The mother of a Weslaco woman who died in 2021 is now accusing Knapp Medical Center and one of its physicians of not providing adequate care to her daughter the day that she died.
Olga Gonzalez filed a lawsuit against the hospital, its parent-company Prime Healthcare, and one of its physicians last week alleging they did not take seriously the health concerns of her late daughter, Lorie Ann Gonzalez, when she sought care from them last year.
Lorie Ann Gonzalez, who was a research associate at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, died on Feb. 28, 2021, at 46 years old.
That day, she was admitted into Knapp Medical Center, complaining of an ongoing cough, congestion and a headache, according to a federal lawsuit.
“During the week she had felt ‘off’ and so took extra precautions in her day-to-day activities,” the complaint said. “In Defendants’ care, she was met with dismissal, rudeness, and hostility.”
Prime Healthcare said they could not comment on the specific allegations but said they would be fighting them.
“We will be contesting the allegations in court,” Kathleen Avila, a spokesperson for Knapp Medical Center said Wednesday. “We cannot comment further due to the pending litigation.”
Olga Gonzalez said she waited outside as per protocol while her daughter was being seen by staff but after a while, she was called into the emergency room.
“When Ms. Olga went in, she was met with the same hostility her daughter was being treated with,” the complaint said. “The doctor attending … asked in a very belligerent manner ‘What do YOU want ME to do to make YOU HAPPY?’”
Olga Gonzalez purportedly proceeded to tell the assisting doctor to do what was necessary to find out what was wrong with her daughter but the attending physician allegedly became more confrontational, dismissing their concerns and questions, according to the complaint.
“After the frustrating encounter, Ms. Olga Gonzalez went back outside to wait for her daughter,” read the complaint. “While inside, Ms. Lorie Ann Gonzalez tried voicing her health concerns, providing her medical history, medications, and whatever else could help doctors stabilize her. Defendants did not listen.”
The lawsuit also claimed that while Lorie Anne Gonzalez was attempting to receive adequate care, nurses and staff were preoccupied with obtaining her insurance and payment information correctly and did not listen to her health concerns.
“Ms. Lorie Ann Gonzalez continued to complain of fatigue and weakness,” the lawsuit alleged. “Staff dismissed her.”
Olga Gonzalez further alleged that staff gave her daughter “an excessive amount” of intravenous fluids.
Following this “disheartening encounter” at Knapp, Lorie Ann Gonzalez was discharged “without having received proper care, without in depth testing, without care for her health concerns, and without being stabilized,” her mother claimed.
Shortly after she was discharged, Lorie Ann Gonzalez died in her home.
The attorney representing Gonzalez, Israel Perez, said it was later discovered that Lorie Ann Gonzalez had fluid in her heart.
“That’s something they should have caught,” Perez said.
The lawsuit is accusing the hospital of violating the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act and of negligence.
Olga Gonzalez is alleging damages including physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, grief and bereavement, loss of companionship, and funeral and burial expenses.
If a court were to find in her favor, Gonzalez is seeking a judgment for past and future damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, court costs and further relief to which she may be entitled.
Perez said monetary compensation is really the only thing they can ask for and by focusing on the company’s bottom line, they are trying to speak in a language they understand.
“For her, it’s really to make sure this never happens to anybody else again,” Perez said of Olga Gonzalez.
A hearing is scheduled for early April in federal court.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to clarify that Avila is a spokesperson for Knapp Medical Center.
