Hospital Patient Sent to Nursing Home 300 Miles Away

An Augusta hospital, doctor, and nursing home are all named in a lawsuit filed by a woman on behalf of her brother’s estate. The lawsuit comes after her brother was taken from an Augusta nursing home to a local hospital. When discharged, instead of taking him back to the same nursing home, he was taken more than 300 miles away.

Mary B. Terry, acting as administrator for the estate of Johnny Lee Bryant, filed the lawsuit on January 17th, 2017. The lawsuit names Gold Cross, Dr. Hetal Thakore, and Doctor’s Hospital as defendants. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence in the death of Johnny Lee Bryant, who passed away on February 10, 2015, from pneumonia and sepsis.

The lawsuit alleges that Bryant, 54, was transported from the Place nursing home to Doctor’s Hospital. At Doctor’s Hospital, he was treated by Dr. Thakore for sepsis and pneumonia from January 8 to January 15, 2015. Bryant was also suffering from end stage renal disease, diabetes, stroke, malnutrition, and numerous pressure sores.

At the time of discharge, instead of being sent to the Place, he was transported by Gold Cross to a nursing home in Bainbridge, more than 300 miles away. Once there, the nursing home refused to accept Bryant, who was then taken back 300 miles to Doctor’s Hospital. Additionally, the lawsuit states that Bryant was discharged while still suffering from low blood pressure, elevated pulse, and an elevated white blood cell count.

The lawsuit also alleges that Bryant spent six hours in the ambulance while ill and in severe pain. He was treated with nothing more than aspirin.

Bryant’s sister, meanwhile, was trying to discover what had happened to her brother.

Shortly after being returned to Augusta, he was transported to University Hospital where he was admitted. He died on February 10, 2015.

If you believe that yourself or a loved one may be the victim of neglect or abuse while in a nursing home, you may be entitled to compensation. Let the attorneys at the law offices of Schenk Smith fight for you. Contact us today.