A heart-wrenching lawsuit has been filed in Harris County, Texas, accusing a nursing and rehabilitation facility of gross negligence leading to the death of a resident. The complaint was lodged by Laquishua Johnson on October 17, 2024, against Cambridge Medical Investors, LLC doing business as Gardens Terrace at Houston Nursing and Rehabilitation, and Life Care Centers of America, Inc.
Laquishua Johnson, representing herself individually and as the representative of her late mother Mary Johnson's estate, filed the lawsuit alleging severe lapses in medical care at Gardens Terrace. According to the petition, Mary Johnson was admitted to the facility on September 30, 2022, for long-term care following a stroke that required tracheostomy and PEG tube placement. The lawsuit claims that despite orders from Dr. Acevedo, the facility's primary physician, for specific respiratory treatments including tracheostomy suctioning and oxygen application, these were not documented or followed through in Ms. Johnson’s records. "There is no documentation or evidence in Ms. Johnson’s chart that these orders were implemented," states the petition.
The lawsuit details numerous failures by Gardens Terrace staff to provide adequate care. It accuses them of not maintaining consistent medical records or coordinating care effectively among healthcare providers. It further alleges that staff failed to recognize signs of respiratory distress and did not implement necessary interventions timely. On October 21, 2022, Ms. Johnson was found in respiratory distress and transferred to Memorial Hermann Hospital where she later died due to complications arising from alleged negligent care at Gardens Terrace.
The plaintiff argues that these actions constitute medical negligence under Texas law. The suit also charges corporate negligence against Life Care Centers of America for failing to ensure proper staffing levels and training at their facilities which directly impacted patient care quality.
In seeking justice for her mother’s untimely death, Laquishua Johnson is asking for damages exceeding $250,000 but not more than $1 million as allowed by Texas law. She demands compensation for physical pain endured by her mother before death as well as funeral expenses incurred thereafter.
Represented by attorneys Jeffrey Rasansky and Kolter McKenzie from Rasansky Law Firm based in Dallas; this case will be heard under Judge Marilyn Burgess with Case ID: 2024-72355.