Life Care Centers of America

Life Care Centers of America is a healthcare management company that oversees numerous nursing homes in the United States. Founded in 1970, it has its headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee. 

Most facilities it oversees focus on skilled nursing, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapies, Alzheimer’s care, assisted living, and post-acute care. The Life Care Centers of America network has over 200 campuses across 27 states.

Like many nursing home companies in the United States, this organization has no care record without blemishes. Although the Life Care Centers of America are designed to strive daily for quality care for their residents, they often fall short of professional standards.

The Issues Behind Life Care Centers of America

Across hundreds of locations, residents suffer from abuse, neglect, and nursing home violations that put their health at risk. Many of these locations have received one or two-star scores from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 

The CMS rates every facility out of five stars based on individual scores for health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. A one-star rating reflects a well-below-average score, and a two-star rating is still below average. As a result, many potential patients and their families may question the safety of these nursing homes.

If you do experience abuse or neglect in a Life Care Centers of America nursing home, or you have a loved one who has, you have legal options to hold these facilities accountable. The Nursing Home Law Center team specializes in helping victims and their family members seek justice through compensation for legal damages. 

Citations and Lawsuits Against Life Care Centers of America

Many lives have been impacted by negligence or abusive behavior at Life Care Centers of America’s nursing homes. Whether this harm is caused by administrative employees, nursing staff, or poor practices, the consequences can devastate the victims. 

Since 2000, locations under this company have had 314 records of nursing home violations resulting in fines. These fines have cost various institutions over $13 million. More than 90 of these violations have occurred since the beginning of 2022 [1].

Several lawsuits against Life Care Centers of America involve mistreatment of employees or residents. In another lawsuit, the company was blamed for fraudulent activity.

False Claims Act Violation

This act has been cited in numerous lawsuits against nursing home management companies, and Life Care Centers of America is no exception. In 2016, the company paid a settlement of $145 million for fraudulent representation of therapy services.

Facilities and administrators were accused of falsifying records and wildly exaggerating the care needs of individual residents to receive more reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid. This case represents the lack of attention to detail and dishonesty in nursing institutions serving elderly residents.

Multiple Violations at a Kansas Center

In another case, the plaintiff was a former employee who claimed they were wrongfully terminated. Some of the issues alleged in the case involved multiple residents contracting scabies, including the employee and the nursing home’s failure to respond to the problem.

Fall Accident in Texas

In one case, a resident was being transported to a chair under orders that all transfers must involve two staff members. Only one nurse was conducting the transfer, and the patient fractured their leg during the movement. A settlement was reached with the help of a nursing home fall lawyer, and the nursing home received a written warning.

Ongoing Medication Errors in Texas

One patient was staying in a Texas nursing home and received the same medication multiple times, which persistently caused a severe toxic reaction. Even after numerous incidents occurred, the doctor continued to administer the incorrect medication, resulting in the hospitalization of the patient. Eventually, the patient died after a reaction to another dose of the medication.

Mental Patient Violence Causes Eventual Death of Another Resident

One resident was admitted to a nursing home and was attacked by another patient. They suffered a broken hip due to the attack, which, after complications, led to the resident’s death. 

The family of the resident alleged that the nursing home was negligent in admitting the attacker, who had a history of mental illness. Additionally, the staff was accused of not providing adequate supervision to prevent the attack.

Inspections and Deficiency Reports at Life Care Centers of America

Regular inspections are part of the rhythm of nursing home management. State and federal agencies enforce professional standards on Life Care Centers of America, and inspections may be conducted during the scheduled feedback cycle or in response to complaints. 

Many inspections have found violations in nursing homes managed by Life Care Centers of America. Here are some institutions that have experienced recent deficiencies.

Rensselaer Care Center – Rensselaer, IN

This Life Care Center in Indiana has been cited for several deficiencies in inspection reports. The staff failed to keep the premises clear of accident hazards, putting residents in danger of fall injuries. They also could not provide nutrition to meet each resident’s dietary needs.

Wooldridge Place Nursing Center – Corpus Christi, TX

Residents have been put at risk for numerous reasons at this Corpus Christi institution under the management of Life Care Centers of America. 

Like Rensselaer Care Center, the staff here have been lazy in maintaining clean protocols that remove accident hazards from the home to benefit patients. Additionally, the staff has failed to provide appropriate treatment services according to each resident’s care plan, preferences, and doctor’s orders.

Life Care Center of Elizabethton – Elizabethton, TN

The staff and administration at this Life Care Center have failed in many ways. They have also failed to provide appropriate services based on resident treatment plans. Resident doctors have not consistently reviewed treatment plans and tracked patient progress. 

The facility has not provided sufficient support from a licensed pharmacist for monthly drug reviews and policy updates. These issues combine to put residents in danger of neglect and abuse [2].

What Can Nursing Home Lawyers Do?

Based on a history of violations, deficiencies, and lawsuits, Life Care Centers of America has not proven it can effectively manage safe nursing homes across its entire network and keep patients healthy. If you or a loved one has suffered abuse or neglect at one of these facilities, you could consider legal action against the institution or the managing company. 

Our experienced nursing home negligence and abuse attorneys can assist in your legal fight for justice, especially if you have suffered legal damages and require compensation.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect

All family members should be vigilant when visiting loved ones in nursing homes. Often, visitors are the first line of defense against abuse and neglect because they notice the difference in the behavior or condition of the resident. 

Some signs that your loved one may be experiencing abuse or neglect in a nursing home are unexplained injuries, bruises, broken bones, pressure ulcers, a worsening health condition, missing possessions, fearfulness around specific individuals, agitation, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of hobbies.

Act Quickly to Protect Yourself or Your Family Member

There are multiple reasons to take action when suspect wrongdoing in a nursing home. 

First, you want to prevent further violations from happening. Second, collecting evidence for a lawsuit is more challenging if you wait to report the incident. Third, you could run into the statute of limitations in your state if you fail to act, resulting in your case being dismissed. 

To improve skilled nursing facilities under the Life Care Centers of America, immediate action must be taken when abuse or neglect is discovered.

Free Consultation and No Upfront Fees

The Nursing Home Law Center team is dedicated to serving those who have suffered at the hands of Life Care Centers of America. We offer a free consultation so you can ask questions about your case and get the answers you need before pursuing legal action. 

Our associates also work on a contingency fee basis. This means you have no upfront costs, and we will only get paid if we win your case. That payment is deducted from the settlement amount.

Contact The Nursing Home Law Center to Combat Abuse and Neglect!

Whether you suffer because of poor management by Life Care Centers of America or a medication error by an individual nurse, you have the right to pursue compensation for legal damages like medical expenses, emotional distress, and physical pain. 

With the help of our legal team at the Nursing Home Law Center, we can improve your chances of success and obtaining justice. Let us serve you and secure your financial future after nursing home abuse turns your world upside down.

Call our office at 800 926-7565 or complete the online form to request your free case review. 

Resources: [1] Violation Tracker – Life Care Centers of America Summary, [2] ProPublica – Life Care Centers of America Deficiencies,