After an Oregon resident suffers a major medical crisis, such as a stroke, the care received during recovery can make all the difference. Hospitals and other medical facilities are not only responsible for the health of their patients, but for their safety as well. When a patient already has serious medical issues, hospital negligence can exacerbate those issues and cause that person’s health to deteriorate even further.
Allegedly, this is what happened to an out-of-state man after he suffered a stroke. He was hospitalized toward the end of Dec. 2013 until approximately the middle of Jan. 2014. According to the lawsuit recently filed by the man’s personal representative, the hospital was not adequately equipped to handle his care and recovery. She claims that misrepresentations were made in that regard.
During the course of his relatively short stay at the West Virginia facility, he fell three times and suffered injuries — including a cracked rib and broken bone. Furthermore, the man’s son reportedly discovered that his father had bleeding blisters on his body that appeared to be untreated. He was allegedly unshaven and left to sit in his own bodily waste. Under these conditions, his condition failed to improve and he died in Feb. 2014.
The court presiding over this case will be left to determine, based upon the evidence presented to it, whether hospital negligence caused or contributed to this man’s death. The plaintiff will be required to provide evidence to the court establishing negligence that is found to have caused or contributed to the man’s deteriorating health and eventual death. If successful, the court may consider an award of damages similar to those permitted by Oregon law.
Source: wvrecord.com, “Stroke victim allegedly fails to recuperate, spurring suit of HealthSouth“, Jan. 15, 2016