Northwest Texas Healthcare System of Amarillo, Texas, has agreed to pay $12.5 million to the family of a man killed five years ago when a stolen hospital ambulance slammed into their minivan. The civil suit was settled after a court hearing in Judge John Board's 181st District Court in Potter County, Texas.

Ricky Dewayne Chavez, 33, died Aug. 1, 1999, from injuries suffered when a stolen ambulance, driven by Jamie Sue Whiteagle, crashed into the Chavez's family van. Also injured in the accident were his wife, Tina Grady Chavez, and three children, Shelby Delaine Grady, Ricky Daniel Chavez and Selena aynea Chavez.

Mrs. Chavez suffered irreparable brain damage, leaving her unable to speak or feed herself. Shelby required several surgeries as a result of severe head trauma. The two other children also suffered physical injuries.

"No amount of money will ever fix what happened to this family," says Dallas attorney Frank L. Branson, who represented Mrs. Chavez and two of the children in their lawsuit against Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Northwest Texas Hospital, Amarillo Medical Services, Universal Health Services and two paramedics.

"This settlement will help them cover the overwhelming medical costs they continue to incur as a result of this horrific accident. It also will hopefully shed light on the inadequate security measures around the hospital so that nothing like this will happen again and destroy another family," Mr.
Branson says.

Ms. Whiteagle was admitted to Northwest Texas Hospital on Aug. 1, 1999, for a psychological evaluation. Despite diagnoses of psychosis, situational depression and outward symptoms of mental illness, she was discharged with only instructions to seek assistance from a state-run facility. As she left the hospital, she entered an unlocked ambulance, with its engine running, left unattended by the two paramedics. The theft of the ambulance was captured on a hospital security camera, but neither of the two security guards on duty attempted to stop Ms. Whiteagle.

Shortly after speeding away in the ambulance, Ms. Whiteagle drove through a stop sign, crashing into the Chavez family's Ford Aerostar minivan. Witnesses told Amarillo police investigators that "the ambulance was traveling at a very high rate of speed" and "the people in the minivan had no chance to react."

The lawsuit alleged the hospital and paramedics were negligent for not providing proper care to Ms. Whiteagle and for leaving the ambulance unattended, unlocked and running.

In November of 2000, Ms. Whiteagle pled guilty to manslaughter in connection to the accident and was sentenced to eight years' confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Institutional Division.

For more information on the case involving the Chavez family and the settlement with Northwest Texas Healthcare System, contact Frank Branson at 214-522-0200 or Mike Androvett at 800-559-4534 or mike@legalpr.com .


SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson