Hospital sued after patient developed ulcers and died

Abd'al Hakim Ali, as executor of the Estate of Joyce Stanback, filed a wrongful death suit Dec. 2 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Franciscan Alliance Inc., St. James Hospital and Health Centers, St. James Health-Olympia Fields and Franciscan St. James Health-Olympia Fields.

According to the complaint, Joyce Stanback was admitted to St. James Hospital on March 3 with abdominal pain and nausea and transferred to a different facility on March 27.

During her time at St. James, the suit states claims Stanback developed a stage IV sacral decubitus ulcers, which were removed on March 29. Ali claims Stanback died on May 4 of conditions caused or exacerbated by the improper care of St. James and that the ulcers were preventable.

Ali is suing for negligence and wrongful death and is seeking more than $50,000 in damages. He is being represented by Brian J. Holmes.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2013L013678.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.