BELLEVILLE – The family of a patient at Belleville Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center claims he died while under their care as a result of employee negligence and carelessness.
Plaintiff Zipporah Reeds, acting as independent administrator of the estate of her father Tommy Reeds, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Helia Healthcare of Belleville, LLC, Bridgemark Healthcare, LLC, Belleville Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, Inc., Weiss Management Group, Inc., Bria Health Services, LLC, Kristina R. Floyd-Schaefer, LPN, Ross Christopher Rounkles, RN, Kayla A. Hoefft, LPN, and Alex Tambala, LPN, citing negligence and recklessness in violation of the Illinois Nursing Home Act.
According to the lawsuit, Tommy was admitted to the care of the Belleville Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center (Bria of Belleville) on May 19, 2021, for long-term care after being transferred from Willowcreek Rehab following surgery for an ulcer. The lawsuit states that while Tommy was under the care of Bria and its employees, his condition worsened. He allegedly had to be transferred to Memorial Hospital for treatment for infections. He returned to Bria on June 3 with orders for staff to closely monitor his oxygen and vital signs for any abnormal changes.
The lawsuit alleges that on June 7, a Bria employee documented abnormal oxygen levels but failed to notify the physician in charge. The suit states that later updates of vital signs by other employees fraudulently copied the June 7 results through June 11, which made it impossible to determine when changes in his condition began. Tommy died on June 12.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants negligently failed to provide proper care and treatment to Tommy to ensure his health and safety.
The lawsuit states that as Tommy was admitted into the defendants' care, he was a protected individual under the state's Nursing Home Act. The suit states he experienced pain, suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, disability, loss of normal life and ultimately died as a result of the defendant's negligence and carelessness. Zipporah adds that Tommy's next of kin has been permanently deprived of his companionship and has suffered grief and sorrow.
Zipporah is seeking a judgement for damages and any other relief the court deems proper. She is represented in this case by Eva. E. Golabek of Kralovec, Jambois, & Schwartz in Chicago.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 23LA0630