A Cerro Gordo County jury has awarded damages to the family of a now-dead Good Shepherd nursing home resident who sued the Mason City facility.
A jury deliberated for more than eight hours over two days, returning an award Monday afternoon of $900,000 in damages to the family of Maria Savas O’Brien. She died in April 2015 after being in the Good Shepherd nursing home for two-and-a-half-years.
Her family says the nursing home was negligent while caring for her as she lost more than 40 pounds. The jury in its verdict determined the nursing home showed willful and wanton disregard for the rights and safety of another, but the conduct was not directed specifically toward Savas O’Brien.
Savas O’Brien’s children will get $150,000 in damages as compensation for past physical and mental pain and suffering while she was at Good Shepherd. The jury also awarded $750,000 in punitive damages.
(By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City)