Family to Sue Aria Over Waiting-Room Death
The family of the late Latino musician Joaquin Rivera is preparing to sue Aria Health System. According to an article in the Philadelphia Daily News, the state Department of Health released a report detailing numerous staff policy violations that occurred on Nov. 28, the night Rivera had a fatal heart attack in the waiting room of Aria Health’s Frankford campus.
Rivera, 63, sat dead for more than 40 minutes and was robbed by three vagrants before hospital personnel noticed.
Investigators found an extensive list of hospital errors that took place before, during, and after his death.
Rivera, a father of three who worked for years as a guidance counselor at Olney High School, complained of pain on his left side when he entered the hospital at 10:45 p.m.
Surveillance footage showed that he stopped moving 11 minutes later. According to the state report, a triage nurse called his name at 11:03 p.m. and noticed that he was staring at a wall and not moving.
However, the report shows neither the nurse nor other hospital personnel checked to see if Rivera was in need of help.
The report also shows that staffers responded to Rivera only when another patient said that he had died.
State investigators learned in subsequent interviews with the hospital staff that many were unaware of protocol that requires them to check on patients in the waiting area.
The state blamed Aria administrators for not properly informing the nursing staff of the hospital’s policies.
When needless death occurs due to negligence of another party, wrongful death lawsuits can be filed. In these lawsuits, the decedent’s heirs sue the negligent party or parties for damages related to the loss of life and their own pain and suffering. It is recommended that families who think their family member’s death was wrongful first contact a wrongful death attorney for a case assessment. If the case is valid, the attorney can help investigate the claim, gather evidence, represent them in court, and collect the compensation they deserve.
The attorneys at Cherry Fieger Marciano understand the devastating impact a Pennsylvania wrongful death can have on a family. They can help you find justice and compensation for your loved one’s death. Your case consultation with one of the Philadelphia, PA wrongful death attorneys is free of charge and completely confidential.
Source report: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20100123_Family_to_sue_Aria_over_waiting-room_death.html
