California Nursing Home Faces Trial in Resident Wrongful Death
Georgia Fitsos
Eighty-two year old Georgia Fitsos emigrated from Greece to Sacramento in 1952. After her husband's death in the early 1960's, she raised her sons alone. In 2006, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia and her sons quickly realized that she could no longer live alone. In Fall 2006, they moved her into Broadstone Residential Facility, where, according to the facility brochure, she "can enjoy a lifestyle of Elegance!" Paying a sizable monthly fee, her sons thought she would be well cared for.
In July 2007, she had a black eye. Georgia told her son that someone hit her, but facility staff told him she fell asleep at the dining table and hit her face. In August 2007, Georgia's son, John, found his mother suffering shortness of breath and called 911 because her attendant, a Romanian native who has since returned to Romania, couldn't speak enough English to make the call. Rushed to the hospital, doctors found Georgia suffering from high blood sugar, extremely low blood pressure and, worst of all, "a bedsore the size of a turkey platter". Georgia died of acute sepsis and other complications from the Stage IV pressure sore in October 2007.
Georgia's family filed a wrongful death action against the facility and its owner and administrator, Adriana Catuna and her husband, Viorel. They also face a felony elder abuse trial and license revocation proceedings.
Georgia's son, John FItsos, said, "I'm not interested in blood money. I'm not interested in an adversarial situation. I'm interested in seeing legislation passed that really protects the public."
The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at (888) 317-2525 or visit us on our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.
