Estate of deceased nursing home resident wins $20 million verdict

By Daniel Hawn

Published on May 25, 2006

According to the lawsuit, in March 2002 Lauren Richards, 84, was suffering from an impacted bowel as he lay dying on his bed at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation of Frankfort. The lawsuit claimed that he cried out for the nurses to help him but was provided no immediate response. Richards eventually suffered a fatal heart attack.

The lawsuit alleged that the nursing home’s employees were negligent for failing to heed Richards’ cries for help. It also claimed that the facility was understaffed because of personnel cutbacks designed to reduce expenses and boost company stock prices.

Richards’ daughter, Wanda Delaplane, filed the lawsuit as head of Richards’ estate. Although the jury's award was much smaller than the amount she originally sought, which was up to $159 million, Delaplane said she hopes the verdict will serve as a warning to other nursing homes not to compromise patient care.

Attorneys who represented the nursing home provided no comment as they exited the court.

Beverly Enterprises Inc., the nursing home’s operator, runs facilities in 23 states across the country. Over the last few years, it has paid out millions in wrongful death suits involving its other centers.

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