Chicago Nursing Home Resident Dies After Smoking Accident

Our Chicago nursing home neglect attorneys know that placing a loved one in a nursing home is a hard thing to do. The hard choice is typically weighed against the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the nursing home will provide your loved one with the support and care that you as an individual or family may not be able to provide given daily time constraints and lack of facilities.

Many Illinois long-term care facilities are free of violations and have a proven record of providing sufficient care to residents. These homes operate above minimum staffing levels and properly train staff to care for residents. However, unfortunately, not all nursing home facilities are as prudent about their care as others. Many put profits before people and operate at minimum staffing levels to save money. When there are not enough employees to properly care or monitor residents, accidents can occur.
The Chicago Tribune reported today on a 62-year-old man in a Northside Rogers Park Chicago nursing home who suffered severe burns while smoking. The resident was in a wheelchair, and, after being left on an outside patio, lit up a cigarette and placed his lighter in his pocket. The 62-year old continued to smoke his cigarette when his clothes, unexplainably, lit on fire. The man in his wheelchair and another resident tried to suffocate the fire to no avail. The fire was finally put out with the use of a fire extinguisher, but not before the man had suffered first and second degree burns. The man was rushed to nearby hospitals where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
Although the circumstances surrounding this nursing home death have not been revealed, we know that many times preventable deaths occur when residents are not properly supervised. Our Illinois nursing home neglect lawyers have helped many families following nursing home burn cases like this one. For example, we reached a $1.5 million settlement against one nursing facility after it violated the Nursing Home Care Reform Act and did not monitor a monitor a mentally impaired resident who burnt himself while smoking. In another case we helped a family reach a $900,000 settlement against a facility who did not monitor one resident’s unauthorized smoking, resulting in his death.
If you or someone you care for has suffered some injury like this from nursing home neglect, let us help you seek justice for your loved one and your family. We offer free consultations so that you can share your story and learn about how we might be able to help you take legal action.