Fort Worth Jury Awards $2.2 Million in Retirement Home Negligence Case

A Fort Worth jury has awarded a $2.2 million verdict to a 99-year-old Tarrant County woman who was left lying on the floor for a full day after falling in her bedroom at the Parkwood Retirement Community in Bedford. End Quote

Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (1888PressRelease) July 10, 2012 - Personal injury attorneys Mark Sudderth and Brian Butcher from Noteboom: The Law Firm represented Edna Anderson in her claims against Parkwood owner Telesis Management Corp.

Ms. Anderson was injured in 2008 after falling to the floor in her room at Parkwood. She attempted to contact Parkwood staff for help by activating an emergency call device in her room, but no one answered her cries. The staff also forgot to check on her the following day when she did not show up for lunch. Ms. Anderson remained alone on the floor for almost 24 hours before being discovered by family members. She was rushed to a hospital, and later endured three months of related rehabilitation.

"Testimony showed that a built-in emergency call system had not worked for over seven years and that the facility owners had neglected to remove it. The apartments had provided a portable emergency call system which Ms. Anderson attempted to activate three times after she fell with no response," says Mr. Sudderth. "At trial, the apartments denied the device didn't work, but the jury heard testimony from a maintenance supervisor that the facility knew the system was broken, and that employees had been told to keep quiet about it after the incident involving Ms. Anderson. Even worse, the facility director testified that she threw the device away immediately following the incident before it could be tested, and shredded the only document that would have shown whether the facility had actually inspected the equipment before Ms. Anderson was injured."

The weeklong trial concluded on June 22, 2012, with jurors awarding medical costs to Ms. Anderson and more than $500,000 for past and future pain, mental anguish and physical impairment. The jury awarded an additional $1.6 million in punitive damages after finding that Telesis/Parkwood was grossly negligent.

"This is a terrible tragedy that didn't have to happen," says Chuck Noteboom, founder of Noteboom: The Law Firm. "We hope this verdict sends a strong message that retirement facilities need to take better care of their residents."

Noteboom: The Law Firm is home to courtroom lawyers with an extensive track record in legal jurisdictions throughout Texas and across the U.S. The firm has represented clients in significant cases against insurance companies, leading corporations, construction companies, trucking operations, and many others. For more information, visit http://www.noteboom.com.

For more information on the $2.2 million verdict won by Noteboom: The Law Firm, please contact Dave Moore at dave ( @ ) androvett dot com or 800-559-4534.

###

space

Other Related Press Releases