Practice Areas

Nursing Home Abuse
Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents
Medical Malpractice
DUI, Traffic and Criminal Law Defense
Business Litigation
Divorce

Blog

Firm News

Jury awards senior $7.75 million in nursing home abuse lawsuit
Posted on 2/27/2010

Virginia Beach nurse implicated in nursing home identity theft
Posted on 1/29/2010

Kickbacks lead to nursing home residents being prescribed drugs
Posted on 1/29/2010

Cases of nursing home abuse and neglect may go up over the holiday season
Posted on 11/30/2009

Senators pushing back against DEA narcotics crackdown affecting nursing home residents
Posted on 10/31/2009

GAO Report questions ability of CMS to find and monitor subpar nursing homes
Posted on 9/30/2009

Virginia nursing home being sued for $26M over resident death
Posted on 8/28/2009

State Attorney Generals raise concerns about CMS Nursing Home Rating System
Posted on 8/27/2009

Abuse investigation of Virginia nursing home workers
Posted on 7/30/2009

Nursing Homes on the lookout for Swine Flu
Posted on 6/24/2009

View All

Firm Library

Who is to blame when one nursing home resident murders another?

It is a case that has people across the country shaking their head, and it is a case that could have happened anywhere. A 98-year-old nursing home resident in Massachusetts, Laura Lundquist, has been indicted on charges that she killed her 100-year-old roommate, Elizabeth Barrow.

The nursing home will not face any charges, as they were found to not have done anything wrong. Lundquist, however, will have to undergo a 20-day competency evaluation at a hospital before being arraigned in Superior Court. She allegedly has a history of dementia and paranoia.

This is a tragic case, but were there signs that something was amiss, something that somebody at the nursing home should have picked up on? According to the District Attorney, Lundquist had stated before the victim’s death that she would eventually get Barrow’s bed by the window because she would outlive Barrow.

The DA added that the victim had also complained that Lundquist was making her life “a living hell”. The victim’s son stated that Lundquist made threatening remarks to his mother about the number of visitors she received, and the night before the murder Lundquist punched a nurse’s aide who moved a table that Lundquist positioned in order to block Barrow’s way to the bathroom.

How seriously should the nursing home have taken the threats that Lundquist made towards Barrow? Should they have separated the women or monitored them more closely? Unfortunately, there isn’t much that families can hope for in these situations, especially considering that disorders like dementia and paranoia can be so unpredictable.

Unruly, unpleasant roommates can be one of the negatives of a nursing home stay, but a bad roommate situation should never end in an assault or murder. Sadly, this isn’t the last time that a nursing home resident will be assaulted or killed by another resident. Sexual assault can happen when nursing homes allow registered sex offenders to live side-by-side with other residents, and residents with deteriorating mental faculties can suddenly become violent.

If you suspect that someone you love in a nursing home is experiencing poor care or is suffering in a dangerous situation, an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer can help. Please contact the attorneys at Weisberg & Zaleski to discuss your situation.

You can also check out our law library article “Speaking up when you fear nursing home abuse or neglect” and our many other informative articles about nursing home abuse and neglect.

Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.

112 College Place

Norfolk, VA 23510

Toll Free: (800) 690-0235

Phone: (757) 622-7740

Fax: (757) 533-9223

Ask an Attorney
Free Consultation

Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
Get Directions