A woman's estate is suing a medical facility and one of its staff members over a fall the woman suffered just before her death.
Carlos Engel, as executor of the estate of Palmira C. Berretta, filed a lawsuit June 19 in Cook County Circuit Court against nurses Maria (or Gina or Mary) Baes and Gina Alluri, as well as Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove, alleging survival action and wrongful death.
According to the complaint, on June 18, 2013, Berretta came under the care of Alexian, and due to her age and condition, she was allegedly determined to be at a high risk for falls. On June 21, 2013, the suit says, when she was set to be discharged, she was being evaluated by Baes, a respiratory therapist, for an assessment of her post-care oxygen care needs. The suit says when Berretta was asked to walk outside her room to assess her oxygen needs, she fell, fracturing her hip and arm.
The suit says Berretta underwent post-fall surgery and died the same day of respiratory distress during surgery.
Engel seeks damages in excess of the court's jurisdictional limits, plus attorney fees and costs. He is represented by attorney David R. Centracchio of Gordon & Centracchio in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L006239.