New Jersey Nursing Homes Archives | The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/category/new-jersey-nursing-homes/ Protecting the Rights of the Elderly Thu, 19 Sep 2024 20:25:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/cropped-Screen-Shot-2021-01-17-at-10.02.02-PM-32x32.png New Jersey Nursing Homes Archives | The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/category/new-jersey-nursing-homes/ 32 32 Two New Jersey Nursing Home Workers Tied an Elderly Woman in Their Care to a Recliner with a Bed Sheet, says Attorney General https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/two-new-jersey-nursing-home-workers-tied-an-elderly-woman-in-their-care-to-a-recliner-with-a-bed-sheet-says-attorney-general/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 20:25:47 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5524 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Elderly Resident Tied to Her Recliner With a Bedsheet by Two New Jersey Nursing Home Workers, says Attorney General Two employees of a New Jersey nursing home have been named in a 10-count indictment accusing them of assaulting a 93-year-old woman they were meant to be caring for at the home, says a Patch.com article. […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

Elderly Resident Tied to Her Recliner With a Bedsheet by Two New Jersey Nursing Home Workers, says Attorney General

Two employees of a New Jersey nursing home have been named in a 10-count indictment accusing them of assaulting a 93-year-old woman they were meant to be caring for at the home, says a Patch.com article.

As announced by the state attorney general’s office in July, Maria Alcantara, 53, and Joseph Robles, 23, both workers at Alcoeur Gardens, a memory care facility in Toms River, are charged with tying the elderly resident to a recliner with a bed sheet in mid-January and then not checking on her, according to court documents. Beyond this charge of blatant nursing home malpractice, Alcantara and Robles are accused of creating false records saying they checked on her every 30 minutes when they neglected to do so, according to state investigators.

This sort of falsification of records is a lesser known type of nursing home malpractice called false charting. Nursing home workers engage in false charting for the purpose of concealing mistakes and hiding neglect. False charting unfortunately enables workers to engage in prolonged poor care, endangering the health and well-being of residents. This particular type of nursing home malpractice can have the following negative impact on vulnerable elderly residents:

  • the neglect and worsening of illnesses
  • nursing home falls and injuries
  • in extreme cases, death, requiring the involvement of a wrongful death attorney

The nursing home malpractice charges against Alcantara and Robles were made following an investigation by the Office of Insurance Fraud Prevention’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. In total, the accused employees have been jointly charged with ten counts of nursing home malpractice, including:

  • two counts of neglect
  • two counts of criminal restraint
  • two counts of assault on an institutionalized or elderly person
  • two counts of endangering an elderly person
  • one count each of destruction, falsification, or alteration of medical records

According to the article, both Alcantara and Robles have pleaded not guilty.

“When we place our loved ones in the care of others, we rightfully expect that they will be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity,” said Attorney General Matthew Platkin. “We have a duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and we will advocate for them and prosecute those who exploit and mistreat vulnerable members of our society.”

Fighting Against Elder Abuse, Substandard Care, and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy strives to uphold the safety and the rights of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey nursing home residents. Your loved one living in a Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home should be protected from assault and from any dangerous circumstance caused by false charting or any sort of nursing home malpractice. As an experienced nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian Murphy holds accountable those Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes responsible for any sort of negligence and abuse. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today.

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New Jersey Nursing Home Worker Indicted for Assaulting Resident with Bleach Spray https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/new-jersey-nursing-home-worker-indicted-for-assaulting-resident-with-bleach-spray/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:24:04 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5519 The Nursing Home Attorneys

New Jersey Nursing Home Worker Indicted for Assaulting Resident with Bleach Spray New Jersey nursing home worker indicted by a grand jury for abuse of a patient after spraying an elderly resident with bleach, says a Patch.com article. According to the article, Simone Goldsboro, 34, a worker at Dwellside Care & Rehab in Cherry Hill, […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

New Jersey Nursing Home Worker Indicted for Assaulting Resident with Bleach Spray

New Jersey nursing home worker indicted by a grand jury for abuse of a patient after spraying an elderly resident with bleach, says a Patch.com article. According to the article, Simone Goldsboro, 34, a worker at Dwellside Care & Rehab in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, sprayed bleach on a female nursing home resident’s face and body, a shocking act of nursing home malpractice. Goldsboro furthermore “purposely or recklessly” caused bodily injury by pulling the resident’s hair and aggressively undressing her, said the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (OAG). Goldsboro was charged last August with aggravated assault for the incident of nursing home malpractice.

According to an affidavit referenced in the article, police received word that a Dwellside worker had reportedly been routinely assaulting a patient; they responded by meeting at the home with the aforementioned victim’s daughter, who claimed to have witnessed nursing home malpractice in the form of abuse against her mother. The daughter shared with the authorities a video recording she had made showing Goldsboro pulling her mother’s hair, yanking a shirt over her head and face, and using a spray bottle to spray a liquid—later determined to be bleach—directly onto the patient’s face and body.

This incident of nursing home malpractice illustrates classic physical nursing home abuse. Physical abuse occurs when a nursing home staff member (or even another nursing home resident) uses deliberate physical action against a nursing home resident. Common types of physical nursing home abuse involve hitting, shoving, kicking, hair pulling, and more. If your loved one lives in a nursing home, it is important to watch for signs of physical abuse, including unexplained bruises, burns, scratches, or bone fractures, or uncharacteristic displays of anger, depression, or violence. Unchecked nursing home abuse can lead to serious injury or even death, unfortunately requiring the intervention of a wrongful death attorney.

 Fighting Nursing Home Neglect, Elder Abuse, and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy is dedicated to ensuring negligent Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes be held responsible for incidents of nursing home malpractice. As an experienced nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian Murphy fights untiringly to uphold the rights and preserve the health and safety of Philadelphia/PA and NJ nursing home residents. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.

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Residents of Troubled New Jersey Nursing Home Endure Heat Wave with Little to No Air Conditioning https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/residents-of-troubled-new-jersey-nursing-home-endure-heat-wave-with-little-to-no-air-conditioning/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:53:28 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5538 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Heat Wave Endured on Residents of Troubled New Jersey Nursing Home with Little to No Air Conditioning  A poorly maintained heating and cooling system at Homestead Rehabilitation and Care Center in Newton, New Jersey, has twice threatened to expose fragile residents to an uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous, bout of nursing home malpractice. A June heat […]

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Heat Wave Endured on Residents of Troubled New Jersey Nursing Home with Little to No Air Conditioning 

A poorly maintained heating and cooling system at Homestead Rehabilitation and Care Center in Newton, New Jersey, has twice threatened to expose fragile residents to an uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous, bout of nursing home malpractice.

A June heat wave and a faulty air conditioning system in a New Jersey nursing home forced dozens of elderly long-term residents—including some with medical challenges and/or memory loss—out of overheated rooms in the facility, an NJ Spotlight News article reports. When temperatures soared well into the 90s earlier this summer, Homestead Rehabilitation and Care Center in Newton, New Jersey, struggled to keep indoor temperatures within safe limits and to avoid subjecting residents to a dangerous circumstance of nursing home malpractice.

“Summer heat waves are foreseeable,” said Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, leader of the state’s Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. “No nursing home should be operating with systems that cannot handle them.”

According to NJ Spotlight News, while upgrades were made to Homestead’s heating and cooling system on the building’s fourth floor—typically used for short-term residents undergoing rehabilitation after hospital stays—no similar upgrades were made for the lower floors where long-term residents live. Per the article, window-unit air conditioners were added to these floors only when the heat wave had gone on for days.

The article reported that Homestead residents have been subjected to similar issues of nursing home malpractice in the past. In December 2022, the furnace went out, and while outside temperatures plummeted into the teens, residents were told to remain in bed under the covers while wearing coats, hats and gloves. Nearly 24 hours passed before heat was restored.

“We are concerned that substandard infrastructure is an ongoing issue with this facility,” said Facciarossa Brewer of the persistent nursing home malpractice problems. “Residents have experienced issues with breakdowns related to heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, and yet we see no evidence that the management and ownership have committed to a long-term fix for the problems.”

Beyond difficulties with the heating and cooling system, Homestead also struggles with water pressure issues, which impacts residents’ ability to bathe and flush toilets. The water is furthermore frequently of questionable chlorination. While bottled water has been provided to address nursing home malpractice issues related to unsafe drinking water, it is uncertain what accommodations have been made for resident teeth-brushing.

Compounding the aforementioned nursing home malpractice problems, Homestead has also been recently fined by the state Health Department for multiple staffing violations between 2021 and 2023, which, said inspectors, potentially put residents at risk for “more than minimal harm.”

According to the article, Homestead is owned by 10 entities, a mix of limited liability corporations, and several individuals, including Benjamin Landa, a New York resident who has been charged with multiple abuse, neglect and other violations amounting to nursing home malpractice related to the New York nursing homes he operates.

Fighting Against, Substandard Care, Nursing Home Malpractice and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy strives to uphold the safety and rights of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey nursing home residents, safeguarding them from nursing home malpractice and wrongful death. Your loved one living in a Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home should not have to be concerned about the quality of the facility in which he or she resides, or about being subjected to any dangerous circumstance arising from nursing home malpractice. As an experienced nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian Murphy holds accountable those Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes responsible for any sort of negligence and abuse. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today.

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Tougher Sanctions Are Needed against New Jersey Nursing Homes that Repeatedly Put Residents at Risk, Says New Report https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/tougher-sanctions-are-needed-against-new-jersey-nursing-homes-that-repeatedly-put-residents-at-risk-says-new-report/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:58:54 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5513 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Tougher Sanctions Are Needed against New Jersey Nursing Homes that Repeatedly Put Residents at Risk, Says New Report New Jersey has failed at holding the worst nursing home operators accountable for repeatedly subjecting residents to nursing home malpractice, says NJ.com. The article cites a long-awaited report by the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

Tougher Sanctions Are Needed against New Jersey Nursing Homes that Repeatedly Put Residents at Risk, Says New Report

New Jersey has failed at holding the worst nursing home operators accountable for repeatedly subjecting residents to nursing home malpractice, says NJ.com. The article cites a long-awaited report by the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety, which calls for a sweeping transformation of the nursing home system in New Jersey.

Released in late May, the 74-page report called for tougher sanctions against nursing homes that repeatedly neglect to meet staffing and safety standards that safeguard against nursing home malpractice. The task force was created in 2020 to investigate what factors contributed to the shocking number of nursing home deaths in New Jersey during the pandemic—over 16,250 people through March 2022. The study concluded in August of last year, meaning 10 months elapsed before its findings became public.

Among its recommendations for the state’s nursing home industry—such as making facilities less like hospitals and more home-like, and making it easier for elderly citizens to receive support while staying in their own homes—the task force gave particular attention to those New Jersey nursing home operators recurrently cited for violations amounting to nursing home malpractice.

“There is a group of chronically poor performing facilities that consistently fail to provide high-quality, safe care, in some cases for many years,” said the report, which called for more resources to be dedicated to oversight and intervention. For operators guilty of such incidences of nursing home malpractice as violating the state’s minimum staffing law and other health and safety codes, the report suggested taking such actions as halting admissions, appointing a monitor, and imposing substantial fines.

This report comes on the heels of the March independent report on New Jersey’s response to the pandemic, which called the state’s nursing home response to Department of Health directives “inconsistent and confused,” allowing COVID-19 to run rampant in its nursing homes.

According to the article, another suggestion put forth in the report includes holding the nursing home industry more accountable for how it spends its money, and insisting on more detailed, verifiable, and transparent information about any person or entity that owns any part of a nursing home.

When nursing homes repeatedly fail to meet standards for staffing, health, and safety, it is the vulnerable residents who pay the price. Conditions are established that can lead to a host of issues equating to nursing home malpractice, including nursing home illnesses, injuries, and even death. If you’re concerned nursing home malpractice is occurring in your loved one’s nursing home don’t wait to contact a nursing home malpractice or a wrongful death attorney.

Advocating for Your Loved One against Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect, and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy is dedicated to protecting the safety and preserving the rights of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home residents. Your loved one living in a nursing home should not fear that their home’s negligence will result in illness or wrongful death. Attorney Brian Murphy has years of experience fighting negligent nursing homes in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. As a seasoned nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, he holds accountable the Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes responsible for elder abuse, neglect, and other types of nursing home malpractice. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.

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Most Pennsylvania and New Jersey Nursing Homes Fall Far Short of Impending Staffing Requirements, Says Analysis https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/most-pennsylvania-and-new-jersey-nursing-homes-fall-far-short-of-impending-staffing-requirements-says-analysis/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:44:11 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5515 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Staff Requirements are Falling Short for Most Pennsylvania and New Jersey Nursing Homes, Says Analysis In 2026, federal staffing minimums will be implemented in an effort to address staffing shortages that contribute to incidences of nursing home malpractice. Few facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are close to meeting these minimums, a new report finds. […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

Staff Requirements are Falling Short for Most Pennsylvania and New Jersey Nursing Homes, Says Analysis

In 2026, federal staffing minimums will be implemented in an effort to address staffing shortages that contribute to incidences of nursing home malpractice. Few facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are close to meeting these minimums, a new report finds.

The majority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes don’t meet the staffing requirements drafted under a new rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a Philly Voice article says. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, under 20 percent of Pennsylvania nursing homes and only 15 percent of New Jersey nursing homes meet certain staffing requirements due to take effect in 2026.

Following the pandemic, during which over 167,000 nursing home residents died, a severe drop in nursing home staff occurred. Subsequent reports of neglect, abuse, and nursing home malpractice followed. The CMS rule, proposed last year and released in finalized form in April, seeks to help resolve the low staffing that results in nursing home malpractice as well as tragic deadly incidents that require the intervention of a wrongful death attorney.

The finalized CMS rule will require a total nurse staffing standard of 3.48 hours per resident day (HPRD), which needs to include 0.55 HPRD for registered nurses and 2.45 HPRD for nurse aides. According to the Philly Voice article, the KFF analysis shows the following data related to Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes vis-à-vis the staffing requirements:

  • Pennsylvania – Only 18 percent of nursing homes currently provide the 2.45 HPRD from nurse aids, while 56 percent of homes meet the total nursing standard and under 70 percent meet the 0.55 HPRD for RNs.
  • New Jersey – In New Jersey, 19 percent of nursing homes meet the minimum 2.45 HPRD from nurse aides, while 55 percent meet the registered nurse staffing standards, and just over 50 percent meet the total nursing standard.

Low staffing in nursing homes interferes with workers’ and nurses’ ability to adequately perform tasks and give care to vulnerable nursing home residents, which equates to nursing home malpractice in the following forms:

If you are worried about staffing levels at your loved one’s nursing home, or if you suspect injuries, illnesses, or wrongful death has occurred as a result of poor nursing home staffing, don’t hesistate—contact a nursing home malpractice or wrongful death attorney right away.

Holding Nursing Homes Responsible for Poor Staffing Levels

Your loved one living in a Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing home should not need to tolerate circumstances of nursing home malpractice related to low staffing, especially those that compromise their health and safety or subject them to the possibility of wrongful death. As a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian P. Murphy is committed to fighting for the health and safety of Philadelphia/PA and NJ nursing home residents. With extensive experience as a wrongful death attorney fighting negligent nursing homes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Brian Murphy is committed to successfully resolving his clients’ nursing home malpractice cases. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.

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New Jersey Nursing Home Residents Sue for Negligence, Hardship, and Wrongful Death after Home Closes without Notice https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/new-jersey-nursing-home-residents-sue-for-negligence-hardship-and-wrongful-death-after-home-closes-without-notice/ Mon, 26 Aug 2024 15:07:22 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5516 The Nursing Home Attorneys

New Jersey Nursing Home Residents Sue for Negligence, Hardship, and Wrongful Death after Home Closes without Notice For months before the sudden shutdown, red flags about Princeton Care Center were apparent, including staffing shortages, unpaid bills, and poor ratings related to nursing home malpractice, Eleven lawsuits have been brought against a New Jersey nursing home, […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

New Jersey Nursing Home Residents Sue for Negligence, Hardship, and Wrongful Death after Home Closes without Notice

For months before the sudden shutdown, red flags about Princeton Care Center were apparent, including staffing shortages, unpaid bills, and poor ratings related to nursing home malpractice,

Eleven lawsuits have been brought against a New Jersey nursing home, all of which claim it illegally closed without proper notice, a NJ.com article reports. The lawsuits, brought by residents or their families, claim that the precipitous shuttering of doors at Princeton Care Center caused hardship and wrongful death, necessitating the securing of wrongful death attorneys and constituting a blatant act of nursing home malpractice.

In the state of New Jersey, the law dictates that a nursing home intending to close must submit a closure plan and give 60 days’ notice to residents. According to the article, the 72 residents of Princeton Care were given just hours of notice when Princeton Care announced it was closing last September. After the closure, says the article, the majority of the residents were placed in other nursing homes, where they promptly suffered mental deterioration trying to acclimate to new surroundings. Two of the residents died shortly after being relocated, unfortunately requiring their families to secure a wrongful death attorney.

The nursing home malpractice lawsuits against the home charge the facility’s owner, administrators, and health care providers with the following:

  • Negligence
  • Failure to safeguard residents
  • Deviating from accepted standards of long-term care
  • Failure to comply with federal and state regulations
  • Failure to return funds held in residents’ personal needs accounts

Regarding Princeton Care’s sudden shutdown, New Jersey Health Department officials say the move was the legal consequence of emergency circumstances stemming from the collapse of a license transfer deal that would have rescued the financially struggling home; however, court documents and other records indicate the home was in serious financial and operating straits long before the shutdown, a perfect storm of conditions that create circumstances under which nursing home malpractice occurs and vulnerable residents suffer. The red flags were enumerated by the article as the following:

  • Consistent poor ratings
  • Hundreds of thousands in unpaid bills
  • Millions in mounting losses
  • Chronic staffing shortages
  • Alleged breach of contract concerning lease payments not made for months

According to the Office of the State Comptroller, Princeton Care’s owner, Gail Bogner, has been made to renounce her stake in two other facilities earlier this year rather than risk the forfeiture of millions of dollars in federal funding necessary to keep those sites open. Acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh said Bogner’s actions regarding Princeton Care were characterized by “recklessness, neglect, and incredibly poor judgment [that] caused serious harm and trauma to the residents of Princeton Care Center. It presents too serious of a risk to allow them to have influence over any other Medicaid-funded nursing homes.”

Fighting Against Nursing Home Neglect, Abuse, and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy has dedicated his practice to upholding the safety and preserving the rights of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home residents. Your loved one should not fear that the facility he or she is comfortable in will close without notice, leaving him or her reeling. As a seasoned nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian Murphy endeavors to hold accountable those Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes responsible for negligence and abuse and every kind of nursing home malpractice. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today.

 

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Plea Deal for Infamous New Jersey Nursing Home Operator Rejected by Federal Judge https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/plea-deal-for-infamous-new-jersey-nursing-home-operator-rejected-by-federal-judge/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 21:35:25 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5514 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Plea Deal Rejected by Federal Judge for Infamous New Jersey Nursing Home Operator After establishing Skyline Healthcare, Joseph Schwartz’s nursing home chain rapidly expanded; by 2017 the operator was running 95 facilities in 11 states from his office above a New Jersey pizzeria. But thanks to alleged fraud, mismanagement, and serious resident neglect amounting to […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

Plea Deal Rejected by Federal Judge for Infamous New Jersey Nursing Home Operator

After establishing Skyline Healthcare, Joseph Schwartz’s nursing home chain rapidly expanded; by 2017 the operator was running 95 facilities in 11 states from his office above a New Jersey pizzeria. But thanks to alleged fraud, mismanagement, and serious resident neglect amounting to nursing home malpractice, the empire swiftly crumbled, displacing hundreds of elderly residents and leaving state regulators across the country to pick up the pieces.

A federal judge has rejected the plea deal negotiated for a New Jersey nursing home operator who admitted he devised a $38 million tax scam to finance a massive nursing home chain that collapsed after rampant, unchecked growth, a NJ.com article reports.

Joseph Schwartz, 64, the former CEO of the now-defunct nursing home chain Skyline Healthcare, pleaded guilty in January to failing to pay employment taxes withheld from Skyline employees and also to failing to file annual financial reports related to his employees’ 401k plan with the Department of Labor. Under the terms of Schwartz’s plea deal, which was negotiated between defense counsel and federal prosecutors, he would serve a year and one day in prison and pay $5 million in restitution; however, on May 23, U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton threw out the plea agreement and said Schwartz has until June 21 to retract his guilty plea. If he does not, sentencing will go as scheduled on July 17.

According to the article, court filings claimed Skyline Healthcare used a number of shell companies that existed only nominally and for the sole purpose of avoiding accountability and liability.

Beyond its failure to pay vendors, utilities, landlords, or wages to its staff, Skyline’s nursing homes subjected residents to a range of undesirable conditions equating to nursing home malpractice, including food shortages, drastic cuts in resources, staffing issues and cuts, and alarming reports of serious neglect including the following instances of nursing home malpractice:

  • In Arkansas Skyline facilities: heightened unnecessary falls, unbathed residents, and gross neglect. One serious incidence of nursing home malpractice involved a resident had maggots living in their medical equipment; another involved a resident who was ignored for 45 minutes after falling to the floor and injuring his face.
  • In Massachusetts Skyline facilities: drastic staff reductions and the rationing of adult diapers, leaving residents sitting in their own urine and filth, a dangerous example of nursing home malpractice that can lead to bed sores and infection.
  • In a Tennessee Skyline facility, a grave incident of nursing home practice involved a resident who’d undergone a leg amputation and was discovered lying in his own feces with maggots and gangrene in his leg. The man died two days later, a circumstance that merits the involvement of a wrongful death attorney.

If you’re concerned about low staffing or serious neglect in your loved one’s nursing home, it is important to reach out to a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney.

Your Advocate against Nursing Home Neglect and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy is dedicated to protecting the safety and preserving the rights of residents in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing homes. Your loved one should not fear that his or her nursing home will be understaffed or otherwise mismanaged by negligent operators, leading to such consequences of nursing home malpractice as bed sores, injuries, or especially wrongful death. Attorney Brian Murphy is experienced in taking to task negligent nursing homes in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. As a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, he holds Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes accountable for all types of nursing home malpractice. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.

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New Jersey Nursing Homes Were Unprepared for Covid, and They Aren’t Ready for the Next Public Health Emergency, Says Report https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/new-jersey-nursing-homes-were-unprepared-for-covid-and-they-arent-ready-for-the-next-public-health-emergency-says-report/ Wed, 08 May 2024 16:21:50 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5502 The Nursing Home Attorneys

New Jersey Nursing Homes Were Unprepared for Covid, and They Aren’t Ready for the Next Public Health Emergency, Says Report A state Department of Health directive about readmitting Covid-19 patients to New Jersey nursing homes from hospitals confounded operators, says a new independent report, and that confusion might have allowed for the spread of Covid-19 […]

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

New Jersey Nursing Homes Were Unprepared for Covid, and They Aren’t Ready for the Next Public Health Emergency, Says Report

A state Department of Health directive about readmitting Covid-19 patients to New Jersey nursing homes from hospitals confounded operators, says a new independent report, and that confusion might have allowed for the spread of Covid-19 among New Jersey’s most vulnerable residents.

A recently released independent report on New Jersey’s Covid-19 response says the state was unprepared for the Covid-19 pandemic that ravaged New Jersey nursing homes, and it remains at risk for the next public health threat, according to a NJ Spotlight News article. While Governor Phil Murphy reviews its 33 recommendations to address the state’s shortcomings, the report brings to light why New Jersey nursing homes were unable to prevent the death of over 16,250 people in nursing homes through March 2022.

According to the article, New Jersey’s Covid-19 response in nursing homes was characterized by inconsistencies and confusion, primarily regarding the interpretation of state Department of Health directives. One such order, given on March 31, 2020, was that nursing homes should accept from hospitals discharged nursing home residents with Covid, provided they could be safely isolated. A third of the state’s nursing homes reported they did not have the personnel, protective gear, or other resources to admit Covid patients. But by the time the NJDOH revised the policy to prohibit admissions except for facilities capable of meeting strict infection-control guidelines, Covid had already begun its rapid spread in New Jersey’s nursing homes.

The following circumstances hindered New Jersey nursing homes’ ability to respond to a burgeoning, rapidly changing pandemic:

  • Staffing Shortages—Low nursing home staffing is frequently tied to negligent care within nursing homes and is generally considered to be nursing home malpractice. Typically nursing home neglect as the result of understaffing can lead to nursing home illnesses, injuries, and even death, which would require the intervention of a wrongful death attorney.
  • Lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)— According to the report, with the state’s focus on acute rather than long-term care, the majority of masks, gowns, and other PPE went to hospitals rather than nursing homes, leaving long-term staff and residents vulnerable. Typically when nursing homes fail to do their part to prevent infections and residents become seriously ill or die, nursing home malpractice has occurred and loved ones must look into a nursing home lawyer or wrongful death attorney.
  • A History of Deficiencies—Some nursing homes had a history of deficiencies even before Covid. For instance, the New Jersey nursing home Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center, where early in the pandemic 17 bodies were found piled in a makeshift morgue, had a 1-star rating for three years in a row prior to the pandemic. An inspection by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services following the makeshift morgue incident revealed the facility’s inability to provide proper infection control, which is a clear incidence of nursing home malpractice.

Advocating for Your Loved One against Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect, and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy is dedicated to protecting the safety and preserving the rights of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home residents. Your loved one living in a nursing home should not fear that their home’s negligence will result in illness or wrongful death. Attorney Brian Murphy has years of experience fighting negligent nursing homes in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. As a seasoned nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, he holds accountable the Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes responsible for elder abuse, neglect, and other types of nursing home malpractice. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today to discuss your legal options.

The post New Jersey Nursing Homes Were Unprepared for Covid, and They Aren’t Ready for the Next Public Health Emergency, Says Report appeared first on The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC.

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New Jersey Intends to Suspend Two Nursing Homes from Medicaid after Evidence of Fraud and Nursing Home Malpractice https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/new-jersey-intends-to-suspend-two-nursing-homes-from-medicaid-after-evidence-of-fraud-and-nursing-home-malpractice/ Sat, 03 Feb 2024 19:34:14 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5465 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Evidence of Fraud and Nursing Home Malpractice Leads New Jersey to Suspend Two Nursing Homes from Medicaid: In the wake of a New York lawsuit alleging their owners took millions in Medicare funds from their New York nursing homes to enrich themselves, New Jersey has planned to suspend two poor-performing New Jersey nursing homes from […]

The post New Jersey Intends to Suspend Two Nursing Homes from Medicaid after Evidence of Fraud and Nursing Home Malpractice appeared first on The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC.

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

Evidence of Fraud and Nursing Home Malpractice Leads New Jersey to Suspend Two Nursing Homes from Medicaid:

In the wake of a New York lawsuit alleging their owners took millions in Medicare funds from their New York nursing homes to enrich themselves, New Jersey has planned to suspend two poor-performing New Jersey nursing homes from receiving Medicare.

New Jersey is planning to suspend two nursing homes from Medicaid in light of evidence of substantial Medicare fraud by their owners and as a result of poor care amounting to nursing home malpractice, says a Philadelphia Inquirer article. Both Deptford Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare and Hammonton Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare will be suspended from Medicaid by the New Jersey Comptroller’s Medicaid Fraud Unit as of May 25.

The owners of the Deptford and Hammonton facilities, Kenneth Rozenberg, Beth Rozenberg, and Daryl Hagler, have been sued by New York Attorney General Letitia James for allegedly using $83 million in Medicare funds from four of their New York nursing homes for their own personal enrichment. The lawsuit also accuses the owners of subjecting their residents to nursing home malpractice in the form of substandard care as a result of poor staffing. According to the lawsuit, the owners’ New York nursing home residents were victims of nursing home malpractice across the following forms as a consequence of the alleged fraud:

  • Prolonged Neglect: Residents were left sitting in their own urine and feces for extended periods of time.
  • Nursing home infections: Substandard wound care and neglect of bed sores led certain residents to develop serious infections and even sepsis, a frequently deadly condition that ultimately could require the involvement of a wrongful death attorney.
  • Dehydration and malnutrition: As a result of neglect, residents experienced severe dehydration and malnutrition, both of which can be fatal for the vulnerable elderly, demanding the intervention of a wrongful death attorney.
  • Nursing home falls: Some residents experienced severe injuries from falls; others died, says the lawsuit. Families whose loved ones suffer a fatal fall in a nursing home should contact a wrongful death attorney.

Like the New York homes, Deptford Center and Hammonton Center also have histories of substandard care equating to nursing home malpractice. As per the Inquirer article, both facilities have received numerous citations for health and safety violations. Both the Deptford and Hammonton facilities have been given one-star quality ratings on the federal Nursing Home Care Compare web site.

According to the Inquirer, New Jersey’s long-term care ombudsman Laurie Facciarossa Brewer called the suspension of the two nursing homes “richly deserved.” New Jersey State Comptroller Kevin Walsh defended the scheduled plan to suspend the homes in a press release.

“When there is evidence of fraud of this magnitude, and when a judge has acted to prevent further siphoning and self-dealing, we have a duty to act,” said Walsh. “To protect New Jersey Medicaid and the residents who rely on it, we must stop the flow of Medicaid funds to these individuals, and we must require them to step aside.”

Fighting Against Neglectful Care, Elder Abuse, and Wrongful Death

Attorney Brian P. Murphy is dedicated to protecting the safety and preserving the rights of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home residents. As a seasoned nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, Brian Murphy endeavors to hold accountable those Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes responsible for negligence and abuse and every kind of nursing home malpractice. Should you find yourself needing to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, or if you need guidance in choosing a nursing home, call Brian Murphy today.

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Ongoing Nursing Home Malpractice Continues to Violate Veterans’ Rights in New Jersey State-Run Veteran Homes Where COVID-19 Was Permitted to Run Rampant, a DOJ Investigation Reveals https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/ongoing-nursing-home-malpractice-continues-to-violate-veterans-rights-in-new-jersey-state-run-veteran-homes-where-covid-19-was-permitted-to-run-rampant-a-doj-investigation-reveals/ Sat, 13 Jan 2024 18:24:23 +0000 https://www.thenursinghomeattorneys.com/?p=5422 The Nursing Home Attorneys

Nursing Home Malpractice Continues to Violate Veterans’ Rights in New Jersey State-Run Veteran Homes The poor care and incidence of nursing home malpractice that allowed two New Jersey veterans homes to fall victim to widespread COVID-19 outbreaks early in the pandemic have not been remedied, say federal investigators. A recent Department of Justice investigation has […]

The post Ongoing Nursing Home Malpractice Continues to Violate Veterans’ Rights in New Jersey State-Run Veteran Homes Where COVID-19 Was Permitted to Run Rampant, a DOJ Investigation Reveals appeared first on The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC.

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The Nursing Home Attorneys

Nursing Home Malpractice Continues to Violate Veterans’ Rights in New Jersey State-Run Veteran Homes

The poor care and incidence of nursing home malpractice that allowed two New Jersey veterans homes to fall victim to widespread COVID-19 outbreaks early in the pandemic have not been remedied, say federal investigators.

A recent Department of Justice investigation has revealed that hygiene and infection control violations continue to persist in two New Jersey veterans nursing homes where COVID-19 was permitted to run rampant early in 2020, says a CNN article. The Paramus and Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Homes logged the highest and fourth-highest number of nursing home resident deaths from COVID-19 in the state by October of 2020, prompting a federal investigation. Inspectors in 2020 found evidence of nursing home malpractice that was determined to have directly promoted the deadly spread of the coronavirus in the homes. According to the CNN article, the newly-released DOJ report finds that these deficiencies are ongoing.

The 2020 DOJ investigation found that Paramus and Menlo Park staff failed in such basic COVID-19 protocols as proper hand washing, disinfection of common areas and bedrooms, and the isolation of residents sick with Covid. Menlo Park was in particular reported to have filthy nursing stations and insect infestations.

The new investigation says that the homes continue to violate veteran residents’ right to reasonable care and safety (as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment) through the following ongoing instances of nursing home malpractice:

  • Neglecting to properly train staff: Nursing home residents have the right to expect proper care from staff; untrained workers constitute nursing home malpractice.
  • Failure to comply with basic COVID-19 infection control protocols (e.g. testing, contact tracing, isolation of infected residents): Not following protocols to prevent or contain the spread of infections puts highly vulnerable residents at risk of becoming deathly ill, a clear example of nursing home malpractice.
  • Failure to implement wound prevention procedures: Protocols exist to prevent the development of wounds like pressure ulcers. Not following proper prevention procedures puts residents at risk for developing pressure wounds, which is a common incidence of nursing home malpractice.
  • Neglecting proper wound care: Wounds like bedsores, if left to deteriorate, can lead to serious infections, sepsis, and even death, likely requiring the services of a wrongful death attorney.
  • Failure to implementing policies to prevent or respond to nursing home falls: Nursing home falls are frequently preventable, and not employing policies to prevent falls equals nursing home malpractice; furthermore, falls are a leading cause of nursing home deaths, which may require the involvement of a wrongful death attorney.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called the report is “a deeply disturbing reminder that the treatment received by our heroic veterans is unacceptable and, quite frankly, appalling.”

Holding Homes Responsible for Nursing Home Malpractice

Brian P. Murphy, an experienced nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, has dedicated his personal injury practice to protecting Philadelphia/PA and NJ nursing home residents from neglect and elder abuse. Vulnerable elderly residents of Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing homes should not have to live in fear of being subjected to abuse or neglect or any type of nursing home malpractice. Brian Murphy takes on Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey nursing homes for egregious acts of elder abuse, especially any incidence of nursing home malpractice that causes wrongful death. Attorney Brian Murphy is ready to discuss your legal options. If you or your loved one needs to contact a nursing home malpractice and wrongful death attorney, call Brian Murphy today.

 

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