Hospital Put Patients in “Immediate Jeopardy”

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Hospital Put Patients in “Immediate Jeopardy”

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

The family of Gregory Jones has filed an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit against Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center.

Mr. Jones was admitted to the facility involuntarily by his girlfriend and teenaged son, who were concerned that he intended to harm himself. He was admitted at 8:39 pm on January 2 and hung himself using a sheet attached to the bathroom door in his room at 9:08 pm. His body hung there until 9:22 pm without notice from any of the hospital staff, in spite of the fact that his room was visible via video monitoring and staff were in front of the monitors for most of the time Mr. Jones was hanging.

According to the Chicago Tribune, “Illinois regulators had repeatedly cited the hospital for neglecting at-risk patients, records show. No matter how many times hospital administrators promised change, patients were placed in jeopardy, according to state records.”

For their part, Jackson Park Hospital denies any wrongdoing but refuses to comment further due to pending litigation and confidentiality requirements.

Unfortunately, there have been several cases over the past two years where patients’ lives have been in jeopardy because safety policies and procedures were not executed carefully. For example:

• Patients were found not to be receiving the one-on-one monitoring advised by their physicians.
• An elderly patient who was admitted to the facility for a psychological evaluation returned to his assisted living facility with injuries that indicated he had sustained personal injury, likely from a fall – in spite of the fact that he was identified as at high risk for fall hazard at the time of admission.
• Safety checks were not documented – likely were not completed. As a result, patients were at risk for escape, injury or death.
• Locks on patient rooms allowed suicidal patients to lock themselves in and attempt suicide.

Subsequently, hospital administrators promised that additional training and monitoring measures would be implemented, and as a result regulators closed the case investigating Mr. Jones’ death. The Chicago police likewise closed their investigation due to a refusal by hospital staff to provide names, contact information and video regarding the incident.

As a result, Mr. Jones’ family has decided to hold the hospital accountable by filing an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit.

Illinois Wrongful Death Lawsuits

If you or a loved one did not receive appropriate medical care and suffered as a result, you should speak with an Illinois wrongful death attorney or Illinois personal injury attorney. They are the best resource for determining whether you have a case and if you may be able to receive compensation for pain, suffering and/or wrongful death. While there is no amount of money that can ever make up for the loss of a loved one, a wrongful death attorney can help your family ensure that the responsible parties are held accountable.

DISCLAIMER: All information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as legal advice. The Law Offices of Malman Law shall not be liable for any errors or inaccuracies contained herein, or any actions taken in reliance thereon.