A Florida jury recently awarded $114 million to the family of a 76-year-old woman who was allegedly the victim of elder abuse while a resident at a local nursing home. The plaintiffs alleged that the decedent, Juanita Jackson, developed pressure sores (bedsores, decubitus ulcers), became malnourished and dehydrated, and was purposefully overmedicated at Integrated Health Services at Auburndale. Integrated Health Services reportedly stopped participating in the case weeks ago, and as a result, a default judgment was entered against the company.
The case proceeded to a trial on damages. After the trial, the jury awarded $14 million in damages and $100 million in punitive damages to Jackson’s family. The verdict is reportedly one of the largest in Polk County history.
$114 Million Awarded in Abuse Case, The Ledger, Jason Geary, July 22, 2010.
