Relatives of veterans who died during a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at a veterans home in LaSalle have sued the state of Illinois.
Richard Cieski for years received care at the veterans home in downstate LaSalle that his family recalled as “amazing.” The 89-year-old decorated Korean War Army veteran schmoozed with friends, participated in an array of activities and excelled in an environment even as he coped with escalating dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Richard Cieski served in the Army in the Korean War. He joined the service on Jan. 3, 1951, and was discharged on May 19, 1954. The suits, being filed by the Chicago-based law firm of Levin & Perconti, come nearly a year after the Illinois Department of Human Services’ inspector general The home’s administrator, who was later fired, was described in the report as detached, while the home’s infectious control nurse was overburdened and “over his skis.”
to put in place recommendations made by the Illinois auditor general’s office, which conducted a review of the outbreak at the Quincy home.