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More plaintiffs have been added to a lawsuit brought by former patients of an addiction treatment center in Mishawaka that had its license revoked following the deaths of three people.
Tennessee-based Landmark Recovery is also facing a lawsuit from former patients at its Bluffton location.
Both four-count lawsuits bring similar allegations.
At the Bluffton center, the complaint alleges the center provided unsafe living conditions because of the presence of black mold and insect infestations. Issues at the Mishawka center included ineffective plumbing and human wastewater in the hallways, according to the complaint.
The Associated Press reported in late July that the state revoked the licenses for both facilities — plus one in Carmel. Local police had asked the state to do so for the Mishawaka center, where the company also let go two leaders following the reported deaths.
However, the company has filed a petition to reinstate the licenses at the three facilities, Inside Indiana Business reported Monday.
The Mishawaka lawsuit, originally filed July 25 in St. Joseph Superior Court, had nine plaintiffs. An amended complaint, filed Tuesday, now lists 37 plaintiffs.
The Bluffton lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the Wells Superior Court.
Plaintiffs in both cases are being represented by Trevor Crossen of Crossen Law Firm in Carmel.
Both lawsuits allege the centers withheld people’s personal belongings such as phones, wallets and clothing for extended periods of time, and if residents were asked to leave the property, they weren’t permitted to have their belongings for a minimum of 24 hours.
Indiana Lawyer has reached out to Landmark Recovery for comment.
The Mishawaka case is Joshua Harber, Nicholas Irvin, Stephen Looney, et al v. Landmark Recovery of Carmel LLC, 71D06-2307-CT-000395.
The Bluffton case is Chantal Hartfield, Heidi Niego, Richard Jackson, et al v. Landmark Recovery of Carmel LLC, 90D01-2308-CT-000013.
In a statement to WPTA in Fort Wayne following the petition to renew licensure, Landmark Recovery CEO Matt Boyle said the company worked with the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction earlier this year to put together a “turnaround plan” for the Mishawka center.
“We believe the record demonstrates clearly that, by May of this year, we had executed a successful turnaround plan and were operating at or above the standards expected of us,” he said. “Sentinel patient events, while tragic, occur in mental health facilities across the United States. We serve an incredibly sick population, just like any other inpatient medical facility.”
According to WNDU in South Bend, DHMA ordered the three facilities to close Aug. 3.
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