A Port Arthur woman is suing Beaumont Home Health Service, alleging she was negligently instructed to lift a 300-pound patient.
Seeing up to $500,000 in damages, Debra Fox filed her suit against BHHS on Nov. 12 in Jefferson County District Court.
According to the original petition, on April 21, 2014, while employed by BHHS, Fox was injured while lifting a patient at the patient’s home.
The patient weighed more than 300 pounds and the lift was broken, the suit states.
“Fox was told by her employer (BHHS) … that she still needed to lift the patient and (the defendant) did not send anyone to assist her,” the suit states.
Fox contends BHHS knew or should have known that the condition of the lift created an unreasonable risk of harm.
She is suing for her past and future pain, mental anguish, lost earnings, impairment and medical expenses.
Tom Oxford, attorney for the Beaumont law firm Waldman Smallwood, represents her.
Judge Kent Walston, 58th District Court, has been assigned to the case.
Case No. A-197796