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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Ind. Courts - " 'Dead' woman sues Porter hospital"

James D. Wolf Jr. of the Gary Post-Tribune reports today:

VALPARAISO -- The very much alive Jackson Township woman declared dead by Porter hospital in January filed suit last week against the hospital.

Diane Wright, 67, and her husband are suing for damages caused when Porter staff declared her dead after a 46-year-old North Judson woman with her name died in the hospital on Jan. 25.

Since then, Wright has had her Social Security and Blue Cross/Blue Shield terminated. The federal government billed her husband, Delbert Wright, $2,941.80 for Social Security paid into their joint account.

"This is not one of those 'I spilled coffee in my lap at McDonald's (lawsuits)," said Thomas Hillers, attorney for the Wrights.

They tried to clear things up through the hospital, but they received no replies about the months-long mess they had to wade through and correct.

"They had to do this on their own. Porter hospital wouldn't help," Hillers said.

Hillers said that Indiana law doesn't allow attorneys to name a dollar amount in initial court documents.

"We're going to leave it up to them and negotiate with them," Hillers said of Porter. "My clients are distraught enough that it will be high."

"They just want it to be made right," he said.

The Wrights never received a call from the hospital while trying to correct the error. But that changed when the Post-Tribune printed a Jerry Davich column July 30 about Wright's story.

"That very night, the CEO of Porter hospital called," Hillers said.

The CEO tried to apologize, and when the Wrights asked that he speak with Hillers, he tried to get them to handle the situation without lawyers, Hillers said.

The Wrights felt after seven months, it was "too little, too late," Hillers said.

Here is a link to the earlier story by Jerry Davick of the P-T: "Alive, well ... and a little peeved."

Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 5, 2008 09:11 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts