Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog

A Florida jury recently awarded the family of Elvira Nunziata with a $200 million verdict after she fell and died in a local nursing home. Nunziata began living at the Pinellas Park nursing home in 2003. In October 2004, Nunziata, 92, was found strapped to her wheelchair at the bottom of 10 stairs. Paramedics were immediately called in; however, Nunziata died shortly after their arrival. Prone to wonder, Nunziata was with a group of residents at the Florida retirement home when employees noticed she was missing. About an hour later, Nunziata was found at the bottom of an emergency exit.

At the time of the accident, Trans Health Management managed the nursing home. Nunziata's son sued Trans Health Management for his mother's wrongful death in 2005.

It took the jury less than one hour to return a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The jury returned a $60 million verdict in compensatory damages and $140 million in punitive damages. According to the personal injury attorney representing the case, this is one of the largest nursing home neglect verdicts in the state. The personal injury lawyer representing the family asked the jury to return a verdict that would send a message to the nursing home that neglect and bad healthcare would not be tolerated.

During the nursing home abuse trial, former caregivers testified that the nursing home was understaffed and that prior to her death Nunziata had suffered several falls and injuries. Nunziata also had early onset dementia and staff and caregivers knew this.

It is estimated that for every one instance of nursing home abuse, another five are unreported. Reports indicate that 5% of the elderly population in the United States resides in nursing homes which equals about 1.8 million people. Every year loved ones are placed in nursing home facilities across the county and undoubtedly large percent of them will endure some form of nursing home abuse or neglect.