KANSAS CTY — Though a Missouri veteran's hospital won't admit to a wrongful death complaint, it has settled with the decedent's estate, according to a Western District of Missouri magistrate's order.
In a Feb. 7 order, Judge Willie Epps ordered the settlement disbursement in the alleged wrongful death of Missouri resident Robert F. Strong, Jr. The suit was filed on behalf of Robert Strong by his wife, Karina A. Strong, against the United States of America. Though the U.S. government denied liability, it agreed to pay Strong's estate $223,000.
In the original complaint, Karina Strong alleged the death of her husband was due to the negligence of the doctors and nurses at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital in Missouri.
Robert Strong was admitted to the VA hospital in 2013 at the age of 52, suffering from multiple issues resulting from severe obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.
From October 2013 until October 2016, Strong suffered many setbacks in his treatment including the formation of a pressure ulcer.
After his 2016 death, Katrina Strong filed a two-count wrongful death complaint with the first count including 11 acts of negligence beginning with “Negligently and carelessly failing to properly assess the Decedent’s risks for developing pressure ulcers upon admission,” and ending with “negligently and carelessly failing to request medical consultations to address Decedent’s pressure ulcer,” according to the complaint.
The second count of medical negligence argued the lost chance of survival.
“At the time of his death, Decedent possessed causes of action for his personal injuries which carried with them a significant material statistical chance of survival with appropriate treatment,” according to the first amended complaint. “Defendant USA, through the VA and its employees and agents, owed to Decedent a legal duty to exercise that degree of skill and learning ordinarily exercised by members of their respective professions under the same or similar circumstances.”
The third and final count detailed how Katrina Strong would suffer from his death noting that “as a direct and proximate result of the carelessness and negligence of Defendant, Plaintiff has been deprived of Decedent’s support, comfort, instruction, guidance and counsel, and society and companionship,” according to the first amended complaint.
Though the hospital did not concede to causing Robert Strong’s death, it did sign a compromise settlement, which was ordered to be divided between Katrina, Strong’s four daughters and his father. Strong’s father signed over his portion of the settlement to Katrina Strong.