$5.4M Verdict for the Wrongful Death of 87-year-old Nursing Home Patient

Partners Rachel Barrett and Kara Rahimi, along with attorney Brandon Thompson of Ciresi Conlin LLP, secured a $5.47 million jury verdict in a wrongful death case involving nursing home negligence that resulted in the death of an 87-year-old patient.

The case centered on Joan Englin, who was receiving rehabilitation care at a West St. Paul nursing home to regain her balance after a minor stroke. On her third day at the facility, the nursing home assigned a temporary agency certified nursing assistant to Englin’s care without informing the CNA of the fall precautions she required for safety. Without proper fall precautions in place, Englin fell and broke her hip. Her health deteriorated rapidly following the injury, and she died from complications 30 days later.

After a five-day trial in Dakota County that concluded Feb. 28, 2025, the jury determined the nursing home was negligent and caused Englin’s death. The jury awarded Englin’s family all of her medical expenses, $3 million for their loss of relationship with her, and $2.4 million for her pain and suffering after she broke her hip.

The verdict holds particular significance as the first of its kind since amendments to Minnesota’s wrongful death and survival statutes became effective May 20, 2023. The amended statutes, Minnesota Statutes sections 573.01 and 573.02, now allow duly appointed administrators to bring claims for all damages suffered by the decedent resulting from the injury prior to death. The $2.4 million award for Englin’s pain and suffering represents the first award under the changed law. The verdict was upheld.

Barrett, who served as lead attorney on the case, noted that fall precautions are among the simplest concepts in safe nursing home care. The legal team, assisted by paralegal Brittany Bruening, successfully demonstrated the facility’s failure to implement basic safety protocols that could have prevented the fatal injury to a patient who was on the path to recovery.