HealthSouth dismissed from defamation suit

At the plaintiff’s request, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital has been dismissed from a defamation suit.

As previously reported, Caesonia Allen, a former HealthSouth nurse, filed suit against the medical provider and Joanna Donica on May 18 in Jefferson County District Court, alleging a company employee wrongly accused her of fraudulently obtaining her certification to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Court records show that Allen filed a motion for dismissal on Sept. 17, stating she no longer wishes to pursue her claims.

That same day, Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court, granted the motion, dismissing the defendants with prejudice.

According to the petition, Allen worked for HealthSouth for 10 years until obtaining a job with a competitor in 2010. She maintained a relationship with a HealthSouth employee and on Feb. 2, 2012, picked up her CPR card from the employee after completing her certification.

Seven days later, Donica, at the direction of HealthSouth, sent letters to the Texas Respiratory Board and Texas Board of Nursing stating falsely that Allen received her CPR card without completing the required training.

“As a result of these false accusations, plaintiff has become the subject of an investigation by the Texas Nursing Board,” the suit states, adding that the incident has caused her severe emotional distress and physical illness such as insomnia, nausea and vomiting.

Allen accused the defendants of defamation and of acting with malice.

Houston attorney Jessica Cartwright represents her.

Case No. D192-467