Another sad case of nursing home abuse was brought before the courts today, this time in Pittsfield. The defendant is 47-year-old Deborah Baribeau, a phlebotomist at Berkshire Medical Center, was accused of battery and assault on a disabled person with injury. This charge had been upgraded to a felony during the course of her trial.

Baribeau reportedly assaulted a patient at the nursing home while drawing blood from her. The victim is a 59-year-old stroke survivor.

At this time, Baribeau is not returning any phone calls; it is not yet known whether she has decided to retain an attorney.

Since the incident occurred on October 7, Baribeau has been banned from returning to Springside, according to a spokeswoman from the nursing home. She was originally under contract to draw blood from Springfield's patients.

The prosecution already has a strong case against her as there were several eyewitnesses, including Springside employees and a supervisor. They saw Baribeau continue to take blood from the victim even after she pleaded with the phlebotomist to stop.

Contact us if you have been victimized in a nursing home.  A San Diego personal injury attorney from our team can protect you!

The Sacramento Bee recently reported that one of the largest elder abuse verdicts ever awarded has been upheld by a Superior Court judge.  In a nursing home abuse lawsuit filed against Horizon West HealthCare, a $29 million verdict was awarded to the plaintiff.  The lawsuit resulted from the 2005 death of a resident at Horizon West HealthCare. 

According to reports, the deceased was named Francis Tanner and she had retired from a life of public service with both the FBI and IRS before arriving at Horizon in 2005.  While staying at the Facility, Tanner suffered a fall that led to her suffering a broken hip, which went undiagnosed by the facility for days.  Eventually, after being bedridden and receiving inadequate care, she died from an infected bed sore.  These types of sores are preventable and commonly occur when there is nursing home neglect.

During the trial, evidence revealed that the facility was understaffed and violated state laws which mandated a minimum number of care hours.  For this reason, a $29 million verdict was awarded after a jury decided that the plaintiff should be given $800,000 for pain and suffering and $28 million in punitive damages.

However, Horizon West HealthCare challenged the verdict was too high, only to have the verdict upheld by a Superior Court judge who said, "this was an overwhelming case. It does not deserve to be retried. That would be a travesty."

Contact us today to speak with a San Diego personal injury attorney about your nursing home abuse case!

In Rodeo, it is reported that two individuals have been arrested for their roles in an elder abuse case that resulted in the death of one man.  The case, which is nearly one year old, began in July 2009 after an emergency staff member responded to a call placed by 62 year old Charles Frank. 

Frank was a senior and a dependent adult who was living in an unlicensed board and care home, which was located on the 200 block of Mica Drive.  Unfortunately, the injuries Frank suffered from his elder abuse led to his tragic death.  Coroners that looked at Frank's body found signs of severe neglect, but the nature of the senior's injuries remained unclear.

After Frank's death, Vallejo police launched an investigation alongside the state Department of Social Services Community Care and Licensing Division.  When the investigation concluded, the district attorney's office issued a warrant for the arrest of the both the owner and manager of the facility where Frank resided.

On Wednesday, police were able to arrest 42 year old Patricia Ronquillo and 43 year old Gene Bambao.  Both were accused of dependent adult abuse involving death.

If you or someone you care for has been a victim of elder abuse in San Diego, contact us to speak with a San Diego personal injury lawyer!