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Battle Creek Woman Sues Odebolt Specialty Care After Falling Down Stairs at Iowa Nursing Home
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The Odebolt Specialty Care nursing home in Sac County, Iowa. (Photo via Google Earth)
An 88-year-old woman has filed a lawsuit against a western Iowa nursing home after suffering serious injuries from a fall down a flight of concrete stairs. Elaine Gunderson, a Battle Creek resident, is suing Odebolt Specialty Care and its parent company, Care Initiatives, for negligence and breach of contract.
The incident, which occurred on July 2, 2024, involved Gunderson propelling herself into a restricted kitchen area of the facility, where a staff member had allegedly propped open the door. After navigating through multiple doors, Gunderson tragically fell down a set of 13 concrete stairs leading to the basement. She was later found by a kitchen worker who heard her cries for help.
Gunderson sustained multiple injuries, including a head wound requiring seven stitches, along with numerous bruises across her body. She was immediately hospitalized for treatment. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and has yet to receive a response from the nursing home.
The facility, which had been charging Gunderson $342 per day since 2013, has faced several other legal battles. In addition to Gunderson's case, there are 14 other ongoing lawsuits against Care Initiatives, with the majority concerning deaths and incidents of neglect across multiple nursing homes under their ownership. Despite this, a state-imposed fine of $9,000 has been suspended, while the federal government imposed a fine of over $14,000.
This latest lawsuit adds to the growing concerns about the safety and quality of care at Care Initiatives facilities.
