Nursing Home Neglect Results in Death

Susy Owen

Attorney

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It is a frightening thought that one day you may end up in a nursing home with care takers that do any but tend to your needs. I am not suggesting that there are not some excellent nursing homes out there. In fact there are many, but then there are the others. The kind that you hope you don't find yourself or a loved one in some day - such was the case in a Pierce County nursing home. It is currently under fire after a patient died of an overdose of morphine.

Nursing home neglect is the claim being made by the decedent's family. Florence Pierpoint made it to seventy-nine-years-of-age, when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Not surprisingly, her daughter, Linda Fox, is now suing the nursing home for neglect and abuse. "They were euthanizing my mother," Fox said. "If that was truly their intent to put a quiet end to her suffering, wouldn't they bother to tell the family?"

It is true that the doctor had prescribed morphine for Florence. However, it was only to be used if she was in pain and asked for it. However, according to attorney Ron Meyers "not one record indicated she was in pain. In fact there are notations in the record that indicate that she was experiencing acute morphine toxicity and overdose and they continued to give her morphine."

Although criminal charges have not been pressed, her daughter is moving forward with a civil claim.