Medstar allegedly left patient unattended; Fatal injuries resulted, suit claims

The fiance of a recently deceased man has filed suit against the ambulance company that she claims failed to properly supervise the man as he utilized a wheelchair lifting device, allowing him to fall from the device and strike his head on the ground.

Samantha Rene Singer alleges her recently deceased fiance, Tyrone Brown, hired defendant Medstar Ambulance to transport him from St. Elizabeth's Hospital to his residence on May 18. On the back of the vehicle was a lowering unit, used to lift Brown in and out of the van, according to the complaint filed Sept. 26 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

The driver of the vehicle had placed Brown on the lowering unit, but momentarily left him unattended, the suit states.

"At that time, Plaintiff's decedent's wheelchair began rolling backwards off of the lowering unit, and the wheelchair flipped over backwards, causing Plaintiff's decedent to strike his head violently on the concrete," the complaint says.

Because of the fall, Brown eventually died. However, he lived for two weeks after the incident. During that time, Singer claims Brown experienced great pain and suffering and incurred medical costs.

Due to Brown's death, Singer claims she lost her fiance's companionship and society.

Singer blames Medstar for causing Brown's death, saying it negligently failed to assist him from the lowering device, left him unattended and failed to properly train its employees on lowering and removing people from the lift device.

In her six-count complaint, Singer is seeking a judgment of more than $300,000.

She will be represented by Michael P. Glisson of Williamson, Webster, Falb and Glisson in Alton.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-540.