$2 Million Settlement in Failure to Provide Adequate Safety Measures for Wandering Nursing Home Resident

Doe, 81, lived in a nursing home’s secure memory unit. She tended to wander and had exit-seeking behaviors, necessitating her use of the WandergGuard, a wearable safety device.

Even after a door alarm was activated, a nursing home staff member did not see that she had fallen down multiple flights of stairs. She was discovered at the bottom of the stairs, bleeding and crying for help.

Doe suffered serious injuries, including a subarachnoid hemorrhage. She unfortunately died eight days later.

Doe’s estate sued the nursing home owners and operators, alleging they chose not to properly monitor Doe and provide adequate safety measures, knowing of her tendencies to wander. The Doe estate claimed that although Doe was required to wear the WanderGuard device, some of the exits in the unit were not equipped with the system.

Before a jury trial, the parties settled this wrongful death case for $2 million.

The attorneys handling this tragic case for the Doe estate were David Hoey and Britain Thames.

Doe v. Roe, Confidential Docket.

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling nursing home negligence cases, wrongful death cases, nursing home fall lawsuits, and medical negligence lawsuit for individuals, families and loved ones who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 45 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Winfield, Westmont, Long Grove, Lincolnwood, Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Justice, Round Lake, Lake of the Hills, University Park, Chicago (Rodgers Park, Englewood, North Lawndale, Washington Park, Little Village, Pilsen, Back of the Yards, Edgewater, Wrigleyville, Austin, Portage Park), Rosemont, Hinsdale, South Holland, and Calumet City, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.