Switch Hitter

Attorney Jay Reinan made his name defending nursing homes. Now he's out to expose them.

A A A Comments By Jessica Centers Thursday, May 25 2006

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Mark Manger

Jay Reinan

Mark Manger

Jay Reinan has filed suit against Mariner Health Care Inc. on behalf of John Gordy.

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So, Gordy waits. He savors the time between roommates and otherwise waits out their stays. When his last roommate died, Gordy had to wait nearly twenty hours for the coroner to come take the body away. Gordy waits for his two teenage sons, his little brother and his friends to visit. He occasionally smokes cigarettes to break up the waiting; it's an excuse to sit outside. While he waits, he prays that he won't get a sore that leads to amputation. He prays that he won't have a stroke or seizure over a weekend or at night, when no one is likely to rescue him. And he prays that all this waiting will pay off.

He's not clear on the ramifications his case could have on the nursing-home industry. He just knows he shouldn't have been treated the way he was, and he hopes the suit might improve the way elderly residents and quadriplegics like him are cared for. Of course, if he gets a settlement of any significance, Gordy's dream -- the thing he's really waiting for -- is the chance to have his own place again, to be able to afford a live-in aide, and to finally get some regular physical therapy. While he's waiting for that day, Gordy may apply to a different nursing home, one not owned by Mariner, but whether he's admitted depends on what is available under Medicaid. "It's hard," he says. "Some days I wish I was dead. Some days I'm happy to be aliveŠ I have a lot to live for."