WEST PALM BEACH, FL — A West Palm Beach nursing home is facing a wrongful death lawsuit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court after the estate of a former resident alleged that a worsening pressure wound and a fall during a transfer contributed to her death, according to a complaint filed this month.
The lawsuit was filed by Mark Zichlin, acting as executor de son tort for the estate of Michelle Zichlin, against Lourdes-Noreen McKeen Residence for Geriatric Care, Inc., which the complaint identifies as a skilled nursing facility at 315 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. Court records list the case as Zichlin v. Lourdes-Noreen McKeen Residence for Geriatric Care, Inc., Case No. 502026CA007893XXXAMB, filed July 15, 2026 in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County.
Michelle Zichlin was admitted to the facility in or around July 27, 2024 for skilled nursing care and remained a resident until approximately April 21, 2025, according to the complaint. The filing alleges that during her stay she developed or suffered the worsening of a stage IV pressure wound to her sacral, coccyx, and buttocks area, along with an infection and the development of osteomyelitis, a bone infection.
The complaint also alleges that Zichlin was injured in a fall that occurred while she was being transferred using a Hoyer lift, a mechanical device used to move residents who cannot move on their own. She died on or about November 28, 2025, the filing states.
The lawsuit brings two counts. The first is a claim under Chapter 400 of the Florida Statutes, the state law that sets out rights for nursing home residents. The complaint alleges the facility breached what it describes as a non-delegable statutory duty by, among other things, failing to provide the care and supervision needed to prevent a pressure wound, failing to provide appropriate treatment to keep it from worsening, and failing to provide a safe environment. The plaintiff claims these acts and omissions caused pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, and medical expenses.
The second count is a wrongful death claim brought under the Florida Wrongful Death Act. The complaint alleges that the negligence of the facility's management and employees caused Michelle Zichlin's death. It identifies her survivors as her spouse, Mark Zichlin, and her daughter, Ashley Zichlin, and states that the estate and survivors have incurred medical and funeral expenses and lost the decedent's companionship.
Zichlin is represented by attorney Kimberly Potter Richardson of Morgan & Morgan in Tampa, court records show. The complaint states that Mark Zichlin is the surviving spouse and is in the process of opening the estate in probate court, and that he anticipates being appointed personal representative. The filing notes the action is subject to amendment or substitution once letters of administration are issued.
The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $50,000, together with interest and costs, and demands a jury trial. The complaint states the plaintiff completed the pre-suit requirements under Chapter 400, including mailing a notice of intent to initiate litigation, and alleges the defendant waived all statutory conditions precedent.
The filing reviewed by Boca Post does not include a response from the defendant. The allegations in the complaint are claims that have not been proven in court, and no findings of liability have been made.
Source: Complaint, Zichlin v. Lourdes-Noreen McKeen Residence for Geriatric Care, Inc., Case No. 502026CA007893XXXAMB, filed July 15, 2026 in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida (Civil Division).
Boca Post documents recent West Palm Beach lawsuits filed in Palm Beach County courts, helping readers follow civil disputes and court activity across the area. Learn more about nursing home negligence cases.
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