Connecticut Nursing Home Sued after Resident Kills Another Resident
A lawsuit was filed against a Connecticut nursing home and its employees on behalf of the estate of a 76-year-old female resident who was allegedly killed by an 81-year-old male resident with whom she was or had been romantically connected. The lawsuit claims that the nursing home was negligent in not protecting the woman from the man who was known to have a violent history.
The former administrator is also named as a defendant, as well as the nursing home’s operating company.
The male resident was charged with felony murder after the incident, but was later declared incompetent to stand trial. He is now living in a psychiatric in-patient center and will have another competency hearing on June 25.
How long the two had been romantically involved is not clear, nor is it known how long they had been residents in the nursing home.
It is alleged that the nursing home had been warned that the male resident had violent tendencies and posed a danger to other residents. The man reportedly had a criminal conviction for armed robbery in 1966 and a DUI in 1999.
The woman who was killed was a widow and has seven surviving children. Her son is the administrator of her estate.
Attorneys for the estate are reportedly seeking damages from the nursing home of “at least seven figures.”
Compliance Perspective
Failure to provide adequate supervision to protect residents from harm by other residents with known violent tendencies and/or criminal histories may be considered abuse and neglect and represent substandard quality of care in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding background information and checks at admission on residents to ascertain potential violent tendencies.
- Train staff regarding supervision and intervention techniques to use with residents who are known to have potentially violent tendencies toward other residents.
- Periodically audit by interviewing residents about any violent behavior by other residents that may have been directed toward themselves.
