Based on their extensive work in wrongful death lawsuits, Berkowitz and Hanna LLC knows that these cases can involve more than one defendant, particularly when more than one party is responsible for an individual’s death due to their reckless or negligent behavior.
The Star-Telegram reports that a Fort Worth family has been awarded more than $16 million against a nursing home company accused of letting an intoxicated employee drive home on August 24, 2013. This employee later caused an accident that killed a father and injured three relatives. A jury found negligence against Senior Living Properties, and employee Alisa Prueitt, who worked at Hamilton Healthcare Center (which is owned by Senior Living).
In referring to court documents, the Star-Telegram lists that Senior Living’s company policy mandates testing of an employee suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs along with terminating an employee found to be under the influence while on duty. On the day of the crash, Prueitt was said to have come to work inebriated. She was sent home, but was neither tested nor fired.
Texas law also states if a company sends an employee home from work because he/she is intoxicated, the company must take reasonable steps to prevent the intoxicated employee from causing an unreasonable risk of harm to the public. The firm also represents people who are injured in nursing home negligence and elder abuse cases.
Please note: We do not represent any of the parties in this case.
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