Garcia Artigliere Files Suit Against Medical Center
By Lawdragon News | September 17, 2015 | Press Releases
Garcia, Artigliere & Medby filed a lawsuit against Long Beach Memorial Medical Center on behalf of Mary Owen-Thomas for elder abuse and negligence. The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Owen-Thomas developed a severe stage IV pressure sore and was so negligently cared for that they placed her in a medically induced coma and left her for dead.
“Over the course of Ms. Owen-Thomas’ stay, she was overtly ignored due to the understaffing and insufficient training at this facility,” says attorney Stephen Garcia. “Day after day, hour after hour, they withheld the necessary care she required.”
On Dec. 5, 2014, Ms. Owen-Thomas was having trouble breathing and was admitted to the medical center, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia and a urinary tract infection. A few days later, the hospital placed her in a medically induced coma and ignored her basic and necessary care, resulting in the development of a severe stage IV pressure sore. Additionally, the facility failed to properly and competently evaluate her clinical condition and pressure ulcer risk factors, and they did not implement interventions consistent with her needs, such as turning and repositioning her body at least every two hours to relieve pressure and ensuring she was properly hydrated.
As a result of the facility’s withholding of care, Ms. Owen-Thomas’ condition continued to deteriorate and the facility basically left her for dead. Long Beach Memorial Medical Center also turned down the oxygen from her ventilator to the point that she began gasping for air.
Ms. Owen-Thomas’ family requested that she be transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; however, the facility refused to transfer her and fraudulently misrepresented that Cedars-Sinai would not admit her.
On Dec. 18, 2014, Ms. Owen-Thomas was transferred to Cedars-Sinai after they received a letter from Ms. Owen-Thomas’ attorney stating she had a right to be transferred. Cedars-Sinai brought her out of her coma and began giving her the care she desperately needed.
