeing the man abusing an elderly woman in her bed, as she called out “No, no, no!” The elderly woman’s family is now suing the nursing home for both admitting the man, and for then failing to take requisite steps to protect the woman and other residents. The family also claims the State is eligible for various safety plan failings.
Following the alleged assault, the state board fined the home $10,000. A civil trial is now scheduled for October, after several delays. According to reports, the man who committed the sexual assault was not the only sex offender living in the home at the time of the alleged assault.
If you suspect that an elderly friend or relative living in a nursing home or assisted living facility within the Maryland or the Washington D.C. areas might be suffering from nursing home neglect or abuse, there is a good chance that others within the home may be suffering from abuse as well. Abuse in nursing homes is rarely an isolated incident, and may be representative of a system-wide issue. Contact the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen immediately. We can help assess the situation, and advise you regarding how to best proceed with the potential claim. Our attorneys have many years of experience helping people in Maryland obtain redress for suffering caused by negligent care or abuse within nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Contact us today in order to schedule your complimentary and confidential initial consultation. You can reach us by calling (800) 654-1949 or contact us through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Connecticut Supreme Court Decision Severely Limits Nursing Home Lawsuit Damages, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published June 14, 2013
Nursing Home Abuse More Widespread Than You Might Think, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published June 7, 2013