UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — An $8.5 million award was granted to the family of an elderly woman who suffered fatal neglect at a Prince George’s County nursing facility, although this amount will ultimately be reduced significantly due to state laws.
The decision, delivered by a jury in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, compensates the estate and daughter of 83-year-old Helen Hansford, who tragically lost her life after her health deteriorated in the care of Largo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. While initially granted millions, the final payout will be reduced to $845,000 due to Maryland’s cap on noneconomic damages.
The jury found that the nursing home failed to meet adequate care standards after Hansford’s weight plummeted from 112 to 81 pounds within seven months of her stay beginning in June 2020. It was additionally determined that the facility’s negligence directly contributed to Hansford’s death resulting from complications due to untreated blood clots.
The substantial jury award included $8 million for Hansford’s estate and an additional $500,000 for her daughter, Helena Hansford, under a wrongful death claim. However, despite the jury’s decision, state-imposed limitations on recovery for grief, pain, and suffering will drastically reduce the compensatory amount.
Hansford was admitted to the facility for post-hospital care following a fall but rapidly declined after the center reportedly failed to resume her prescribed blood thinner medication post-surgery. This oversight led to the development of life-threatening blood clots in her lungs and brain.
Brian Brown, representing Hansford’s estate and family, emphasized the emotional victory for his clients in being able to publicly share their ordeal and highlight the alleged abuses by the nursing facility. Brown labeled the caps on damages a “perversion of justice,” restricting what he sees as full legal redress and underscoring systemic issues within state liability laws.
On the defense’s part, Angela Russell, attorney for Largo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, has not issued any comment regarding the verdict but noted that her client is contemplating seeking a new trial.
The case sheds light on the critical issues surrounding elder care in nursing facilities, particularly highlighting the potential for systemic failures that can lead to tragic outcomes. Advocates for elderly rights and legal reform argue that such cases underscore the need for stricter regulations and oversight to protect vulnerable seniors in similar settings.
As the legal proceedings continue to unfold, the Hansford case remains a significant point of reference in the debate over the adequacy of care standards in nursing homes and the justice system’s role in mediating such disputes, especially under the constraints of damage caps in wrongful death and negligence cases.