BELLEVILLE — A suit against a Monroe County nursing and rehab facility alleges a patient suffered numerous falls out of her wheelchair, gangrene and neglect, leading to her death.
Jeremiah Campbell, executor of the Estate of Diann M. Campbell, deceased, filed a complaint April 15 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Columbia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center LLC, doing business as Integrity Healthcare of Columbia, alleging neglect, negligence and wrongful death.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, Diann Campbell was admitted to Integrity on Sept. 4, 2017. The plaintiff alleges that on Sept. 10, 2019, and Sept. 13, 2019, Diann Campbell fell out of her wheelchair. Then on May 31, 2020, Campbell fell out of her wheelchair again while in the bathroom and struck her head. The plaintiff alleges that while a resident at Integrity, Diann Campbell had "medical conditions" on her left lower extremity that led to cyanosis on her leg and gangrene on her foot. The plaintiff also alleges that on July 19, 2020, the day before her death, Diann Campbell was transferred to Belleville Memorial Hospital where she was diagnosed with gangrene on her foot and lower leg and was in hypotensive shock.
The plaintiff claims the defendants negligently failed to provide adequate staffing and a care plan to include assisting Campbell with ambulation and "safe transfer activities."
The plaintiff seeks compensation of more than $50,000, interest and all other just relief. She is represented by Stephen Buser of The Law Office of Stephen C. Buser LTD in Columbia.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 21-L-000456