Nursing home lawsuits are an important element in the checks-and-balances that can punish skilled nursing facilities for providing subpar care that results in resident harm. The private litigation system is one more deterrent to make sure that nursing homes provide the level of care which is their obligation. If the facility has fallen short and your loved one has suffered, call the attorneys at the Nursing Home Law Center.
This nursing home is a 87 bed for-profit facility that offers short and long-stay care to residents of the Los Angeles area. The Medicare/Medicaid approved facility is located at:
20820 Earl St
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 371-1228
The Earlwood
Nursing homes are subject to random visitors by compliance inspectors at all times. State inspectors visit the home frequently, both to enforce state requirements as well as on behalf of the federal government. Nursing homes will not know when these visits are coming so that inspectors can get an accurate depiction of the exact conditions at the facility. Governing laws and regulations require there to be an investigation when there has been a complaint filed by a resident or their family. In addition, inspectors will also visit the nursing home annually for an in-depth look at all aspects of care at the facility. The inspectors will select a random sample of nursing home residents and closely scrutinize practically everything that has to do with them.
Although The Earlwood has not been fined by the federal government in the past three years, it has received numerous state fines and inspection reports that are laden with deficiencies. Recently, there was a complaint inspection in response to an allegation of verbal abuse of a resident. The resident left the facility at night to go outside to smoke even though they had been instructed not to do so. When they returned to their room, they encountered a CNA who allegedly called them an “a-hole.” The CNA received abuse training and left their position shortly thereafter. This nursing home has had other issues pertaining to abuse. The 2018 inspection report cited the facility for failing to notify residents’ families that a sex offender was residing at the nursing home. The law does not prohibit nursing homes from admitting sex offenders, but families must be notified and measures must be taken to closely supervise them if necessary.
The Earlwood received three fines from the State of California in 2017. Each of these fines was for $20,000, which represents a significant fine. Each of these infractions related to deficiencies in resident care. The first fine was because the facility failed to follow one resident’s care plan which resulted in a fall in which they aggravated an ankle injury. The resident was supposed to receive assistance from two staff members for transfers, but this was not followed and the resident’s leg got stuck in a wheelchair during a transfer, resulting in the injury.
The second fine was due to the facility’s failure to ensure that a certain medication was available when it was prescribed for pain relief. As a result, the resident had to go without this necessary medication and experienced pain for 36 hours in which they could not sleep or get any relief from the pain. Regulators will almost always act when a nursing home’s error results in unnecessary pain.
The first fine resulted from an incident that involved a resident eloping from the facility during a fire drill. When they were found, they had cuts and abrasions and required hospitalization. This resident was a high risk for elopement based off of one previous attempt and should have been more closely supervised.
The Earlwood’s quality of care metrics are solidly below average in several regards. The facility has an extremely high rate of resident hospitalization, practically double the national average. This puts the facility in position to receive a penalty from Medicare in the form of reduced reimbursements. Residents of the nursing home also develop pressure ulcers at a rate well above the national average. Pressure ulcers are largely preventable through frequent repositioning of residents and better hydration. More than one in five residents of The Earlwood experience a worsening of their ability to move independently and require additional help with the activities of daily life.
Although the facility has made slight improvements in care, the one-star rating results in part from the fact that it still has not fully improved the quality of care after a 2018 inspection report that contained 32 health citations. There have been recurring violations in the inspection report for the cleanliness and appearance of the facility as well as the lack of sound infection control measures.
Even if the nursing home does not actively do anything that would harm your loved one, they can be held responsible for any omissions or failure to act that results in injury to your loved one. For example, their failure to properly supervise is an offense that could result in civil liability. If your loved one has been injured at a nursing home, you will want to contact an attorney to find out if your family is eligible to receive financial compensation. The attorneys at the Nursing Home Law Center can help. Call them today at (800) 926-7565 for your free no-risk case consultation which can start the process of filing a claim.
Attorney Anthony Lanzone
Licensed in California
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home