Family sues hospital over snakebite death
The Associated Press
LONDON, Ky. --
The family of a woman bitten by a rattlesnake during a church service in southern Kentucky is suing a hospital and several of its employees, accusing them of ridiculing her religious beliefs rather than providing proper care.
Linda F. Long, 48, of London was bitten on the right cheek by a yellow timber rattler at the East London Holiness Church on Nov. 5, 2006.
Members of the church took Long to the Marymount Medical Center in London.
A nurse met Long and those with her in the parking area outside the emergency room, according to the lawsuit. The nurse engaged Long and her family "in a lengthy and time-consuming series of questions" instead of immediately admitting the woman, the lawsuit states.
The suit also alleges that hospital employees "snickered and made derogatory comments" around Long's family about her religious beliefs and the circumstances of the bite. A doctor also failed to properly treat her reaction to the bite - including a drop in blood pressure and swelling in her neck, mouth and face - and failed to insert a breathing tube when she had trouble breathing.
Later that night, Long was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center, about 75 miles away, where she was pronounced dead.
The wrongful death suit, filed Nov. 1, seeks unspecified damages for Long's suffering and Gary Wayne Long's loss of his wife, in addition to punitive damages. Attorney Robert W. Riley, who represents Long's husband, declined to comment on the suit.
The hospital has not filed a formal response.
Hospital spokeswoman Sharon Hershberger declined to comment specifically on the suit. But she said the hospital takes such complaints seriously and is investigating the case.
"We're committed to providing quality patient care," she said.
Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com
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