CHICAGO, IL – The Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. filed a lawsuit in Chicago on behalf of a Chicago family against Symphony Beverly nursing home, a chain nursing home operating in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Symphony Beverly is located at 2940 W. 87th St. in Chicago, IL. In the complaint, the family alleges that Symphony nursing home ignored the warning signs and allowed a wheelchair bound mom to fall twice, resulting in her becoming quadriplegic.
According to the nursing homes own clinical evaluation admission note, it was known Yvette required extensive assistance with limited mobility. It was specifically noted that she could not bear her own weight and must be assisted into a chair, bed, or wheelchair. Yvette made frequent slight jerking motions that changed her body positions. The defendant recognized that Yvette maintained relatively good position in a chair or bed “most of the time,” but occasionally slid down. In other words, Yvette was known as a fall risk. In addition to having a history of falls, Yvette was a high fall risk because the medication she was on induced muscle weakness, numbness, dizziness and drowsiness. These complicated her ability to fully control her body. In addition, she was also on blood thinners which put her at a high risk for hemorrhage if a fall occurred, especially involving her head.
According to Yao Dinizulu, a partner at the Dinizulu Law Group, “When a nursing home takes in a patient, they are saying they are accepting the responsibility for the care of your loved one. In this case, they knew Yvette was a substantial fall risk that could not stay steady in a wheelchair. Despite all of these warning signs, they failed to place her in a wheelchair that fit her condition. The standard of care required that a Broda wheelchair in order to ensure that she did not fall, slip out, or unsettle the wheelchair that would allow her to hurt herself.”
Broda wheelchair
On August 14, 2017, Yvette was placed in a wheelchair that was not non-skid resistant that could allow a non-stable patient like Yvette to fall. As a result, on August 14, she tragically fell resulting in an admission to Christ Hospital and was diagnosed with acute-subacute flaccid paralysis with spinal cord changes and increased intensity for cord compression. While still recovering from her first fall at Symphony Beverly, a CNA attempted to move Yvette alone from her bed despite company policy that mandated two staff members must assist in moving and repositioning her. This resulted in Yvette falling again from her bed, worsening her previous fall. After these falls, her conditions progressively worsened until she passed away six months later.
