Every year, thousands of nursing homes are the subject of lawsuits and litigation throughout the country. Rarely do those cases make national headlines. A private equity firm has been the target of a long-awaited trial that is being held in a Tampa bankruptcy court. According to Huffington Post, the case has been brought on behalf of six elderly victims who suffered from abuse, neglect, and inadequate care while under the care of nursing homes owned by Trans Healthcare, INC (“THI”).
There is no dispute in this case about whether elderly victims suffered abuse at the hands of their caretakers, and the operators of the many nursing homes. State courts have already awarded damages in excess of $1 billion in these cases. The issue is where the monetary awards should come from. Even though the families have been awarded these damages in previous state cases, none of the victims’ families have been able to collect due to an alleged unlawful abuse of bankruptcy laws.
The judge in this case stated that it has, “all the makings of a legal thriller.” The case has been the subject of wide dispute as victims suffered abuse in nursing homes acquired by GTCR in 1998. Bruce Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor of Illinois, was also the chairman of the Chicago based company during the time that the company became the subject of litigation. The company bought over 200 nursing homes throughout the country.
Now all of the parties are in Federal bankruptcy court because of an alleged scheme to hide assets from victims. According to plaintiffs, GTCR’s owners, including the candidate for governor, stole what they could of the assets, then drove the nursing home businesses into bankruptcy. Leaving elderly victims penniless in an effort to skirt paying the state court verdicts. Allegations could amount to massive fraud and an unlawful abuse of bankruptcy laws. Plaintiff victims in this case are now seeking to prove in bankruptcy court that GTCR aided and abetted a breach of duty. Raunder refused to share details of the GTCR nursing home scheme with voters.
Victims and families who have suffered because of nursing home negligence and abuse should take legal action to protect their rights. Sadly, in this case, even personal injury juries that sided with the victims were not enough to put a stop to this tyrannical nursing home company’s ownership scheme. If the plaintiffs win, they may be able to recover some of the damages through bankruptcy court. Our Fort Lauderdale nursing home abuse attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims. From investigation and discovery through trial, we will aggressively defend your rights and interests to maximize compensation in your nursing home injury claim.
This is a complicated case that involved numerous lawsuits at the state level and evolved into a national political scandal and bankruptcy case. For victims, the case represents the high-powered, for-profit nature of many nursing home companies and the possibly for rampant neglect, abuse, and illegal financial activities.
Freeman Injury Law — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
A Silent Killer: Untreated Bedsores Can Be Lethal, June 5, 2014, Broward County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
Alzheimer Patients Especially Vulnerable to Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect, April 15, 2014, Hollywood Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog