Jury Awards Family $1.2 M in Nursing Home Abuse Case

According to this case, Doris Racher and her two sisters installed cameras into their mother, Eryetha Mayberry’s room at the Quail Creek Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center after they suspected someone at the nursing home of stealing from her. The video revealed that nursing home employees Lucy Waithira Gakunga and Caroline Kaseke forced Mayberry to lie down by pushing on her head and preventing her breathing. Gakunga was also shown shoving latex gloves into Mayberry’s mouth while Kaseke watched.
A lawsuit was filed against Quail Creek Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center for the abuse and the case went to federal court and the judge announced the verdict on February 13. Mayberry passed away in July 2012, a few months after the video was released. Gakunga and Kaseke were fired and now face criminal charges. The jury found the nursing home guilty of negligence and abuse.

The family stated that, “All in the memory of our mother. All of us fought hard and are just happy that now we can relax a little bit, and mother’s probably smiling. I’m so grateful for the outcome, because we told the truth and the truth always prevails.” Cases just like this one occur all too often in nursing homes all across the United States and even right here in Tennessee. It is crucial that if you have a loved one or someone you care about in a nursing home that you visit them as often as possible. If you notice that your loved one has bruises, cuts, marks, or any other injuries you should notify the nursing home staff right away. It is also recommended that you talk with the staff or the director of the nursing home about their training procedures and what they do to prevent injuries or neglect. These are simple things you can do to help prevent abuse or neglect.

When Tennessee residents and people all across the country have to make the difficult decision to place their loved ones in the care of a elder care home, they want to be sure that their loved one will be properly cared for. Unfortunately, bad nursing homes don’t have enough employees and do not offer what staff they do have proper training. This often leads to residents being abused or neglected. If you have seen bruises or injuries on your elderly loved one or suspect that abuse or neglect has occurred, it is important that you speak to a Tennessee nursing home neglect or abuse lawyer as soon as possible. They will listen to your case and work with you to make sure you get the compensation you deserve for what you and your family have been through.  If you think that your loved one has been the victim of abuse or neglect and you have reported it to the nursing home and nothing has been done, then you should contact one of our caring and knowledgeable Tennessee nursing home malpractice attorneys with the Higgins Firm. We care about our clients and will listen to your case. We will proceed on your behalf to see to it that you get the financial compensation you are entitled to for what you and your loved ones have suffered.
Contact us online or call 800.705.2121 for your free consultation to discuss your legal needs and options.