Nine different nursing home employees are facing charges relating to the unfortunate death of an allegedly neglected nursing home patient. The patient was 72 years of age at the time of his death in 2012. The accused individuals, in this case, chose to plead not guilty on all the charges relating to the criminal nursing home neglect that prosecutors say caused the man’s death. Even though the nursing home that has become the focus of this case is not located in New Mexico, nursing home neglect and abuse cases have become a continuing theme in the United States.
According to authorities, the nursing home neglect committed by the care facility’s employees was so extreme that it was criminal. Officials hope that the criminal prosecution of the nursing home staff members will serve as a warning to other nursing homes that this kind of negligence and neglect is unacceptable. More specifically, those who abuse and neglect the elderly will face prosecution and the threat of serious punishment.
Prosecutors allege that the man died because the nursing staff ignored a beeping alarm for two hours. The alarm was telling staff that their patient was in trouble, yet no one did anything to help him. Prosecutors have also accused the nursing home staff of later lying to cover up their negligence.
As with any nursing home in the United States, nursing homes in New Mexico must adhere to specific safety standards and codes. In the unfortunate instance that a nursing home and its staff fail to carry out their responsibilities in this regard, and a patient is injured or dies as a result, injured patients and their families might want to try pursuing a personal injury claim. In such a nursing home neglect case, patient medical records, in-house surveillance camera footage, and other information may be necessary before legal review can be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
Source: NBC New York, “Nine Arraigned in Death of 72-Year-Old Nursing Home Resident“, June 5, 2014
