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North Carolina (NC) Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Attorneys Licensed in NC and South Carolina (SC) with Office in Elizabeth City, NC   



Blog Category:

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

3/6/2010
Jim Lewis
Comments (0)

94-Year-Old Woman Sexually Molested in Nursing Home Receives $12.5 Million Settlement

Sophie Schwartz may never be the same. She was just a 94-year-old woman trying to enjoy the twilight of her life when a dietary aide at her nursing home sexually molested her in the middle of the night. The aide was an illegal immigrant (the nursing home appears to have failed to perform a standard background check) who abused their power by gaining access to Ms. Schwartz's room with an all-access key, according to the-signal.com. 

Fortunately, Ms. Schwartz was able to receive justice when a jury awarded her $12.5 million for general damages and "punitive damages." Essentially, punitive damages are a form of punishment against the defendant (i.e. the negligent nursing home). We applaud the jury's verdict. It sends a strong, clear message that nursing home abuse will not be tolerated.

In addition to the jury verdict, the dietary aide was convicted of sexual assault and is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence.

But an important aspect to this case, and to a majority of nursing home abuse situations, is the ability to recognize when abuse has occurred, or is occurring, against your loved one. It's likely that a friend or family member noticed changes in Ms. Schwartz's mood or behavior and suspected abuse. Without that recognition, justice may not have been served against the perpetrator of these horrible acts.

Some important red flags that can alert you to nursing home abuse/negligence include:

  • Cuts, bruises, broken bones, sprains, or other physical signs that they are being hit or neglected.
  • Overmedication, either to keep your loved one from needing attention or to keep them from reporting abuse or neglect.
  • Sudden appearance of a venereal disease, bleeding or tearing in the genital region.


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About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and who have achieved numerous successful outcomes for clients. We serve every area of North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, Nags Head and the western mountains, as well as all the cities and counties in between. In South Carolina, we cover the state from Myrtle Beach and Charleston to Orangeburg, Columbia, Florence, Rock Hill, Darlington, Aiken, Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. In addition, our firm has the highest rating of AV from national lawyer ranking organization Martindale-Hubbell and were named a North Carolina "Best Law Firm" for personal injury law since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. That means we have a reputation for demonstrating preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will return your call promptly.



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Elizabeth City, NC Personal Injury Attorneys
North Carolina (NC) Personal Injury Lawyers
Specializing in North Carolina Wrongful Death & Injury Law  



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