POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — A Mason County jury ruled Wednesday a rehabilitation center is guilty for the death of one of its residents.
The jury found Pleasant Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation guilty of negligence and recklessness stemming from the case of 72-year old Gladys Gerlach, who died at the nursing home on Dec. 24, 2012.
The $905,000 verdict on the Pleasant Valley Hospital Inc. subsidiary includes $305,000 in punitive damages.
According to the verdict, Gerlach was not to be served a regular diet as she suffered from dysphasia and esophageal stricture, and should not have been reclined while eating.
Nurses, just three days after Gerlach entered the Pleasant Valley Rehab Center, served the patient a hamburger and carrot sticks. Gerlach was also eating unsupervised while in a reclining position.
Gerlach died due to choking. Her death was not discovered for around two hours.
The jury also found evidence pointing to the idea that Gerlach received medications she was not scheduled to take. There was no record at the rehabilitation center that she received her regular medications.
The jury trial began on September 18.