Moran Lake Road Nursing Home Trial Won by Plaintiff

Added by Tania Sullivan on September 9, 2010

A suspected case of neglect at the Moran Lake Road Nursing Home in Rome, GA was concluded by the Floyd County, GA, Superior Court’s decision which awarded to the plaintiff, Loretta Terhune, $8.5m in actual damages and $35m in punitive damages as a result of the poor care her father received while staying in the nursing home. Terhune’s father, Morris Ellison was malnourished, dehydrated, denied medical care for a broken hip and ultimately died while in care at the Moran Lake Road Nursing Home for a post-operative rehabilitation period.

It was also stated that before checking in at the care-center, his health status did not present any sign of danger. Forum Medical, the company that ran the Moran Lake facility was owned by George Houser, a Harvard-educated attorney and member of the Georgia Bar. He represented himself at the trial and, because of repeated outbursts, was held in contempt of court. The trial, in which he filled for a bankruptcy motion, was eventually brought to the attention of the Federal Government which resulted in an indictment against Houser for corruption and misuse of healthcare funds. The plaintiff’s counsel used compelling evidence of deplorable conditions, underpaid workers, underfunded facilities and general neglect of the elderly.