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City Settles For $2 Million In Death Of Neglected Patient
By
Jen Chung
Published May 27, 2009
Modified May 27, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 27, 2009
Modified May 27, 2009
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The city agreed to a $2 million settlement with the family of Esmin Green, a woman who died after being ignored in a waiting room at Kings County Hospital's psychiatric ward. Green had been waiting for almost a day last July until she received medical attention which came too late. Her decline—falling off the seating and writhing on the floor until she was lifeless— was captured on surveillance video, which showed a number of staffers ignore her; they only acted after another patient alerted them.
Green, who suffered from depression, had come to the United States to earn money for her family back in Jamaica. Her family had initially planned a $25 million lawsuit against the city and hospital; today, the family's lawyer Sanford Rubenstein said the settlement was "fair and reasonable," but added, "What remains most important to this family is the criminal culpability for those responsible for what happened and those who attempted to cover it up, which continues, after all this time, to remain under investigation by the New York City Department of Investigation." The cover-up Rubenstein refers to is how records stated Green was up and around when, based on the video, she was laying unconscious on the floor.
The head of the Health and Hospitals Corporation, which runs Kings Country Hospital, Alan Aviles said the settlement includes a "full apology and acceptance of HHC's responsibility for the events leading up to the tragic death of Ms. Green."
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esmin green
kings county hospital
neglected patient
patient neglect
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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