Trial Lawyers

Medicare's Nursing Home Compare tool is an excellent online resource to learn more about nursing homes in your area and help you decide which one is right for you or your loved one. The site provides quality of care and staffing information for more than 15,000 nursing homes across the country. You can even read detailed reports of the most recent inspection surveys for each facility. Simply search for the facility you are interested in and click on the Health inspections tab. There you will find a link called, "View all health inspections, complaint, and facility-reported issue details" as well as "View full report" where you can read more about what deficiencies inspectors may have found. 

Wilkes & McHugh attorney Bill Murray spoke with The Philadelphia Inquirer about the nursing home chain Skyline. The company acquired more than 100 nursing homes across the country in just two short years. In March, state officials in Nebraska and Kansas had to take over control of the chain's facilities when the company announced it could not make payroll there. The Philadelphia Inquirer investigated what kind of scrutiny the Pennsylvania Department of Health applied to Skyline and its owner, Joseph Schwartz, before allowing the company to take over management of 10 facilities there. The answer was, not much. 

A McCracken County Circuit Court jury determined that a nursing home company and its employees neglected a resident and conspired to cover up a serious injury. A 61-year-old man needed skilled care after suffering a major stroke that left him paralyzed on one side. Instead of getting the care he needed, the man endured multiple hospitalizations, and suffered, among other injuries: a right hip fracture; severe dehydration; and malnutrition. A jury awarded the man $2.5 million for the physical pain and suffering, as well as the mental anguish, that he endured; $1,050,000 for violating his Resident’s Rights; and $25 million in punitive damages for acting with reckless disregard for his life and safety and to deter the company from repeating its behavior.