Posted in Nursing Home Negligence,Personal Injury on October 29, 2014
Extendicare Health Services is one of the largest nursing home operators in North America. In the United States, Extendicare has 156 nursing home facilities that can accommodate up to 15,000 seniors. However, according to one recent news post, Extendicare agreed to pay out one of the largest settlements ever in the industry.
Evidently, the federal government brought suit against Extendicare, alleging that the company was fraudulently billing for its Medicare services as well as providing a sub-standard quality of care to its residents. An Assistant Attorney General told reporters that “The investigation identified many disturbing examples of falls, fractures and head injuries to residents, often unnoticed by the staff for hours, as well as malnutrition, dehydration, pressure ulcers and infections.”
The claims were focused on 33 nursing homes in eight states, including Washington, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
The suit brought by the federal government had two separate types of claims. The first were claims alleging that Extendicare was fraudulently billing for services provided to Medicare patients. The second and larger set of claims alleged that Extendicare was not providing the proper level of care to its residents. This includes allegations that the company was not hiring and staffing enough skilled nurses to accommodate the patient load, and also claims that there was insufficient training for those nurses who were hired.
The final settlement that was agreed upon was for $38 million. Of that total amount, $10 million is to be set aside to resolve the false billing issues, and another $28 million is to be paid to the federal and state governments that have been paying Extendicare for its services.
How This Suit May Affect Individuals
You will notice that this claim does not involve individual litigants who were either harmed themselves or had loved ones harmed as a result of Extendicare’s inadequate staffing procedures. However, this kind of case can go a long way to help individuals who are considering bringing their own suits against Extendicare for similar claims, since the issue has already been litigated and much of the evidence showing Extendicare’s practices has come to light.
However, since the case was settled, potential plaintiffs cannot rely solely on the outcome of this specific case. A dedicated nursing home negligence attorney can help walk you through the specifics of what this case means to you, as a potential nursing home negligence plaintiff.
Do You Have a Loved One in a Tennessee Nursing Home?
If you have a loved one in any Tennessee nursing home whom you believe is not receiving the proper level of care, the nursing home may be liable to you or your loved one for its negligence. All too often, nursing homes cut corners due to high volume and thinning profit margins. However, cutting corners in this industry means compromised resident safety, and that is not acceptable. To speak to a skilled and dedicated nursing home attorney, call 615-200-1111 today to set up a free initial consultation.
See Related Blog Posts:
Bartlett Police Officer May Be Responsible for Fatal Tennessee Accident, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published October 22, 2014.
New Analytical Tool Helps Law Enforcement Predict Where Accidents Will Occur, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published September 18, 2014.
