“She was just left in that bed to die.”

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported a tremendous victory. A Little Rock jury agreed with the family of Zelma Grissom that neglect caused her wrongful death. Grissom was the mother of six who resided at the Hillview Post Acute and Rehabilitation Center.

Joseph Schwartz is the New York owner of the failed Arkansas nursing home chain, Skyline Health Care. He owned and operated the Facility.

The facility allowed her to suffer a pressure injury which went untreated, became infected, leading to her painful death from sepsis. The Court found Schwartz and related defendants liable after none of the Defendants challenged the allegation.

“She’s completely dependent on staff … for daily living, things like putting her clothes on, going to the bathroom. “What’s so important for her is turning or repositioning, which is the main way to prevent a bed sore. They didn’t do that as often as they should. You’re supposed to do that every two hours and there’s no documentation … that it actually was done. According to her son … our client, he would find her dirty, unkempt, not turned. He would come in and she would be moaning in pain. She was just left in that bed to die.”

— Attorney John Landis represented the family.

The jury ordered Schwartz to pay the family $15.7 million for neglect and wrongful death.

Schwartz is also facing tax and Medicaid fraud charges.