$1.25 Million Settlement Reached in Nursing Home Negligence Case

A Georgia jury recently reached a guilty verdict in a nursing home negligence case brought against Tucker Nursing Home.  The facility had been charged with neglect of one of its patients, resulting in pressure sores and other serious injuries.

The daughter of Melvin Raybon, now deceased from unrelated causes, filed suit against the facility on her father’s behalf.  Her complaint alleges that her father did not receive adequate attention and care when staying at the facility, and as a result, he suffered from severe, painful bedsores.

Bedsores, sometimes referred to as pressure sores, are usually caused by prolonged pressure on one area of the body.  This often occurs when a patient is left to lie in one position for long periods of time.  The pressure restricts the skin’s blood flow, causing the tissue to eventually break down.  To avoid this, bedridden patients should be turned frequently to ensure that they not remain in the same position for too long.

The lawsuit alleges that due to inadequate staffing levels, Mr. Raybon was not properly attended to and was only turned every four hours, as opposed to every two hours which is required to avoid the development of sores.

As a result, Raybon suffered from the painful sores over the remaining 12 months of his life.

The jury ruled against the facility, awarding a $1.25 million nursing home negligence settlement to Raybon’s surviving family.