BEAUMONT – The Daws Law Firm recently filed two medical malpractice lawsuits.
The first, filed April 7 in Hardin County, was brought against the Village Creek Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
The estate of Betty Fletcher is seeking more than $1 million in damages from the nursing center. Fletcher was a long-term resident of the facility and had a known history of dementia with wandering behavior, according to the suit.
In 2017, the facility discontinued the use of Fletcher’s WanderGuard bracelet, which helped to prevent her from going to unsafe places. In September 2019, she began to have increased confusion and wandering, but the bracelet was not reinstated and no changes were made to her plan.
On Oct. 20, 2019, she escaped at night. As she attempted to cross a ditch that ran between the facility and a Dollar Tree, she fell, breaking her neck, cheek and nose.
“Unable to get up, Betty laid there helpless for presumably hours,” the suit states. “Betty was not found until the early morning hours of October 21, 2019. When found she was in distress, bloodied, and soaking wet.”
The second suit was filed on behalf of James Kennon in Harris County and names several defendants, including Oakbend Medical Center, Dr. Raza Pasha, Pasha Sinus and Snoring Center, Dr. Mark Hancock and U.S. Anesthesia Partners of Texas.
Kennon, a 57-year old man with a 15-year history of allergic rhinitis, seeks more than $1 million damages.
He alleges that after the defendants performed a procedure he had difficulty breathing. Following an exploratory surgery, six unmarked gauzes that measured 7cm x 7 cm were discovered in his voice box.
Malachi and Judson Daws represent the plaintiffs.