Wrongful Death Lawsuit Targets New Jersey Nursing Home Over Alleged Neglect and Staffing Failures

A New Jersey nursing home is facing a wrongful death lawsuit after the family of a 76-year-old resident alleged that inadequate care and chronic staffing problems contributed to her death from sepsis in 2025. The legal complaint claims the resident developed preventable medical complications while living at the facility and that delays in treatment ultimately led to her death.

The lawsuit was filed in March in Essex County Superior Court by the son of Margarita Williams, who stayed at Livingston Post Acute Care from April 24, 2025, until she was transferred to a hospital on July 27, 2025. According to the complaint, Williams suffered from several serious medical conditions, including congestive heart failure, and required extensive nursing care because she was confined to her bed.

Court filings allege that during her stay at the nursing home, Williams developed severe pressure ulcers, commonly known as bedsores, along with a urinary tract infection and sepsis. The lawsuit argues that these medical conditions could have been prevented if proper nursing care had been provided throughout her stay.

The complaint states that staff members failed to regularly reposition Williams, conduct thorough medical assessments, provide appropriate wound treatment, and maintain the level of nursing care required for a patient with her condition. It further claims that these failures allowed her health to steadily decline over several months.

According to the lawsuit, medical staff documented clear signs on July 23, 2025, indicating that Williams’ pressure wound had become infected and septic. Despite receiving intravenous antibiotics, the complaint alleges she remained at the nursing home for four additional days instead of being transferred immediately for emergency hospital care.

When Williams was finally transported to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center on July 27, her condition had reportedly worsened significantly. The lawsuit states she was unable to swallow, was drooling, and could no longer follow commands. She was admitted with a diagnosis of sepsis and died less than 48 hours later on July 29, 2025.

Medical records listed her cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest resulting from septic shock that developed from a sacral pressure ulcer and a urinary tract infection, according to the legal filing.

The lawsuit also points to the nursing home’s previous history of staffing violations. State inspection records show that Livingston Post Acute Care, a 124-bed for-profit skilled nursing and long-term care facility, had previously been cited for failing to meet New Jersey’s minimum direct-care staffing requirements.

Several months before Williams became a resident, the New Jersey Department of Health determined in November 2024 that staffing deficiencies at the facility were widespread and had the potential to cause more than minimal harm to residents. The nursing home was fined $28,000 following those findings.

State regulators later cited the facility for additional staffing violations in January 2026, resulting in another financial penalty of $57,000.

The attorney representing Williams’ family argues that the same staffing shortages and deficiencies identified by state inspectors are central to the family’s wrongful death claims. According to the complaint, the lawsuit seeks to hold the nursing home accountable while encouraging compliance with staffing standards already required under New Jersey law.

Livingston Post Acute Care has denied the allegations. In a statement issued through the facility’s administrator, Laurie Kleid, the nursing home said that providing quality care remains its highest priority and that it categorically rejects the claims made in the lawsuit.

Kevin Williams, the son of Margarita Williams and administrator of her estate, said he believes his mother’s death could have been prevented if the nursing home had provided the care she needed. He described losing his mother under these circumstances as devastating and said the family is pursuing legal action to seek accountability.

Kevin Williams also shared memories of his mother’s lifelong commitment to helping others. He said she spent more than three decades teaching physical education at Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark and dedicated time to helping homeless adults earn their GED. According to him, she frequently welcomed children into her home when they needed food or a safe place to stay, reflecting her caring and compassionate nature.

He further alleged that as his mother’s condition declined, communication from the nursing home became increasingly limited. He claimed staff members told him the facility struggled with understaffing, with some nurses reportedly working double shifts due to difficulties retaining employees.

The lawsuit also claims the nursing home attempted to discharge Williams to her home before her condition significantly deteriorated, a decision her son described as inappropriate given her medical needs.

The case includes multiple legal claims, including medical malpractice, wrongful death, negligent hiring, training, supervision and retention of staff, as well as alleged violations of the New Jersey Nursing Home Residents’ Bill of Rights. The family is seeking compensatory damages, litigation costs, expert witness fees, and other relief through the court.

The lawsuit comes as concerns surrounding staffing levels and resident care at some for-profit nursing homes in New Jersey continue to receive public attention. While the allegations against Livingston Post Acute Care have not been proven in court, the case highlights ongoing questions about staffing compliance and the quality of care provided to vulnerable nursing home residents.

Sources

• New Jersey Department of Health
• Essex County Superior Court