Lawsuit claims Joliet nursing facility failed to intervene in deadly attack

A lawsuit filed against Salem Village Nursing and Rehabilitation, which is expected to close later this year, claims that the facility’s staff failed to intervene in the attack of a resident who died.

The lawsuit was filed Jan. 19 by Karen Turcic, special administrator of the estate of Michael Pappas, 61, who died Nov. 17 at Salem Village, 1314 Rowell Ave., Joliet.

William Paschall, 71, initially was charged with the first-degree murder of Pappas, but the charge was dropped after a preliminary autopsy of Pappas’ death that listed the cause as “undetermined.”

Paschall still is charged with the aggravated battery of Pappas. He is expected to return to court Thursday, Feb. 1, for a pretrial hearing.

The lawsuit alleged that Paschall had threatened Pappas and physically attacked him in the presence of staff.

According to the lawsuit, the operators of the nursing facility failed to properly monitor Pappas and Paschall, failed to use safety measures to prevent assaults, failed to intervene in the attack of Pappas and failed to properly train its employees on responding to attacks.

Messages sent to the nursing facility regarding the lawsuit were not returned.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has received written notice that Salem Village plans to close, with a target closing date of April 10, IDPH spokesman Mike Claffey said.

The closure of Salem Village will represent at least the second major closing of a nursing facility in Joliet in the past two years.

[ Joliet nursing home closures cause health care challenge ]

Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, 1201 Wyoming Ave., closed last year.