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Medical Negligence Lawsuit Filed After Fatal Fall During Dialysis Treatment

By September 18, 2014 February 7th, 2024 No Comments

The daughter of a Louisiana patient who was allegedly fatally injured during a dialysis session filed a lawsuit claiming medical negligence on the part of the technician and the health facility that treated her mother.

The Louisiana Record reports that Michelle Richards filed the lawsuit on behalf of her mother, Barbara Richards, who was undergoing dialysis treatment at DaVita Dialysis in New Orleans. Barbara Richards suffered a fall at the treatment facility on Oct. 21, 2013 and incurred severe injuries, which her daughter claims led to her death the following day.

According to the lawsuit, Barbara Richards had been undergoing treatment at DaVita on Oct. 21 when she advised technician LaDonna Doe that she needed to use the restroom. Doe agreed and allowed Richards to access the restroom facilities on her own, without an aid or an escort. On the way, Richards fell and sustained severe spinal injuries.

The lawsuit names LaDonna Doe, along with DaVita Dialysis and DaVita Healthcare Partners Inc., as defendants. Specifically, it accuses Doe of failing to escort the patient to the bathroom, failing to monitor the patient’s blood pressure when disconnecting from dialysis, and failure to institute fall or near-fall protocol. Allegations against DaVita Dialysis include failure to properly train and supervise technicians in procedures and protocols.

According to the Record, Michelle Richards seeks unspecified damages in the lawsuit for medical and funeral expenses for her mother as well as damages for pain and suffering; loss of society and companionship; loss of love and affection; and other allegations.

If you or a loved one has suffered personal injury or medical negligence, the experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyers at Bohrer Brady LLC can help you seek compensation for the resulting damages. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.

Please note: Bohrer Brady LLC is not representing any parties involved in this lawsuit.