A Cook County judge has given a proposed class-action lawsuit against the Alden Group the go-ahead, finding that residents’ claims about chronic understaffing and related practices are plausible enough to dig into. The ruling moves the case out of the court’s early gatekeeping phase and into discovery, where the nursing home operator will have to open its books on staffing, contracts and internal records.
Judge clears path for trial
According to the Chicago Tribune, Associate Judge Myron Mackoff wrote that “if the claims are true residents have a sound legal basis to proceed,” clearing the way for class allegations that could cover thousands of current and former residents. The amended complaint names Alden Group Ltd. and Alden Management Services, Inc., and the Tribune reports that about ten residents have formally joined the case so far, all listed anonymously.
What the complaint says
Plaintiffs, led by the AARP Foundation together with Chicago law firms and disability-rights advocates, allege that Alden facilities were…..