EDWARDSVILLE — A Granite City nursing home is facing a wrongful death suit alleging a resident suffered several falls leading to her death due to negligent care.
Susan Rollens, individually and as special administrator of the Estate of Mary Dell Whitsell, deceased, filed a complaint June 17 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Stearns Nursing & Rehabilitation Center LLC and Aurora Cares LLC, doing business as Tara Cares LLC, alleging negligence and wrongful death.
Rollens alleges in her complaint that Whitsell was a resident at Sterns Nursing & Rehabilitation Center located in Granite City when she allegedly suffered a fall that "exacerbated a closed head injury" she had suffered from a previous fall. Rollens claims as a result of Whitsell's falls, the decedent suffered "intense pain and suffering." She also alleges that the injuries from the falls ultimately led to Whitsell's death.
Rollens alleges the defendant's were negligent for failing to have appropriate nursing and medical care for Whitsell and failing to train its staff to properly care for her. She also alleges the defendants failed to have a sufficient amount of staff to care for Whitsell and failed to implement any safety precautions for the decedent, who was a known high fall risk. Rollens claims the defendants should have transferred Whitsell to another facility since they "could no longer meet her needs" for care.
Rollens seeks compensation of more than $50,000 and all other proper relief. She is represented by John Hipskind of Hipskind & McAninch LLC in Belleville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 21-L-000701