Healthcare Worker Arrested After Group Home Van Stolen With Man Inside

Today, healthcare workers who commit culpable negligence can be arrested and charged with serious crimes. Culpable negligence is not like simple negligence, although the two concepts are related. Simple negligence, the standard that applies to personal injury lawsuits, involves basic lapses that can happen to anyone. With culpable negligence, you’re talking about a crime. To prove culpable negligence, you have to establish that the individual’s behalf was more than just negligent, it was reckless and showed that they didn’t care about the harm they caused others.

Now, a Florida healthcare worker is facing charges of neglect of a disabled adult after the group home’s van was stolen by a third party with a wheel-chair bound man inside. The driver was fired over the incident and is now facing charges.

That seems a bit excessive… 

It does, doesn’t it. Well, we’ve left one important detail. According to the criminal complaint, the driver was driving a non-verbal man in a wheelchair around when he stopped at a liquor store. He left the vehicle running with the man inside, and someone hopped in and took off, man and all.

The clerk alerted the driver that his vehicle was moving. The driver attempted to chase the vehicle but was unsuccessful. The car thief is facing charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and abuse of a disabled adult. The disabled adult was returned to his home and will remain at the residency where his family says he is doing well and situated in the best place he’s ever been.

Does that establish culpable negligence? 

Yes. The loss of the disabled man was not intentional, but the choice to use his company’s vehicle and time to purchase liquor was. Unfortunately, this was a poor choice that had serious consequences. Ultimately, the consequences were preventable and now they are actionable. So, while the man may not be going to prison for this incident, he may face a fine, community service, and he’s out of a job.

It’s also lucky for him that the car thief wasn’t completely evil. He could have dumped the passenger anywhere and taken off with the van. In that case, the stakes would be even higher. So, luckily, the man is safe and sound as his group home.

Criminal charges for healthcare workers 

There have been numerous cases against EMTs charged with acting black heartedly toward individuals in crisis. In Illinois, two EMTs are facing first-degree murder charges after strapping a man face-down in a gurney who was going through delirium tremens. The man died of positional asphyxia. Not even the police officers who were there at the scene have come to their defense. They essentially refused to help a man who was unable to walk up on the gurney and allowed him to die. His family has filed a lawsuit against the ambulance company and the EMTs are facing first-degree murder charges.

Talk to a Port St. Lucie and Stuart, FL Criminal Defense Attorney 

Healthcare workers are not immune from criminal suits filed over negligent administration of medical services. If you’re facing charges, call the Port St. Lucie criminal lawyers at Eighmie Law Firm today to schedule an appointment and we can begin discussing your situation immediately.

Source:

wptv.com/news/treasure-coast/region-st-lucie-county/port-st-lucie/group-home-driver-arrested-after-vehicle-with-wheelchair-dependent-man-inside-stolen-in-port-st-lucie