BRYANT, Ark. - The daughter of an 81-year-old woman who endured five months of abuse and neglect in a nursing home has filed a lawsuit against the facility.

Kathy Sherwood said her mother, Flora June Evans, suffered falls, infections, pressure sores and more while a resident at Bryant Healthcare Center in Bryant, Arkansas. Jeff Priebe of Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. in Little Rock is representing the family in the case.

Though Bryant Healthcare Center has undergone an ownership and management change since Mrs. Evans' residency, the former nursing home company has been named as a defendant along with additional companies, owners, and administrators, including: Bryant HC Holdings, LLC; Perennial Health Care Holdings, LLC; Perennial Lease Holdings 6, LLC; Perennial Leasing, LLC; Perennial Business Services, LLC; Perennial Consulting Services, LLC; V. James Santarsiero; Jeanne Butterworth; and Nancy Brown.

Evans was a resident at Bryant Healthcare Center from Oct. 15, 2009, to March 19, 2010. While there, she suffered:

• Multiple falls, with injuries;
• Skin issues, including bruising, skin tears, and hematoma to the head;
• Malnutrition and weight loss;
• Dehydration;
• Infections, including urinary tract infections, wound infections, and sepsis;
• Medication errors, including over-medication and missed medications;
• Pressure sores, including Stage IV sacral pressure sore, requiring surgical debridement;
• Development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in left leg;
• Poor hygiene;
• Severe pain; and
• Death.

The neglect of Flora June Evans was not the first or only sign of trouble at the nursing home. In a 2009 state survey conducted during Evans' residency, the nursing home was cited for many deficiencies including; failing to hire only people who have no legal history of abusing residents, and failing to make sure that the nursing home was free of dangers that cause accidents. The extent to which the citations directly affected Flora June Evans remains to be discovered. However, all of the cited deficiencies establish that the defendants were aware of problems with resident care, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants operated the facility to maximize profits by reducing staffing levels below what was needed to provide adequate care to residents and yet still comply with federal and state regulations. The staffing levels were so low that "the personnel on duty at any given time could not reasonably tend to the needs of their assigned residents," according to the suit.

The lawsuit, Flora June Evans v. Bryant Healthcare Center, LLC d/b/a Bryant Healthcare Center (Perennial), was filed in Saline County Circuit Court on March 11. It alleges negligence, medical negligence, and violation of the Long-Term Care Facility Residents Act, and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a jury trial.