In Oregon, hospital neglect could lead to death as it did for one woman in Florida in December 2015. She was forcibly removed from a hospital when she believed she was still unwell. Some think it would have been more reasonable to let her sit in the hospital until she calmed down and felt better.
The 57-year-old lady was taken out of the hospital in handcuffs because she was refusing to leave. She originally went to the hospital for breathing problems. The hospital discharged her, but she didn’t want to go because she believed she was still having these problems. The hospital refused to keep her, and she was arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct. While being taken to the police car, she collapsed, and the policeman then took off the handcuffs and took her back inside.
Doctors said her vital signs were fine when she was back in the hospital, and they decided to readmit her. She later died. The attorney representing the family believes that the early facts of this event are a cause for great concern. An emergency meeting by the local chapter of the NAACP was held, and the regional vice president met with the family and local leaders. He believes her death was caused by police department and hospital negligence.
A person who has been harmed during treatment by a health care facility or practitioner may want to have the guidance of a medical malpractice attorney when deciding how to proceed. An attorney can review the patient’s medical records and obtain the opinions of medical experts to determine whether the harm was caused by negligence. If so, it may then be advisable to file a lawsuit seeking compensation from the at-fault party or parties for the damages that have been sustained.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Woman Dies After Being Forcibly Removed From Hospital”, Joe Reedy, Dec. 23, 2015