Pakdaman v. Country Villa Westwood Convalescent Center, et al

Our attorneys are at the forefront of the battle for adequate staffing in California’s Skilled Nursing Facilities. On November 30, 2010, the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Alan White issued an order granting certification of the Plaintiff’s “Patients’ Rights” claim in the matter of Pakdaman v. Country Villa Westwood Convalescent Center, et al.

Defendant Country Villa Westwood Convalescent Center (“Country Villa Westwood”) is a Skilled Nursing Facility located in Santa Monica, California, and is part of a large chain of facilities in California. Plaintiff Sara Pakdaman was an elderly and dependent resident at Country Villa Westwood. The complaint, which alleges both individual claims of Elder Abuse and Neglect as well as class claims on behalf of other residents at the facility, alleges the defendants violated the Comprehensive Bill of Rights or “Patients’ Rights” of all residents by failing to abide by State laws and regulations, and, as more specifically set forth in Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification, by failing to provide an adequate number of qualified staff to meet the needs of all of the facility’s residents.

In support of their class certification motion, Plaintiffs submitted more than 50 witness declarations from former residents of Country Villa Westwood and their family members describing experiences with short-staffing and unresponsiveness to call lights. The facility’s own records revealed that in a four year period, the defendants failed to provide even the minimum staff to patient ratio of 3.2 Nursing Hours Per Patient Day on at approximately two hundred ninety-eight (298) separate days.

The complaint in this action was filed on April 1, 2009, and currently, the class period is March 31, 2006 through March 31, 2009. The Law offices of Ben Yeroushalmi serves as lead counsel for the class. If you or a loved one were a resident of Country Villa Westwood during this period, you may be a member of the class, and we encourage you to contact our office.

If you or a loved one are or were a resident of any other California Skilled Nursing Facility that you believe is understaffed and unable to meet the needs of all its residents, you may be able to file suit and obtain relief not only for yourself, but also for all others subjected to the same violation of Patients’ Rights. Contact us today to speak with an experienced class action attorney.