Brenda Berry, individually and on behalf of the estate of Ronald A. Collins, has filed a lawsuit against Houstonidence OPCO, LLC doing business as Houston Transitional Care, Providence Group, Inc., and Providence Administrative Consulting Services, Inc. The complaint was lodged in the District Court of Harris County, Texas on October 31, 2024. The lawsuit alleges severe medical negligence leading to the death of Ronald A. Collins.
The case revolves around the alleged neglectful treatment received by Ronald A. Collins at Houston Transitional Care nursing home where he was admitted due to his progressing dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Brenda Berry claims that the facility's staff failed to prevent or properly treat pressure ulcers that developed on Mr. Collins’ body due to his immobility and other health conditions. By December 2022, Mr. Collins had developed a pressure ulcer on his coccyx which progressed into a stage 4 wound by early January 2023, covering much of his lower back. He was rushed to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in critical condition with a severely infected stage 4 sacral pressure ulcer and severe sepsis, which is a life-threatening systemic blood infection stemming from his untreated pressure ulcer.
Brenda Berry argues that despite being aware of Mr. Collins' high risk for developing such conditions due to his medical history and immobility, the defendants did not implement necessary preventative measures like regular repositioning or adequate monitoring of skin integrity and nutritional intake. As per the petition, these failures led to Mr. Collins’ untimely death on May 28, 2023.
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary relief exceeding $1 million for actual damages related to wrongful death and survival actions under Texas law. They claim damages for mental anguish, loss of companionship and society, pecuniary losses, funeral expenses reimbursement among others for both wrongful-death action damages and survival action damages including pain and suffering endured by Mr. Collins before his death.
The lawsuit also seeks exemplary damages citing gross negligence by the defendants who allegedly prioritized profits over patient care by understaffing their facility despite receiving taxpayer funds through Medicare and Medicaid programs intended for providing adequate care based on resident acuity levels.
Representing Brenda Berry in this case are attorneys Patrick W. Powers and Wesley D. Scarborough from Powers Taylor LLP based in Dallas, Texas. The case is presided over in Harris County District Court under Case ID: 2024-76446.