A woman who was previously a nurse has been convicted of aggravated assault and manslaughter for a car accident that happened in Texas in February 2012. The woman had been hospitalized the day before the accident for having a seizure. She was given morphine and Percocet at the hospital and was released via cab the following day. Prosecutors in the case alleged that she asked the cab driver to drop her off in a parking lot where she had left her SUV. She reportedly took four times her outpatient dose of pain medication before continuing to operate her vehicle.
The woman’s SUV crashed into a grocery store, killing one person and seriously injuring another. Prosecutors stated that, as a former nurse, the woman should have known better than to drive while on high doses of pain medication.
Defense attorneys argued that the morphine dose was at its highest while the woman was in the cab and that the hospital should not have released her when the medication was so strong. The woman faces up to 20 years in prison for each offense, though the sentencing phase of the trial was not yet complete at the time of the report.
When a person is killed as the result of another person’s negligence, it can be devastating for the family of the deceased. Emotional turmoil can be trying, and the financial fallout from an unexpected death also can be exhausting and pose significant challenges. For families struggling with medical and funeral costs tied to a death following a car accident, it may be helpful to talk to a lawyer about the possibility of pursuing a settlement. An Austin wrongful death lawyer may be able to discuss options with the family of the deceased, and if a settlement is awarded, it may be able to help offset costs.
Source: KVUE, “Former nurse found guilty of manslaughter”, August 29, 2014
