Iowa’s Care Initiatives Has Been Sued for Wrongful Death at Least 10 Times

Care Initiatives is one of the biggest nursing home companies in the state, and it is currently facing 10 wrongful death lawsuits. These lawsuits were all filed within the past year and a half.

The wrongful death lawsuits were filed against several of the company’s 43 nursing homes. There are four wrongful death lawsuits against Northcrest Specialty Care in Waterloo. Iowa authorities have done 21 complaint investigations of this facility in the last 12 months.

Care Initiatives has officially denied wrongdoing in all the lawsuits. The company has even filed to have the cases thrown out because residents signed arbitration agreements when they were admitted to nursing homes. These agreements say disputes must be settled via arbitration and not in court.

Those who advocate for the elderly have criticized arbitration agreements. They say residents and families do not realize these contracts take away their right to go to court. In fact, in 2021 it was estimated that approximately 70 percent of nursing home residents across the country had signed these agreements.

These agreements might not hold up in court – earlier in 2024, a judge chose not to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit even though there was a signed arbitration agreement.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Janice Schmitt. She died after falling at Northcrest Specialty Care. The judge who refused to dismiss the lawsuit said Schmitt did not have the mental capacity to understand what she was signing, so the contract could not be enforced. The court said the facility exploited her.

Other lawsuits involve similar claims of neglect and inadequate care:

• The family of Larry Nichols alleges that Southridge Specialty Care staff failed to treat pressure sores, leading to Nichols’ death from sepsis.
• Another case against Corning Specialty Care involves Angela Segebart, who died after being dropped by staff during a transfer, leading to multiple fractures and complications.
• The family of Lora Pavlovec alleges that Northcrest Specialty Care in Waterloo failed to provide adequate staff after Lora’s admission. This led to pressure sores, septic shock and death. This case has a trial date of August 27.
• The family of Alice Ward sued Wapello Specialty Care. Alice died after wandering out of the facility and suffering critical injuries from a fall. The family says Alice was considered a severe fall risk.
• John Nichols’ family says he was admitted to Northcrest in February 2022, where he fell in the shower eight days later and died from a brain bleed. Care Initiatives was able to settle most of the case through arbitration. However, there could be a loss of consortium claim, depending on what the arbitrator decides.
• Craig Christensen’s family claims that while at Avoca Specialty Care in January 2022, an untreated urinary tract infection led to sepsis and his death in February 2022. There is a jury trial scheduled for July 29, 2025.
• Gloria August’s family says she died in December 2021 after repeated falls at Corydon Specialty Care. A judge allowed the case to go to trial, however there might still be arbitration.
• The family of Georgia Demuth claims that inadequate care at Northcrest Specialty Care led to her death in June 2021. There is a jury trial scheduled for June 24, 2025.
• Another wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of Neuang Boun Sisamouth. The victim’s family claims the staff at Parkridge Specialty Care did not respond adequately to low blood sugar. There is no trial date yet.

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