Youngstown, Ohio Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

What types of Youngstown Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Cases do You Handle?

We handle all kinds of nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Youngstown, Ohio. These cases usually involve one or more of the following:

Nursing Home Elder Abuse

Elder abuse refers to intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm, regardless of whether harm is intended, to an elderly person by a caregiver. Abuse includes failure by a caregiver to satisfy an elder’s basic needs—neglect.

Nursing Home Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers

Bedsores shouldn’t happen. We investigate to find answers for families when a nursing home allows a bedsore to worsen or kill their loved one.

Nursing Home Choking and Suffocation Deaths

Nursing home residents should never choke or suffocate in nursing homes. Choking and suffocation deaths in nursing home are preventable. Unfortunately, they do happen. And probably much more often than most people can imagine. Choking and suffocation continue to be leading causes of death in nursing homes.

Nursing Home Dehydration and Malnutrition

Nursing home dehydration and malnutrition are serious and deadly threats to older people.  When nursing homes are understaffed or careless with resident health, dehydration can set in all too quickly.

Nursing Home Falls and Drops

Nursing home residents are often frail, weak, and unstable. They need help moving from place-to-place or getting in and of bed.

Unfortunately, nursing homes continue to allow residents to fall and become injured. Fractures of large bones (like hips and femurs) often lead to death in the elderly.

Nursing Home Wandering Off (called Elopement)

Nursing homes need to protect their residents. Elderly people with memory problems sometimes wander off. This is called “elopement.”

Nursing homes are required to assess residents to prevent this from happening. Nursing homes must have precautions in place to prevent residents from wandering off. This includes having the appropriate amount of staff to monitor residents. Nursing homes must also place alarms on doors and respond to those alarms to stop residents before they are injured.

If residents are permitted to wander off they can be severely injured. There have been examples of residents freezing to death in cold, being struck by cars, and falling down stairs.

Nursing Home Sexual Assault

It should go without saying that sexual abuse anywhere, including in nursing homes, is a crime that must be eradicated from society. Disgustingly, every year we see nursing home sexual abuse cases make headlines.

These are frequently the result of corporate greed and incompetence refusing to do required background checks.

Nursing Home Wrongful Death

When a nursing home’s abuse and neglect causes injury, the injured resident has a personal injury case.  When that injury causes the resident’s death—whether immediately, or over time—the resident’s family has a case. It is called a “wrongful death” claim.

Nursing Home Medication Errors

Medication errors are one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths in nursing homes.

Assisted Living Abuse and Neglect

Assisted Living Facilities, called Residential Care Facilities in Ohio, are not nursing homes, and are not as well regulated as nursing homes.  That doesn’t mean someone injured or killed in a residential care facility has no claim.  But the types of claims, and how to pursue them, are different.

Where Do Youngstown, Ohio Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Cases Go to Trial?

Nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Youngstown go to trial at the Mahoning County, Ohio Courthouse.

Mahoning Court Court of Common Pleas

120 Market Street
Youngstown, OH 44503

Who are the Judges who will Preside over My Youngstown, Ohio Nursing Home Abuse Case?

There are 5 judges sitting on the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas.

Judge Anthony D’Apolito

Who will be on the Jury in My Youngstown, Ohio Nursing Home Case?

The jury is made up of regular people who live in Mahoning County, Ohio. A large group of people will receive a letter (called a summons) telling them to come to court for jury duty.

Not everyone who receives a summons will be on the jury. The entire group that comes to court is called the “jury pool.”

The lawyers and the judge then get to ask questions to see who will be a good fit for the case. Some people will not be chosen for a number of reasons. It could be that they know one of the people involved in the case or may be biased for some reason.

A total of 8 people will be on the jury. 6 of those 8 people will need to find in your favor to win your case. To learn more about Mahoning County jury duty click here.

Who Performs Autopsies in Mahoning County?

Autopsies are performed under the supervision of David Kennedy, M.D. Dr. Kennedy is the Mahoning County Coroner.

A Coroner shall be elected quadrennially in each county, who shall hold his office for a term of four years, beginning on the first Monday of January next after his election. (ORC 313.01)

Dr. Kennedy can be contacted at the following address.

345 Oakhill Avenue
Suite 320, Building F
Youngstown, OH 44502

What Does The Mahoning County Coroner’s Office Do?

According to its website, the Mahoning County Coroner does all of the following.

The Mahoning County Coroner is an important part of the criminal and civil justice system. The Coroner has the responsibility to investigate the cause of any death resulting from criminal or violent means, accident, or other situations where someone in good health dies, or where a death is suspicious or unusual, pursuant to ORC Chapter 313.

The Coroner works with law enforcement agencies, attorneys, insurance companies, and the public in preparing cases for criminal or civil trial. The assistance provided by the Coroner may include conducting investigation of deaths by using records, x-rays, toxicology tests, and autopsies; helping with the recovery and identification of dead persons; determining date, time, and place of death; and being available for fact and expert testimony for trials.

What is the Mahoning County Coroner’s Mission Statement?

“The Mahoning County Coroner’s Office serves as the protector and guardian of the rights of the decedent by determining the circumstances, manner, and cause of death. Our employees are obligated to observe the highest standards of ethics and to discharge their duties in a professional, efficient, and compassionate manner recognizing that the best interest of the public that we serve must be our primary concern.”

Can I Report My Loved One’s Death to the Coroner?

Yes. If you believe that your loved one died under suspicious circumstances or because of abuse or neglect, you should report the death to the coroner.

You can report a death to the Mahoning County Coroner’s Office by following this link.

What Types of Deaths Should Be Reported to the Coroner’s Office?

Not all deaths have to be reported to the coroner, also called a medical examiner in some counties. However, whenever a person dies of “violent, suspicious, unusual, or sudden death,” that has to be reported to the coroner by law in Ohio.

Ohio Revised Code 313.12 says:

When any person dies as a result of criminal or other violent means, by casualty, by suicide, or in any suspicious or unusual manner, when any person, including a child under two years of age, dies suddenly when in apparent good health, or when any person with a developmental disability dies regardless of the circumstances, the physician called in attendance, or any member of an ambulance service, emergency squad, or law enforcement agency who obtains knowledge thereof arising from the person’s duties, shall immediately notify the office of the coroner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner, and circumstances of the death, and any other information that is required pursuant to sections 313.01 to 313.22 of the Revised Code.

Only the coroner or medical examiner can certify a death as being anything other than “natural.” This means that only a medical examiner or coroner can determine whether a person’s death was the result of suicide, homicide, or accident.

Most nursing home deaths that result in litigation are caused by accidental death or homicide.

Unfortunately, far too many primary care and other doctors choose not to alert the coroner or medical examiner after a person has died following trauma or other unusual circumstances, including after a nursing home resident falls.

When this occurs, it is important for the family to contact the coroner or medical examiner’s office as soon as possible. This can help ensure that the proper cause of death is given.

What Does it Mean to Probate An Estate?

The deceased person cannot file his own lawsuit.  Ohio law has a process where all beneficiaries are represented in a single wrongful death lawsuit through the creation of an estate. Although each surviving member of a decedent’s immediate family may be entitled to receive monetary compensation, there is only one cause of action for the recovery of that compensation under Ohio’s wrongful death statute.

Opening An Estate

The actual lawsuit is brought in the name of the representative of the estate for the exclusive benefit of the surviving spouse, children, parents, and other next-of-kin.  The estate is created by filing certain paperwork in the probate court.

The “estate” is nothing more than a legal process where the probate court oversees the business of the deceased (including where money is being sent and how or if debts are being paid) and the wrongful death claim that belongs to the family members.

The probate court will then issue paperwork entitling a specific person to serve as the representative of the estate.  The individual appointed by the probate court is the personal representative of the estate.  The personal representative is then required to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries of the estate.  The probate court must approve any wrongful death settlement.

Choosing A Personal Representative

Any competent adult person may serve as the personal representative of an estate.  In order to be appointed as a personal representative of an estate in Ohio, a person must meet 4 requirements.

1. Be at least 18 years of age (i.e., legally competent);
2. Be mentally competent;
3. Be bonded by a private insurance company; and
4. Not have a criminal record (in order to be bonded).

If the deceased dies with a will, the will sometimes waives the bond requirement.  Under those circumstances, in order to be appointed as the personal representative, the person must only meet the first two requirements, be over the age of 18 and be mentally competent.

Prior to appointing a personal representative of an estate, beneficiaries have the right to receive notice of the request and object to an applicant’s request to be the personal representative in a hearing.  If the beneficiaries do not object to a person being named a personal representative and he or she meets the legal requirements, he or she will usually be named the personal representative by the probate court.

There is no requirement that the personal representative be a beneficiary of the wrongful death claim, be a member of the family, or even have ever known the deceased person.  On certain occasions, a lawyer, bank official, or other neutral third-party may be appointed as the personal representative of the estate.  This may be the most desirable outcome if, for example, no family member can be bonded or there is family conflict that prevents all beneficiaries from agreeing on a single family member to serve as personal representative.

What does A Personal Representative Do?

In many ways, the personal representative acts like plaintiff in a traditional lawsuit.  The difference, however, is that the personal representative is not only making decisions that affect his or her own interests, but is making decisions that affect all beneficiaries of the wrongful death claim.

For example, the personal representative decides whether to file a lawsuit, who and when to sue, what lawyer to have represent the estate for court proceedings, and whether or not to settle the lawsuit, although the probate court must always approve the settlement before it can be finalized.

The personal representative often times has more contact with the lawyers representing the estate (although this is not always the case), is required to participate in certain stages of litigation after the lawsuit is filed called discovery, attends court hearings and pre-trials, and participates in settlement negotiations and mediations.

The personal representative is important because they have the power to choose which lawyer will protect all the beneficiaries’ interests.  This is an important decision.  The lawyer chosen has a tremendous impact on the final settlement or jury verdict.  Picking an experienced wrongful death lawyer who has the ability and expertise to not only go to trial but secure a jury verdict is critical.

Given the amount of responsibility that goes into being the personal representative of an estate, it is important to have a personal representative who is organized, responsive, willing to vigorously pursue the claim, and make decisions that are most advantageous to all beneficiaries.

A probate court may remove the administrator of decedent’s estate when the administrator refuses to bring a wrongful death action when a legitimate wrongful death claim exists. See Toledo Bar Ass’n v. Rust, 124 Ohio St. 3d 305, 2010 Ohio 170.

Where is the Probate Court in Youngstown, Ohio?

What Nursing Homes Do You Investigate and Sue in Mahoning County?

We investigate claims against all nursing homes in the Mahoning Valley. At an any given time, we are usually investigating multiple facilities in the area for nursing wrongful death. Those deaths may be caused by falls or drops, medication errors, dehydration, malnutrition, infection, bedsores, sexual assault or rape, and other forms of physical abuse.

The following is a list of nursing homes in the Mahoning Valley.

1-Star Youngstown Nursing Home Facilities

1-star facilities are those that have consistently received the lowest marks from Medicare for quality and staffing. They are considered much below average.

OASIS CENTER FOR REHAB AND HEALING 850 EAST MIDLOTHIAN BLVD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44507 (330) 788-3038
DANRIDGES BURGUNDI MANOR  31 MARANATHA DRIVE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44505 (330) 746-5157
BEEGHLY OAKS CENTER FOR REHABILITATION & HEALING  6505 MARKET STREET YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44512 (330) 884-2300
VISTA CENTER AT THE RIDGE  3379 MAIN STREET MINERAL RIDGE, OH 44440 (330) 652-9901
WHITE OAK MANOR  1926 RIDGE AVENUE WARREN, OH 44484 (330) 369-4672
CLEPPER MANOR  959 EAST STATE STREET SHARON, PA 16146 (724) 981-2750
NUGENT CONVALESCENT HOME  500 CLARKSVILLE ROAD HERMITAGE, PA 16148 (724) 981-6610
JAMESON CARE CENTER  3349 WILMINGTON ROAD NEW CASTLE, PA 16105 (724) 598-3300
CIRCLE OF CARE  1985 EAST PERSHING STREET SALEM, OH 44460 (330) 332-1588

2-Star Youngstown Nursing Home Facilities

2-star facilities are those with serious deficiencies in several quality indicators. They are considered below average.

HAMPTON WOODS NURSING CENTER, INC  1525 EAST WESTERN RESERVE ROAD POLAND, OH 44514 (330) 707-1300
GREENBRIAR CENTER  8064 SOUTH AVENUE BOARDMAN, OH 44512 (330) 726-3700
SIGNATURE HEALTHCARE OF WARREN 2473 NORTH RD NE WARREN, OH 44483 (330) 372-2251
MEADOWBROOK MANOR  3090 FIVE POINTS HARTFORD FOWLER, OH 44418 (330) 772-5253
THE GROVE AT NEW CASTLE  715 HARBOR STREET NEW CASTLE, PA 16101 (724) 652-3863
CORTLAND CENTER  369 N HIGH STREET CORTLAND, OH 44410 (330) 638-4015
LAURIE ANN NURSING HOME  2200 MILTON BOULEVARD NEWTON FALLS, OH 44444 (330) 872-1990
THE GROVE AT NEW WILMINGTON  520 NEW CASTLE STREET NEW WILMINGTON, PA 16142 (724) 946-3511
QUALITY LIFE SERVICES – NEW CASTLE  520 FRIENDSHIP STREET NEW CASTLE, PA 16101 (412) 654-7791
COVINGTON SKILLED NURSING & REHAB CENTER  100 COVINGTON DRIVE EAST PALESTINE, OH 44413 (330) 426-2920

3-Star Youngstown Nursing Home Facilities

OMNI MANOR NURSING HOME  3245 VESTAL ROAD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44509 (330) 793-5648
PARK CENTER HEALTH CARE AND REHABILITATION CENTER  5665 SOUTH AVE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44512 (330) 782-1173
CAPRICE HEALTH CARE CENTER  9184 MARKET ST NORTH LIMA, OH 44452 (330) 965-9200
ORANGE VILLAGE CARE CENTER  8055 ADDISON ROAD SE MASURY, OH 44438 (330) 448-2547
SHARON REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM TCU  740 E. STATE STREET SHARON, PA 16146 (724) 983-3914
HOSPITALITY CARE CENTER OF HER  3726 EAST STATE STREET HERMITAGE, PA 16148 (724) 342-5279
PARKSIDE HEALTH CARE CENTER  930 EAST PARK AVENUE COLUMBIANA, OH 44408 (330) 482-5547
ESSEX OF SALEM I  2511 BENTLEY DRIVE SALEM, OH 44460 (330) 337-9503
EDISON MANOR NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER  222 WEST EDISON AVENUE NEW CASTLE, PA 16101 (724) 652-6340

4-Star Youngstown Nursing Home Facilities

CAMELOT ARMS CARE CENTER  2958 CANFIELD RD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44511 (330) 792-5511
LIBERTY HEALTH CARE CENTER INC  1355 CHURCHILL HUBBARD RD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44505 (330) 759-7858
AUSTINWOODS REHAB HEALTH CARE  4780 KIRK RD AUSTINTOWN, OH 44515 (330) 792-7681
BRIARFIELD AT ASHLEY CIRCLE  5291 ASHLEY CIRCLE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44515 (330) 793-3010
IVY WOODS MANOR  9625 MARKET STREET NORTH LIMA, OH 44452 (330) 549-3939
GILLETTE NURSING HOME  3310 ELM RD WARREN, OH 44483 (330) 372-1960
ST MARY’S ALZHEIMER’S CENTER  1899 GARFIELD RD COLUMBIANA, OH 44408 (330) 549-9259
CONCORD CARE CENTER OF CORTLAND  4250 SODOM HUTCHINGS RD CORTLAND, OH 44410 (330) 637-7906
WINDSOR HOUSE AT CHAMPION  200 EAST GLENDOLA AVENUE CHAMPION, OH 44483 (330) 847-6266
BLOSSOM NURSING AND REHAB CENTER  109 BLOSSOM LANE SALEM, OH 44460 (330) 337-3033

5-Star Youngstown Nursing Home Facilities

OHIO LIVING PARK VISTA  1216 5TH AVE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44504 (330) 746-2944 WINDSOR HEALTH CARE CENTER  1735 BELMONT AVENUE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44504 (330) 743-1393 HERITAGE MANOR JEWISH HM FOR  517 GYPSY LANE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44504 (330) 746-1076 OASIS CENTER FOR REHAB AND HEALING 850 EAST MIDLOTHIAN BLVD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44507 (330) 788-3038 DANRIDGES BURGUNDI MANOR  31 MARANATHA DRIVE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44505 (330) 746-5157 OMNI MANOR NURSING HOME  3245 VESTAL ROAD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44509 (330) 793-5648 MERIDIAN ARMS LIVING CENTER  650 S MERIDIAN ROAD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44509 (330) 792-7799 CAMELOT ARMS CARE CENTER  2958 CANFIELD RD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44511 (330) 792-5511 MAPLECREST NURSING AND HTA  400 SEXTON STREET STRUTHERS, OH 44471 (330) 755-1466 PARK CENTER HEALTH CARE AND REHABILITATION CENTER  5665 SOUTH AVE YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44512 (330) 782-1173 LIBERTY HEALTH CARE CENTER INC  1355 CHURCHILL HUBBARD RD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44505 (330) 759-7858 AUSTINWOODS REHAB HEALTH CARE  4780 KIRK RD AUSTINTOWN, OH 44515 (330) 792-7681 BRIARFIELD MANOR  461 SOUTH CANFIELD NILES ROAD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44515 (330) 270-3468 VISTA CENTER OF BOARDMAN  830 BOARDMAN CANFIELD RD BOARDMAN, OH 44512 (330) 259-9393 CENTER FOR REHABILITATION AT HAMPTON WOODS THE  1517 EAST WESTERN RESERVE ROAD POLAND, OH 44514 (330) 707-1300 HAMPTON WOODS NURSING CENTER, INC  1525 EAST WESTERN RESERVE ROAD POLAND, OH 44514 (330) 707-1300 SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY POLAND  301 WEST WESTERN RESERVE ROAD POLAND, OH 44514 (330) 726-7110