Patient At Vista Medical Center In Waukegan Died After Being Found on Rooftop
Unsafe Premises - January 30, 2025
28-Year-Old Patient at Vista Medical Center in Waukegan Died After Being Found Unresponsive on the Facility’s Rooftop
WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS (January 30, 2024) – A 20-year-old woman has tragically died after being found unresponsive on the rooftop of the Vista Medical Center in Waukegan.
Vista officials are saying that the incident took place on Tuesday. The woman was taken to the Vista Medical Center East in order to receive treatment for a medical issue.
At some point while she was at the hospital, she went missing for an unknown amount of time. She was eventually found on the rooftop of the Vista Medical Center around 8:45 a.m. on Thursday.
When she was located, she was unresponsive and suffering from cold exposure. Paramedics began medical treatment in order to raise her body temperature.
But efforts to revive her were not successful, and she died at about 11 PM on Thursday. A full investigation into the death at Vista Medical Center East remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Patients Deaths in a Hospital Setting
Thousands of people die in a medical setting every year in the United States. According to one study in National Academies, “Preventable adverse events are a leading cause of death in the United States. When extrapolated to the over 33.6 million admissions to U.S. hospitals in 1997, the results of these two studies imply that at least 44,000 and perhaps as many as 98,000 Americans die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors.” Hospitals should take a number of measures in order to prevent patients from being injured or killed.
- Hospitals should create standardized checklists to ensure that each patient is getting appropriate care.
- Hospitals should implement infection control measures that include handwashing and sterilizing equipment.
- Hospitals should double-check anytime a patient is receiving high-risk medications.
- Hospitals should carefully monitor patients who may be at risk of wandering off.
Hospitals have a legal obligation to provide all patients with reasonably adequate care for their medical conditions. Hospitals could be liable for malpractice if physicians deviated from acceptable standards of patient care. For example, some patients will need to be carefully monitored if they are suffering from a mental health condition or other cognitive impairment. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any patient dies in their care.
- All medical records related to the patient’s death should be collected.
- The actions of medical staff at the hospital prior to the death should be understood.
- Surveillance footage that may have captured critical incidents should be reviewed.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
Many deaths in a hospital setting are entirely preventable. They are often the result of patients that failed to get appropriate levels of care. This is particularly true if a patient has dementia or any other mental health condition that could affect their judgment. There have been a number of situations where elderly patients have died in a care setting because they wandered off and were exposed to extreme heat or cold. It is important for family members of these tragedies to understand that they do have rights. They may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a wrongful death claim.
Investigating Patients Deaths at Vista Medical Center
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of the woman who died at Vista Medical Center East. Any person who may have more information should reach out to authorities. This was a preventable tragedy that should’ve never taken place. It is our sincere hope that measures will be taken to prevent anything similar from happening again.
Do you need more information about a patient death at Vista Medical Center East? Our team of medical malpractice attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that patients are aware of their rights and that hospitals are held to account for their misconduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.