A Hastings, Minnesota, nursing home resident was left alone in the bathroom, in violation of orders. The resident fell off of the toilet and sustained a fatal head injury.
The Minnesota Department of Health investigated and determined that the resident’s death was the fault of the staff member, not the facility. This is not a legal finding for civil litigation purposes. The family of the resident can contact our law firm to discuss pursuing compensation from the nursing home under the Minnesota wrongful death statute, Minnesota Statutes, section 573.02. Employers are generally legally responsible for the negligence of their employees. Read “Nursing Home Malpractice.”
The resident’s death happened at Regina Senior Living, according to the Minnesota Health Department. Alarms were on the resident’s bed and wheelchair to detect movement because of the concern that the resident might fall.
The Health Department’s report stated:
“The caregiver assisted the resident onto the toilet, then left the bathroom with the door ajar “to give the resident privacy.”
The employee moved about 7 feet and around a counter out of view of the bathroom, remaining away for 5 to 6 minutes until hearing a crashing sound of the resident falling from the toilet.
The staff member summoned a nurse, who found the resident unresponsive and with a bump on the back of the head.
The resident was rushed to the hospital attached to the nursing home and stayed there for five days. After another five days, the resident was dead.”
This may be another example of how paying employees too little leads to injury and death. Read, “Underpaid Workers, Social Injustice and Food Safety.”
