Woman sues HCR ManorCare for nursing home negligence

CHARLESTON -- A woman is suing HCR ManorCare after she claims it was negligent in caring for her mother.

Manor Care, Inc.; HCR Manor Care Services, Inc.; Health Care and Retirement Corporation of America, LLC; Heartland Employment Services, LLC; Danny Davis; Jeffrey Smith; John Does 1 through 10; and Unidentified Entities 1 through 10 (as to Heartland of Charleston) were also named as defendants in the suit.

In January 2009, Lucille King became a nursing home resident of the defendants, where she remained until her death on April 18, 2009, according to a complaint filed Feb. 23 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Debbie Gillenwater claims the defendants were aware of King's medical condition and the care that she required when they represented that they could adequately care for her needs.

The defendants' negligence accelerated the deterioration of King's health and physical condition beyond that of the normal aging process and resulted in urinary tract infections, dehydration, malnutrition, pressure sores, infections and her death, according to the suit.

Gillenwater is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by James B. McHugh, Michael J. Fuller Jr. and Amy J. Quezon.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Charles E. King.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-312