Court Orders Caregiver, Care Home to Pay for Resident's Death

A court has ordered a caregiver and a private care facility to pay 1 million New Taiwan dollars each to the parents of a severely disabled resident who died after being pushed to the ground. The incident occurred three years ago at the Bade Care Home in Taoyuan.

The resident, who had lived at the facility for 30 years due to severe intellectual and emotional disabilities, was pushed by a caregiver named Gao. The resident fell and hit the back of her head, resulting in a brain hemorrhage and subsequent brain death. She was taken off life support and became an organ donor three days later.

The parents sued the caregiver, the care home, and the director, seeking 1.5 million New Taiwan dollars from each. The court ruled that the caregiver was negligent in her actions and that the care home failed to adequately manage its staff and supervise the resident's care. This negligence, the court found, contributed to a delay in seeking proper medical attention.

While the caregiver argued she was overwhelmed with responsibility and that the resident had a history of dramatic falls, the court reviewed surveillance footage. It determined that the caregiver's push was forceful and that the delay in recognizing the severity of the injury and seeking medical help was critical. The director of the care home was cleared of responsibility as they were not present during the incident and the parents failed to provide evidence of their specific negligence. The care home and caregiver have been ordered to pay the compensation, though the ruling can be appealed.