In a startling and important expose recently published by the New York Times, it has been revealed that in the past decade, over 1,200 developmentally disabled individuals have died of “unnatural” or “unknown” causes while in the care of group homes run by the State. Even more troubling, despite the large number of unaccounted for deaths, the New York Times reports that the State has done little to investigate the quality of care at these institutions.
The article describes several cases in which individuals died as a consequence of lack of supervision and/or negligence on the part of group homes and their employees. For example, one man who did not possess the strength to lift his head drowned in a bathtub after he was left unattended. In another case, a woman died after choking on a piece of raw meat she obtained from a refrigerator that should not have been accessible.
Individuals who reside in nursing and group homes are amongst the most vulnerable in our society. The attorneys at Dreyer Boyajian LLP have extensive experience bringing claims on behalf of those who have been harmed or abused in the nursing and group home setting. For more information about our practice, click here. If you or someone you know has been harmed in a nursing or group home setting, contact our office for a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
