Caseyville Nursing and Rehabilitation sued

The administrator of the estate of a deceased woman has filed suit against a nursing home, a health care provider and a physician, alleging the woman died because of the doctor's and nursing home employees' negligence.

George Watson says Ethel Mae Shell had been living at the Caseyville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for about six months before her death on May 19, 2007.

While Shell was living at the center, she suffered recurrent urinary tract infections, malnutrition, dehydration and the development of decubitus ulcers, according to the complaint filed April 22 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

The cause of her injuries were employees at the nursing home who failed to provide adequate care and failed to protect her from neglect, according to the complaint.

They also failed to notify Shell's physician of significant changes in her condition, failed to make sure that Shell maintained her proper weight and protein levels, failed to provide her with sufficient fluid intake and failed to prevent urinary tract infections, the suit states.

Watson claims employees failed to prevent the development of decubitus ulcers and failed to maintain the highest practicable well-being.

In addition, Shell's physician, Deatrice Kellogg, failed to order appropriate diagnostic tests and failed to timely evaluate Shell's dehydration, malnutrition and decubitus ulcers, according to the complaint.

Specialized Wound Management is also named as a defendant in the suit because of its failure to appropriately evaluate and treat Shell's decubitus ulcers, the suit states.

Before her death, Shell suffered severe and repeated pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress and a loss of dignity, the suit states.

Caseyville Property is named as a respondent in discovery and may be added to the list of defendants.

In the seven-count suit, Watson is seeking a judgment in excess of $300,000, plus attorney's fees and costs.

He is represented by Staci M. Yandle of The Law Offices of Staci M. Yandle in Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-208.