Nursing home staff blamed for kidney-failure death

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This was a wrongful death case involving a 66-year-old retired Boston police officer.

The decedent was receiving rehabilitative care at a nursing home when lab results revealed he was in acute kidney failure.

The plaintiff alleged that the nursing staff at the facility failed to timely report the results; failed to carry out an order for a nephrology consult; and failed to report worsening symptoms.

The plaintiff further alleged that a nurse practitioner failed to properly treat the patient’s kidney failure and failed to report the patient’s condition to his attending physician.

The jury found all the defendants liable.

Action: Medical malpractice
Injuries alleged: Wrongful death
Case name: Estate of Bernard Kelly v. Heathwood Healthcare, et al.
Court/case no.: Middlesex Superior Court/No. 2081CV01538
Jury and/or judge: Jury/Judge Lynn Rooney
Highest offer: $1 million
High-low agreement: No
Amount: $2.25 million
Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Attorney: David W. Suchecki of Law Office of David W. Suchecki, Tewksbury (for the plaintiff)