Wrongful death complaint refiled against Memorial and Convalescent Center

Richard Hyde has refiled a wrongful death suit against Memorial Hospital and Memorial Convalescent Center of Belleville on behalf of his mother, Emma Hyde, who died July 1, 2002.

According to a complaint filed May 1 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, the nursing home and/or the hospital allegedly failed to prevent the development of decubitus ulcers, failed to provide proper hydration and nutrition, failed to follow physician orders and failed to identify or adequately treat or diagnose acute respiratory distress and/or bradycardia following improper intubation, among other things.

Hyde originally filed suit on Feb. 4, 2004, and then voluntarily dismissed without prejudice on May 29, 2007.

He claims his mother arrived at the emergency room on April 12, 2002, and was admitted with complaints of bi-lateral knee pain. She was noted to have "a small reddened area in her back," the complaint states.

She was transferred to the Convalescent Center on April 18, 2002, but then later transferred back to the hospital on May 23, 2002, "with large infected decubitus ulcers and sepsis," the complaint states.

"At said facility, decedent was intubated for ventilation support, and a central venous catheter was installed for management of infection and sepsis," the complaint states.

"A fungal septicemia developed from said central venous catheter," the complaint states.

"Said intubation and the management or failures of management thereof, and infection, caused damage to decedent's larynx and/or subsequent acute respiratory distress after extubation," the complaint states.

Hyde is represented by David N. Damick of St. Louis.