A woman claims she sustained back injuries after a patient collapsed as she was trying to lift him while working at a nursing home.
Yvonne Roby filed a lawsuit June 4 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Freeburg Care Center and Beck Career Center Charitable Foundation.
In her complaint, Roby alleges she was working as a student at Freeburg Care Center in April 2011 when she was assigned with another student to lift a patient from his bed. As Roby and her fellow student were attempting to perform their job duties, however, the patient collapsed onto Roby, according to the complaint.
In addition to her back injuries, Roby endured pain, suffering and disability; incurred medical costs; lost her enjoyment of life; and suffered an impaired ability to earn income because of the incident, the suit states.
Freeburg Care Center and Beck Career Center negligently assigned her to lift a patient without adequate support, assigned her to lift a patient who could not support himself, failed to properly supervise Roby, failed to provide Roby with adequate equipment and failed to adequately train Roby on the lifting needs of certain patients, the complaint says.
In her complaint, Roby is seeking an unspecified judgment, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.
She will be represented by David N. Damick of The Law Offices of David N. Damick in St. Louis.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 12-L-299.