California Nursing Home Fined $ 100,0000.00 Penalty for Resident’s Death

Written by Adam Peck Category: Elder Law January 26th, 2013 2 min read

In early 2008, a resident was admitted to the Los Angeles nursing home in order to rehabilitate a fractured hip. The 84 year old resident died following the misplacement of a feeding tube. At the time the resident was admitted to the nursing home, he was noted as having no swallowing or chewing problems. After some weight loss, his doctor ordered feedings via nasogastric tube.

In what turned out to be a fatal mistake, staff inserted the tube through the residents nose, and it placed in the residents lung instead of stomach. Once feedings began, the lungs filled with the feeding materials that were meant to go to the stomach, making him sick at once. He succumbed to aspiration pneumonia three days later.

Hancock Park Rehabilitation, the facility where the incident took place, did not follow established protocols for inserting the tube, and did not check to make certain it was properly placed in the stomach, according to the report from the Department of Public Health. When the 84 year old patient was rushed to a hospital emergency room, it was revealed by a chest x-ray that the tube extended in to the lungs instead of the abdomen.

This isn’t the first time Hancock Park Rehabilitation Center has received violations. The facility has a history of prior incidents, and in 2006 and 2008 received multiple violations related to improper care of patients.

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Written by Adam Peck

Expertise: Personal Injury

Adam J. Peck, ESQ is a principal with Peck Law Group, APC. In 2008, Mr. Adam Peck received his Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. His practice is primarily dedicated to representing Elders, Dependent Adults, along with their loved ones and family members, who have suffered horrific personal injuries.