Wagner Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Stockton is facing two nursing home lawsuits alleging wrongful death, elder abuse and neglect. According to a report in the Stockton Record, the wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Orange County Superior Court by the son of Robert Lampkins, who died August 15, 2015, alleging that the nursing home knowingly withheld care to the elderly man who was suffering from severe bed sores that had become infected and ultimately caused his death.
Severe Pressure Sores
The lawsuit stated that the injuries Lampkins suffered were the direct result of the nursing home’s neglect and failure to care for him. When Lampkins’s condition worsened toward the end, he was transported to a hospital emergency room. That is where his family and physician first learned that he was suffering from an infected Stage IV pressure ulcer near his tailbone.
Such a bedsore occurs when a person is immobile for long periods of time. Standard practice in nursing homes calls for staff to reposition patients every two hours, particularly those who cannot move by themselves. Another lawsuit was filed by former resident Kenneth G. Burt who also developed Stage III pressure ulcers on his lower back and buttocks. Burt’s lawsuit against the nursing home alleges elder abuse, negligence and violation of residents’ rights.
Understaffed and Profit Oriented
As California nursing home abuse attorneys who represent the rights of neglected and abused patients, we know that a majority of these tragic incidents occur because nursing homes choose to keep their facilities understaffed. We understand that nursing homes are businesses and that they need to make money. What we don’t understand and don’t accept is the manner in which these facilities violate the rights of vulnerable residents and subject them to neglect and abuse in order to protect or boost profits.
If you or a loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home, it is important to understand you have rights. First, complain to the nursing home administration and get it on the record. If your complaints are not heard, file a complaint with the California Department of Public Health. Contact an experienced nursing home lawyer who will fight for your rights and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable.