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North Carolina Workers' Compensation

Medical Malpractice, Hospital Malpractice, Professional Negligence

North Carolina Workers' Compensation

Disability Insurance - ERISA Attorney

Disability Insurance: Do not buy it through your employer

Medical Malpractice, Hospital Malpractice, Professional Negligence

An employee of an Illinois nursing home was fired and arrested for aggravated battery.

An Illinois nursing home has just landed a reputation it may never shed.

Based on an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) investigation, Timbercreek Rehab and Healthcare facility in Pekin amassed some of the most serious licensure violations ever in the state, according to the Pekin Daily Times.

Doug Currier, Timbercreek spokesman, said "What we have done is review our hiring practices and have implemented several changes based on the state review," he said. "We have evaluated the way we hire potential employees who may have been on a waiver with the Illinois Department of Public Health. We have discontinued the practice of hiring people who are on waivers. We have reviewed all of the employee charts of people who are working on an IDPH waiver. Several of those employees have been terminated or assigned other duties.

For now, IDPH sanctions have resulted in positive changes at Timbercreek.

"We have now made it mandatory that administrators review, in addition to the department head hiring the employee, all background checks and employee files prior to hiring, thus providing a double check of all employees," Currier added.

The facility was fined $20,000 for employing two certified nursing assistants who had a record of abuse. One certified nursing assistant broke the arm of a 74-year-old woman, IDPH records show. A hearing in the case is set for March 3.

In March of last year, there was an alleged battery at Timbercreek. Elisha Doss was arrested for aggravated battery to a senior citizen and criminal neglect of a long term care resident. When the story was reported in a local newspaper, Doss was fired. Currier claimed Doss was hired by previous ownership at Timbercreek.

Doss was charged in Tazewell County with criminal neglect of a long-term health facility resident, a Class 4 felony. Court records show Doss admitted she twisted the victim's wrist while removing a sweater. Doss said she then heard a "pop" but failed to report it for fear of losing her license to work. She pleaded not guilty and has a pre-trial hearing set for March 28. Trial is set for April 21.

The victim is suing Doss and Peterson Health Operations L.L.C. in civil court for an amount in excess of $50,000. Peterson is Timbercreek’s parent company.