The wait was long, but people who suffered from unsafe hospital conditions during Hurricane Katrina will finally receive compensation. A Louisiana judge gave a preliminary approval for a settlement fee of $25 million for plaintiffs who sued a New Orleans hospital on allegations that Tenet Healthcare failed to create a safe environment for patients and visitors during the hurricane.
Plaintiffs, 187 of which include those under the hospital care and those who lost a family member due to the hospital’s alleged negligence, claimed that the hospital was unprepared to care properly care for patients and failed to have an evacuation, leading to injuries and death. As backup power generators malfunctioned, temperatures in the hospital rose, and most deaths were believed to have occurred due to dehydration while patients waited to be evacuated.
Although it’s good to see that the settlement is going underway and that the plaintiffs will be receiving something instead of nothing, it’s a shame for these lawsuits to drag on for so long.
Source: $25 Million Settlement in Katrina Hospital Class Action Suit
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