Rosewood Care Center in Swansea sued over resident's fall

A Swansea nursing home is being sued after one of its residents allegedly suffered a fatal brain injury after falling at the facility.

Marjean Webb, as executive of the estate of Lillian Otten, filed a lawsuit Sept. 27 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Rosewood Care Center Inc., of Swansea, doing business as Rosewood Care Center of Swansea.

According to the lawsuit, Otten began living at Rosewood Care Center in September 2011. In October of the same year Otten allegedly fell while in the center's care. Webb claims Otten hurt her knee, broke bones in her hip, injured her left eye and began bleeding on her brain because of the fall.

Webb also alleges the nursing home, prior to Otten's fall, added the blood-clotting medication Coumadin to her drug regimen without notifying the family of the change. She says the employees of Rosewood Care Center failed to monitor the effects of the Coumadin, failed to provide adequate assistance to Otten and failed to properly document her fall.

Rosewood Care Center is accused of negligence and of violating Illinois' Nursing Home Care Act. Webb seeks more than $75,000 in damages for medical expenses and costs of the lawsuit.

Attorney Ross T. Anderson of East St. Louis represents the plaintiff. They ask for a jury trial.

St. Clair County Circuit Court Case No.13-L-499