A man in another state died in a nursing home, and his surviving wife claims it was due to the negligence of the facility. She has filed a lawsuit against the home, alleging nursing home neglect. Those in New Mexico who lose a loved one due to a nursing home’s failure to prevent falls, or other neglect or abuse, may choose to seek full financial accountability from the nursing home.
According to the woman’s lawsuit, her husband was placed in a nursing home with a high risk of falling due to his condition. However, the nursing home had a reportedly inadequate fall protection system. The woman alleges that, as a result, her husband struck his head and later died.
The plaintiff asserts that the nursing home did not properly train its nursing staff to implement policies and procedures to help patients at risk of falling. The home is also accused of not hiring competent staff to care for patients. She alleges both wrongful death and negligence in her suit.
The woman seeks a jury trial as well as a damage amount that will sufficiently compensate for her deceased husband’s wrongful death and injuries. She is also seeking punitive damages, which could be awarded in cases involving egregious fault. A monetary award may help to cover burial costs, the loss of support and other related losses resulting from the nursing home’s carelessness. A preponderance of the evidence is necessary to establish liability in a nursing home neglect case in the state of New Mexico.
Source: wvrecord.com, “Surviving spouse blames nursing home facility for husband’s death“, Philip Gonzales, Dec. 29, 2016