A Joplin nursing home discharged a resident without notifying his family setting into motion a chain of events that ended with the man walking along I-44 and being struck and killed by.a semi, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed Friday in Jasper County Circuit Court.
The move was made without contacting Garrett's family, the petition said.
Garrett, 56, left the motel September 26, 2023, and was struck by.a tractor-trailer rig driven by Travis W. Bartimus, from the state of Virginia.
Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are Northport Health Services of Missouri, LLC, which owns Joplin Health and Rehabilitation Center, Bartimus and the company he was driving for, Estes Express Lines, Virginia.
The psychiatric evaluation was requested by the facility after Garrett "became agitated," according to the petition. The behavioral health counselor did not recommend psychiatric treatment and EMS transportation to the nursing home was arranged. Follow-up precautions upon Garrett's return to the nursing home were recommended.
Upon his return to the facility, Resident was removed from the facility and placed in a motel room. {He} was told another facility would come and collect him in a few days. Resident's family was not contacted or informed of his transfer or removal from the facility.
On September 26, 2023, {Garrett} walked into oncoming traffic and was killed when he was struck by a semi truck.
Postert, who is represented by Jonathan Steele of the Steele Law Firm in Kansas City, is asking for an amount in excess of $75,000 from Northport Health Services and amounts in excess of $25,000 from Bartimus and Estes Express Lines.
7 comments:
For all you Families, PLEASE, you need to stay on Top of any Patient in a Nursing Home - Nursing Homes, are dumping grounds, especially for elders or semi-incapacitated individuals. Most of the Nursing Homes are or have been in legal lawsuits for the Bad Care or Abuse that these Patients have been given while there. Most facilities are run by AIDES CNA's or LPN's if Lucky and sometimes, RN's or even occasionally a Nurse Practitioner - the Doctor assigned or hired by the Facility Owners is a JOKE!!! Remember there are over 120 - Patients their do you think the Nurse Practitioner or Doctor sees all these Patients on a weekly basis? Contact the Facility, make your presence known - keep track of your loved ones, don't just turn them over to a facility so they can bill Medicare, Medicaid, or an Insurance Company - every month. Make sure you have a Medical Power of Attorney and a Durable Powers of Attorneys in place to take care of your Loved Ones - and that it is the responsibility of the facility to contact you 24/7 - if anything at all happens to your loved ones - - hold them accountable and responsible - there is CYA (Cover Your Azz) in Nursing Homes - remember the majority of your Loved Ones - Cannot speak for themselves - You have to be there Eyes, Ears, and Voices - Do Not Let them become Victims of these Institutions! If your Family Member is a Victim to any type of Abuse Report it.
https://nursinghomesabuse.org/faqs/how-common-is-nursing-home-abuse/
How Common is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse statistics suggest that hundreds of thousands of elderly residents are mistreated and neglected in long-term care facilities every year. Understanding the extent to which abuse occurs—and which types of abuse are most prevalent—can help families be better advocates for their aging loved ones.
What’s the most common type of nursing home abuse?
There are countless ways in which nursing home residents can be abused. Abuse typically falls into one of five different categories:
Physical abuse
Financial abuse
Emotional abuse
Neglect
Sexual abuse
Amen! My sister filed a complaint on this nursing home, there was nothing done, they had lost 8 patients plus my mom passed away at around due to the nursing home neglect
I was placed there about 4weeks ago for 2 long miserable weeks nursing staff should not be allowed I was taken to dialysis in a hospital gown 2 days in a row not helped to clean up so I didn’t smell it’s like this you should never take anyone out dressed like you would not like to be dressed
My husband had two massive strokes in 2017 and another one in 2024. He becomes very aggressive and acts out occasionally. It’s because of brain damage. I have never thought he needed a psych evaluation. I have never had him go get one. We simply work through those things at home. This is why I care for him myself and would never send him to a home. Good doctors know if you’ve seen one brain injury then you’ve seen one brain injury. Everyone’s recovery is different. And strokes alter personality. I don’t think the truck driver should be held responsible unless he was doing something irresponsible.
REPORTING A NURSING HOME IN MISSOURI -
Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline at (800) 392-0210.
The state’s online reporting system is available 24/7, 365 days per year.
To report a nursing home in Missouri, contact the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services or your local Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. You can find information for the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Ombudsman program on their respective websites, and they both handle complaints regarding nursing homes to ensure residents' rights and proper care.
Here are the steps to report a nursing home:
https://health.mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/complaints.php
Contact the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS): This is the state agency responsible for inspecting nursing homes. You can likely find complaint forms or contact information on their official website to report issues.
Reach out to your local Long-Term Care Ombudsman: Ombudsman programs investigate complaints of neglect and mistreatment, advocate for residents, and ensure their rights are upheld. You can find your nearest ombudsman program by searching online for "Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman".
Gather Information: Before making a report, try to gather details about the incident, such as dates, names, and specific concerns.
Submit your Complaint: Follow the instructions provided by the agency or Ombudsman for submitting your complaint, whether it's a phone call, online form, or mailed letter.
DHSS Home » Information » Boards, Commissions & Councils » Board of Nursing Home Administrators » complaints
If you have a complaint pertaining to care provided in a long term care facility, call the Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline at (800) 392-0210 or for more information view the Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation page.
The Board of Nursing Home Administrators (BNHA) only accepts written complaints pertaining to licensed administrators, not facilities. Written complaints regarding an administrator must be sent to the following: Board of Nursing Home Administrators, PO Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or email at bnha@health.mo.gov.
BNHA receives and processes each written complaint made against a Missouri licensed administrator. Both the complaint and any information obtained as a result of the complaint investigation shall be considered a closed record of the board and shall not be available for inspection by the public.
The complainant may be notified of the final disposition of the complaint, excluding judicial appeals, and may be provided with a copy of the decisions (if any) of the Administrative Hearing Commission and BNHA.
This same nursing home was responsible for both of my parents deaths. My father in particular was a clear case of gross negligence. I could not find an attorney to take the case despite having medical records to prove negligence.
I worked briefly at Joplin Health and Rehab. I was disgusted by a lot of the CNA staff's work ethic and the power trips from the over head nurses. My training felt more like damage control. If you have a family member there, I'd recommend moving them entirely or keeping a very close eye on them. Make sure the CNAs keep up with their duties according to your family member, bc they are SLACKING
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