J.B. was a very petite, bed-bound nursing home resident at a facility located in Mediapolis, Iowa.  Employees of the facility placed J.B. on a bed that contained a mattress that was too small for the frame, creating a large gap between the mattress and the bed rails.  As her health deteriorated, J.B. became more restless and repeatedly became entangled in the bed rails on her bed.  Despite these instances, facility employees failed to provide a mattress that fit her bed or to fill the gap with a wedge.  As a result, on the night she died, J.B. slid in between the mattress and the bed rail.  Her legs and buttocks were on the floor, but her chin became caught on the bed rail.  She died by asphyxiation.

A lawsuit was initiated in Burlington, Iowa, which is in Des Moines County.  The lawsuit alleged negligence against the nursing home facility, as well as its management company and operating corporation.  During the course of the lawsuit, plaintiffs learned that the Administrator had experienced a nearly identical death at a facility in which she had previously worked.  Upon beginning her job at this facility, the new Administrator inspected the facility and reported to her Regional Manager that the beds and bed rails represented a dangerous condition for the residents.  No immediate action was taken by the Regional Manager.  Less than two weeks later, J.B. died in the very manner the Administrator had warned against.

Shortly before trial, the parties reached a confidential settlement of all claims.

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