Nursing home abuse is a serious problem in California and the United States. Sex abuse, is unfortunately, a common occurrence at many nursing homes although these incidents are also the most underreported. According to a recent article in the Daily Breeze, an elderly female resident has filed a civil lawsuit against a nursing home in Carson alleging that she was sexually assaulted last month by an intruder as she was sitting in her room.

According to the lawsuit, the woman and possibly two other residents at the Carson nursing home were sexually assaulted by a man who entered the facility through an open window on February 10, 2010. The woman said she was sitting in her room in a wheelchair when a man entered through an unlocked window and assaulted her. The man left when she threatened to call for help, but told the woman that he would "come back for her."

Resident Sexually Abused

The complaint alleges that the victim suffered elder abuse and neglect while living at Heritage Rehabilitation Center. The lawsuit states the nursing home administrators deliberately understaffed the nursing home to boost profits. Apparently the elderly woman who was assaulted required assistance with every aspect of her daily life. However, the lawsuit states that there was no one around the woman to prevent this horrific assault. The facility did not maintain sufficient staff to look after residents and ensure that the residents were safe. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Nursing Home Compare web site, the nursing home received three out of five stars, which is an average rating.

Negligent Nursing Homes Should be Held Accountable

When families entrust their loved ones to the care of a nursing home, they expect them to be safe and well-cared for. In this case, this resident was ignored and unsupervised. This was a helpless, vulnerable woman who was sexually assaulted when she was sitting in a wheelchair! There have also been many instances where nursing home employees have sexually or physically abused nursing home residents.

Residents who suffer such negligence or abuse (or their families) would be well-advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will fight for their rights and make sure that these unscrupulous businesses are held accountable for their actions.

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.