What Are California Nursing Home Settlements?
California nursing home settlements are financial agreements reached to resolve lawsuits involving nursing home abuse and neglect in facilities across the state.
In these arrangements, the negligent party (often the facility, its staff, and/or administrator) agrees to pay for the harm that was done. The case is then dismissed.
California nursing home settlements award compensation for:
- Costs of future care or rehabilitation
- Emotional distress caused by the situation
- Medical expenses related to the abuse or neglect
- Pain and suffering endured by the victim
- Relocation expenses to move to a new facility
Settling a nursing home lawsuit often allows families to receive compensation quickly and avoid going to trial, where either side could win the case.
Nursing home settlements do not take away the physical and emotional trauma that comes with neglect and abuse. However, they can bring a sense of justice and closure to nursing home residents and their families.
The Nursing Home Abuse Center partners with an extensive network of experienced nursing home law firms. Together, they have recovered over $273 million for families harmed by negligent nursing facilities.
If you or a loved one was harmed at a facility in the state, you may be able to pursue a California nursing home settlement.
Get a free case review right now to find out if you may be eligible.
Fight back against nursing home abuse and neglect — start now with a free case review.
Start My Free Case Reviewor call (855) 264-6310
California Nursing Home Settlements and Verdicts
Abuse and neglect lawsuit compensation is awarded through California nursing home settlements and trial verdicts.
Payouts vary and depend on the specifics of the case. However, some nursing home abuse lawsuits are worth over $1 million.
In a groundbreaking California nursing home case, a Fountainwood facility was ordered to pay $42.5 million for the wrongful death of a 77-year-old resident who died from complications due to daily, unauthorized use of the emergency-only sedative Ativan.
Here are more reported California nursing home settlements and verdicts:
- $8.9 million for the family of a 65-year-old for elder abuse and wrongful death
- $4.8 million for abuse in an assisted living community
- $3 million for negligent supervision leading to wrongful death from a fall
- $2.3 million for nursing home abuse
- $2 million to the family of a dementia patient who died after being denied care
- $1.8 million after a preventable fall in a nursing home
- $1 million after medical malpractice led to wrongful death from a fall
- $1 million for the daughter of a resident for wrongful death
- $755,000 for nursing home malpractice and brain injury due to a fall
The best way to determine the value of your potential California nursing home neglect settlement or verdict is to get a free consultation from an experienced lawyer.
Call us right now at (855) 264-6310 or Click to Live Chat to start the process.
Average California Nursing Home Settlement Amounts
California nursing home settlement amounts depend on the severity of the case and several other factors. Many settlements reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Further, amounts can hit $1 million or more in certain cases.
In March 2024, a California nursing home settlement resulted in Mariner Health paying $15.5 million due to poor care quality in facilities across Los Angeles, Alameda, Marin, and Santa Cruz. The settlement is meant to encourage better oversight and significant improvements in care standards.
“I am pleased with the $15.5 million settlement to hold Mariner Health Care Inc., accountable for its horrific practices and mistreatment of patients in their various skilled nursing facilities locations in California, including facilities in Los Angeles County.”
—George Gascón, Los Angeles County District Attorney
The funds from this recent California nursing home settlement are primarily directed at implementing reforms and compensating the state for its costs.
However, families who have experienced nursing home neglect or abuse are also eligible to pursue California nursing home settlements to receive compensation for the harm they have suffered.
Who Qualifies for California Nursing Home Abuse Settlements?
Typically, residents of nursing facilities located in the state and their close family members can pursue California nursing home abuse settlements.
If a resident passes away, an estate representative may also be able to seek compensation from a California nursing home abuse settlement through a wrongful death lawsuit.
California nursing home settlements are usually awarded for negligence or abuse due to an injury or death. This could involve physical abuse, neglect, or sexual abuse.
These situations may lead to a California nursing home settlement:
- Bedsores (pressure ulcers), especially stage 4 bedsores
- Broken bones or fractures from nursing home falls
- Choking due to lack of supervision
- Dehydration or malnutrition
- Overmedication or medication mistakes
- Poor diabetic care
- Sepsis from infections
If you or a loved one was harmed in a facility anywhere in the state, you may be entitled to compensation through a California nursing home settlement.
Get a free case review right now to find out if you could be eligible.
Fight back against nursing home abuse and neglect — start now with a free case review.
Start My Free Case Reviewor call (855) 264-63105 Factors That Affect California Nursing Home Settlements
California nursing home settlements are meant to provide families with the financial support needed to recover from the emotional and physical trauma of abuse and neglect.
With that in mind, settlement amounts can vary greatly and generally depend upon several factors.
These 5 factors influence the amount of California nursing home settlements:
- Treatment costs and other expenses: Financial burdens such as ongoing medical treatment, funeral expenses, and the cost of moving to another facility play a significant role in determining the settlement amount.
- Severity of abuse or neglect: Settlement amounts are heavily influenced by how severe the abuse or neglect was.
- Evidence of negligence: The strength and clarity of evidence showing the nursing home’s failure to provide proper care can greatly impact the settlement.
- Resident’s health status: The resident’s existing health conditions and the impact of the nursing home’s care on these conditions come into play.
- Quality of legal representation: Effective and experienced legal representation is crucial in negotiating favorable settlement terms.
Additionally, a nursing home’s history of previous violations can affect the amount of the settlement agreement.
The best way to determine how much you may be able to receive in a California nursing home settlement is to seek professional advice.
Experienced California nursing home lawyers are familiar with the laws in the state and can help you understand how much your family may be eligible to receive and fight for maximum compensation.
Steps to Secure California Nursing Home Settlements
Securing a California nursing home settlement involves several key steps designed to ensure justice and compensation for victims of nursing home abuse or neglect.
Understanding the legal process can empower families as they navigate life after the trauma of nursing home abuse.
These are the typical steps involved in pursuing a California nursing home settlement:
- Free case review: Top nursing home abuse law firms offer no-cost initial consultations to determine if you may have a valid claim. Get your free case review right now.
- Collect evidence: Your legal team will collect critical evidence to strengthen your case. This includes medical records, photos and videos, incident reports from the nursing home, and police reports if they were filed.
- File the lawsuit: Your attorney will file a lawsuit in the appropriate court, ensuring all applicable deadlines are met.
- Negotiate a settlement: Your lawyer will work with the other side to reach a California nursing home settlement as quickly as possible. The aim is to secure the maximum possible compensation for your family.
- Take the case to court: If a satisfactory settlement cannot be reached, or the nursing home’s offer does not adequately cover your damages, your legal team will continue fighting for your family at trial.
Working with an experienced nursing home lawyer allows you to focus on healing after neglect or abuse.
Meanwhile, your legal team will work tirelessly to secure the California nursing home abuse settlement your family deserves.
When to Pursue California Nursing Home Settlements
For several reasons, it’s important to pursue a California nursing home settlement as soon as possible.
First, laws known as statutes of limitations prevent legal action from being taken after a certain period of time, and these deadlines can differ for each state.
In California, the statute of limitations for taking legal action for nursing home abuse or neglect is 2 years.
Additionally, limiting how long someone has to file a lawsuit ensures that enough evidence will still be available so a case can be fairly built.
Further, if too much time passes, witnesses may not correctly remember the events of a case, and some may even pass away. This is especially true in nursing home cases, as victims and witnesses are often older or have conditions that affect memory, like Alzheimer’s.
Finally, evidence may be moved, cleaned up, destroyed, or otherwise lost over time.
For all of these reasons, it is crucial to take action without delay.
Call the Nursing Home Abuse Center right now at (855) 264-6310 to see if you may qualify to pursue a California nursing home settlement.
California Nursing Home Settlement Service Areas
The nursing home abuse lawyers in our network can help families across the state pursue California nursing home settlements.
These are just some of our California nursing home settlement service areas:
- Alturas
- Anaheim
- Angels Camp
- Bakersfield
- Bishop
- Chico
- Chula Vista
- Clearlake
- Colusa
- Concord
- Corona
- Crescent City
- Daly City
- El Centro
- Elk Grove
- Escondido
- Eureka
- Fontana
- Fremont
- Fresno
- Fullerton
- Garden Grove
- Glendale
- Grass Valley
- Hanford
- Hayward
- Hollister
- Huntington Beach
- Irvine
- Ione
- Lancaster
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Loyalton
- Madera
- Mammoth Lakes
- Marysville
- Merced
- Modesto
- Moreno Valley
- Napa
- Oakland
- Oceanside
- Ontario
- Orange
- Orland
- Oxnard
- Palmdale
- Pasadena
- Placerville
- Pomona
- Portola
- Rancho Cucamonga
- Red Bluff
- Redding
- Riverside
- Roseville
- Sacramento
- Salinas
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- San Luis Obispo
- San Rafael
- Santa Ana
- Santa Clara
- Santa Clarita
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Maria
- Santa Rosa
- Sonora
- Stockton
- Sunnyvale
- Susanville
- Torrance
- Vallejo
- Visalia
- Woodland
- Yreka
- Yuba City
- Zipcodes:
- 90011
- 90059
- 91701
- 92007
- 92251
- 92501
- 92801
- 93001
- 93101
- 93201
- 93202
- 93203
- 93401
- 93513
- 93541
- 93610
- 93650
- 93901
- 94002
- 94022
- 94101
- 94203
- 94501
- 94503
- 94505
- 94510
- 94901
- 94922
- 95001
- 95023
- 95201
- 95221
- 95301
- 95305
- 95306
- 95410
- 95422
- 95501
- 95531
- 95601
- 95602
- 95605
- 95623
- 95901
- 95912
- 95913
- 95914
- 95915
- 95945
- 96001
- 96006
- 96008
- 96010
- 96021
- 96101
- 96120
Our legal partners can pursue California nursing home settlements throughout the state. If your city or town is not listed, call the Nursing Home Abuse Center right now at (855) 264-6310 to see if we can help.
Get Help Seeking a California Nursing Home Settlement
Pursuing a California nursing home settlement is much less stressful with the right team behind you. Attorneys at top law firms are skilled at handling all of the legal work, so you won’t have additional burdens in your life.
This means you can focus on helping your family heal from the devastating impact of nursing home abuse and neglect.
Our experienced legal partners can help families in all 50 states. Together, they have helped recover over $273 million, including compensation from California nursing home abuse settlements.
Call the Nursing Home Abuse Center at (855) 264-6310 right now or get a free case review to find out if we can help.
California Nursing Home Settlements FAQs
How much is a California nursing home abuse case worth?
The value of a California nursing home settlement or verdict varies widely, depending on the severity of the abuse and its impact on the victim’s health.
Settlement amounts can range from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. The average nursing home payout is around $400,000 for severe harm.
If you or a loved one suffered from abuse or neglect in a nursing home, you may be able to access financial compensation through a California nursing home settlement.
Get a free case review right now to find out if you may be eligible.
How are nursing home wrongful death settlements paid out?
Nursing home settlements for wrongful death are typically paid out as a lump sum. However, they may also be paid through a structured settlement.
A structured settlement is a financial arrangement in which compensation is paid out in regular payments over a specified period instead of in one payment.
Lawsuit compensation is usually distributed to the deceased resident’s estate or directly to surviving family members as determined by the settlement terms or the deceased’s will.
If your loved one passed away due to neglect or abuse at a facility in the state, you may be able to pursue a California nursing home settlement for wrongful death.
Call us right now at (855) 264-6310 to find out if the Nursing Home Abuse Center can help you get started.
How long does it take to settle a California nursing home lawsuit?
Generally, California nursing home settlements resolve quicker than trials, potentially concluding in a few months to over a year.
That said, the time it takes to resolve a California nursing home lawsuit can vary, often depending on the complexity of the case.
What is the statute of limitations for nursing home negligence in California?
The statute of limitations for nursing home negligence in California is generally 2 years from the date the injury was discovered, or death occurred.
What should I do if I suspect abuse or neglect in a California nursing home?
Immediately report any suspicion of abuse or neglect to your local Licensing and Certification District Office. For instance, residents in the Sacramento area can contact the Sacramento District Office at 916-263-5800.
Additionally, you can contact your local ombudsman program, which provides advocacy services to nursing home residents across California, to ensure the issue is addressed.
Finally, a skilled lawyer can help you seek justice and financial compensation through a California nursing home settlement.
Call (855) 264-6310 right now to find out if we can connect you.
What are my loved one's rights in a California nursing home?
Residents in California nursing homes have rights protected under both state and federal laws. These include the right to receive proper care and live free from abuse or neglect.
The East Bay district office of the Licensing and Certification Program under the California Department of Public Health, serving counties like Alameda and Contra Costa, is a resource for understanding specific local regulations and rights enforcement.
Who regulates California nursing homes?
California nursing homes are regulated by the California Department of Public Health, Licensing and Certification Program (CDPH, L&C). This state agency is responsible for licensing and regulating health facilities, including nursing homes, ensuring they comply with state and federal laws.
How can I file a complaint against a nursing home in California?
To file a complaint against a nursing home in California, contact the Licensing and Certification District Office closest to you.
For example, if you are in Los Angeles, you can reach out to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health at 800-228-1019. Similarly, San Diego residents can contact the San Diego District Office (North) at 619-278-3700 or (South) at 619-688-6190.
These offices address specific regional needs and guide you through the process of filing a complaint.
How are nursing home complaints investigated in California?
The Department of Public Health, Licensing, and Certification Program investigates complaints through routine inspections and targeted investigations.
In the Fresno region, for example, complaints can be directed to the Fresno District Office at 559-437-1500.
These investigations help ensure facilities meet the required standards and support claims in settlement cases.
Where can I find information about the quality of nursing homes in California?
The Licensing and Certification Program’s district offices provide data about facilities in their jurisdiction, which can be used to obtain information about the quality of nursing homes.
For residents near San Francisco, for example, the San Francisco District Office at 415-330-6353 can provide specific information about local nursing home compliance and performance.
This data is vital for making informed decisions about potential legal actions or settlements.
