Whistleblowers Win Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit

An Illinois nursing home was slapped with $29 million in penalties by a federal jury in a whistleblower case brought by two former nurses who claimed the facility provided substandard care to its elderly residents while submitting fake bills for treatment to Medicare and Medicaid.

Law360 (subscription required) reports that the two nurses filed suit under the False Claims Act alleging that Momence Meadows Nursing Center Inc. in Kankakee provided substandard care and then tried to dodge the whistleblower allegations by covering up evidence that it neglected and abused residents by letting them sit in urine and feces and go without meals or medications.

The substandard care and neglect by the 140-bed nursing home meant that many residents developed problems such as scabies and severe pressure sores or suffered malnourishment, according to court documents.

The jury fined the nursing home more than $19 million for each of the 1,729 phony bills it submitted to the federal government. According to Law360, the jury found the government had also suffered damages of more than $3 million and trebled the sum. Combined damages for the nurses of more than $400,000 were also assessed against the nursing home.

Nursing home abuse is illegal. If you suspect that your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, call Sokolove Law today for a free case evaluation.

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